The 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women will open on 27 February at United Nations headquarters, focused on the theme of empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, sustainable development and current challenges. The Commission will agree on urgent actions needed to make a real difference in the lives of millions of rural women. These recommendations will also provide input into other policy forums, such as the Rio+20 Conference in June 2012.
Source: AWID
Militarism, conflict and violence are on the rise and have a range of gender-specific impacts. Increased spending on defense, arms and security often means that spending on social services is being cut. In the context of militarism and conflict violence against women also increases and attacks on women’s human rights defenders are growing and are increasingly normalized.
The South Sudan Women Empowerment Network in partnership with the UN women and NPA yesterday organized a workshop set to end today.
As women across the MENA (Middle-East and North Africa) region experienced victory and discouraging setbacks with political participation and human rights for all in Egypt and Tunisia women activist leaders look back to reflect on what has gone wrong and what has gone right for the women who have pushed so very hard for change.
The African Women's Decade (2010-2020) is a bold political initiative that aims to put women at the centre of development on the continent. Launched in Nairobi, Kenya, in October 2010, with roots traceable to the UN First World Conference on Women, held in Mexico city in 1975, this initiative aims to create conditions under which the participation of all African women in the continent's socio-economic development can be guaranteed.
When the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held its inaugural meeting in London back in 1946, the U.S. delegate, Eleanor Roosevelt, read an open letter to "the women of the world" calling on governments to encourage women everywhere to participate in national and international affairs.
Al-Shabaab Rebels Impose Forced Marriages, use Students as ‘Human Shields’.Somalia’s warring parties have all failed to protect Somali children from the fighting or serving in their forces, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab has increasingly targeted children for recruitment, forced marriage, and rape, and attacked teachers and schools, Human Rights Watch said.
The annual United Nations report documenting conflict-related sexual violence around the world today for the first time names some of the military forces, militia and other armed groups that are suspected of being among the worst offenders.
If women aren't part of the political process in Somalia, they can't be a part of the outcome, notes guest blogger Jina Moore. Lots of powerful men – and a few powerful women, including the American secretary of state – are meeting in London to talk about the dire "security threat" that is now Somalia. Or, in the words of Britain's foreign minister, "the world's most failed state." (Because that's a rational metric...)
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) today signed a US$ 2.73 million grant with the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) in Accra. The second phase funding will promote the economic empowerment and political participation of women in Africa, by strengthening AWDF’s institutional and human capacity and increasing the institutional capacity of African Women Organizations to engage effectively on issues of women’s human rights and development in Africa. This follows a successful first phase of US$1 million, which ended in December 2011.
More than seven months overdue, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria grant will finally be released to key South African AIDS organizations that have been struggling to survive. Some were on the verge of shutting down.
Source: Tunisia Live
Dr. Elyess Mkaddem, a Tunisian specialist in reproductive biology, has announced the birth of the first baby in Tunisia to be conceived through a revolutionary new procedure know as embryo vitrification.
Source: IPS
There are two women among the 14 candidates contesting the first round of Senegalese presidential elections that will be held on Feb. 26. But according to several analysts, this overwhelmingly Muslim West African country is not ready to be governed by a woman.
Source: AllAfrica
Expanding the yield of smallscale agriculture is vital – not only to feed those in need, but to ensure global stability and preserve the environment.
Source: The Zimbabewan
Since her appointment as the DPM in February 2009, Khupe has set her focus on improving the quality of life of women and has been at the forefront of the 50/50 representation in Parliament.
Source: VOA
In East Africa, there has been an historic imbalance in the number of men and women pursuing and holding posts in post-secondary education, with relatively few women at the university level. But efforts are being made to increase women's presence in all levels of university education.
Source: UN News Centre
Independent United Nations human rights experts today called on Morocco to consolidate and advance the country's achievements on women's rights by tackling gaps in its legal framework which put women at a disadvantage, adding that domestic and migrant workers are at higher risk of having their rights violated.
Source: The Daily Observer
There was immense excitement among women fishmongers at the Tanji Fishing Centre after their fish smoking houses were recently refurbished.
Source: Times of Zambia
FIRST Lady Christine Kaseba has called for stiffer punishment for perpetrators of gender Based violence in the wake of the rising cases of attacks on girls and women.
Source: The Citizen
A special tournament featuring women soccer teams from various secondary schools in Dar es Salaam is in the offing.