Two months ago I sat for my first year final exams at the Open University of Sri Lanka. Last month’s edition of the Hi Magazine showcased 3 pages of clothes from designer K.T Brown – modelled by me. And in December, I will be on Art TV – as a contestant for the Super Model of Asia Pacific 2011. I suffer from no grandiose illusions about myself.
Source: IPS Gender Wire
Under a new gender quota law introduced in Mauritius, at least one-third of the candidates in local elections must be women. But the adoption of a national quota is not yet on the horizon, even though just 18 percent of legislators are women and there are only two female cabinet ministers.
Source: The Daily Observer
The campaign to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has taken roots in The Gambia through raising awareness and building consciousness amongst the people. The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices affecting the health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP) has recently completed a series of training and information campaign activities held in Janjangbureh, Sami Karantaba Tabokoto and Chamen Nainija, all in the Central River Region north.
The teeming Zam Zam camp in North Darfur is home to 200,000 refugees fleeing the civil war in Sudan. Women in the camps cook over open fires and then walk for miles through dust and desolation to search for firewood, often finding only a single tree to chop down.
Source: IPS
Under a new gender quota law introduced in Mauritius, at least one-third of the candidates in local elections must be women. But the adoption of a national quota is not yet on the horizon, even though just 18 percent of legislators are women and there are only two female cabinet ministers.
Source: Daily Nation
Two girls have committed suicide in separate incidents after receiving their KCPE exam results.
The heightened level of violence committed against women by Egypt’s military since the fall of the Mubarak regime will not deter them from seeking justice and asserting their rights, a gathering of activists and victims at Cairo’s Journalists Syndicate said.
The Libyan women have slammed a newly circulated draft election law that gives women only ten percent in parliament quota, and described as as “extremely dangerous.”
The campaign to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has taken roots in The Gambia through raising awareness and building consciousness amongst the people. The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices affecting the health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP) has recently completed a series of training and information campaign activities held in Janjangbureh, Sami Karantaba Tabokoto and Chamen Nainija, all in the Central River Region north.
The majority of female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe have a negative perception on obtaining credit from financial institutions, a recent survey shows.
Women’s rights in the Arab world can be boosted by social media, a new study by the Arab Social Media Report said, citing nearly three-quarters of Arab users believing that new media can help improve women’s rights across the region.
Source: RNW
Ten percent of the seats in a proposed Libyan constituent assembly will be reserved for women, a draft electoral law published on Monday said, triggering harsh reaction from a human rights watchdog.
Source: IPS Gender Wire
Following another Islamist landslide in the second round of legislative polling, Egypt's first post-Mubarak parliament will likely see Islamist parties - especially the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) - calling the shots. While high-profile secular figures warn of looming "theocracy", many local analysts believe an Islamist-led parliament won't make any radical legislative changes.
Young leaders from 38 African countries have pledged to act as role models for their fellow youths by “protecting ourselves, our partners and families from HIV, sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, harmful practices and gender-based violence which negatively affect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people.”
Armed rebel groups active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) derive their funds from several sources, notably trade in natural resources, but also ordinary commerce and illegal taxation, according to a report by a United Nations group of experts unveiled today.
Less than two centuries ago, women had no legal existence apart from their husbands even in the Western world. Less than one century ago, women had no political rights in most countries. Even half a century ago, even in the most developed countries of today women faced severe discrimination in many areas of life, including in the labour market.
Shakers and Movers: 2011 has put a number of women all over the world in the spotlight and they stood out for all sorts of reasons. Below we shun and applaud some women.
Source: Women E-News
Profiles of seven outstanding women leaders dedicated to improving lives of women and girls: Carol Jenkins, Ida B. Wells Award, Elizabeth Colton, Pat Mitchell, Deborah Santana, Deborah Tolman, Beverly Willis, Monica Winsor
Source: Daily Trust
Kano — Often times, mothers tend to exercise undue authority in the house by dictating everything that goes there. They are the ones in charge of deciding the shopping list and the kitchen menu. The daughters are only charged with cooking and serving the food. This tradition of mothers dictating what goes on in the home is posing an enormous challenge to the daughters when they finally leave home to their matrimonial abode.
Source: Africa Renewal
Over the past 10 years, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has launched a number of bold and innovative programmes. In some instances the plan is already scoring notable yet underreported gains. Africa Renewal highlights NEPAD’s impact in five key areas.