insert_link Africa Gender apartheid: oppression of women should be made a crime against humanity – feminist academic explains why By Penelope Andrews, New York Law School Crimes against humanity are occurring with impunity around the globe; from Myanmar to Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere. And yet, unlike international treaties for the crimes of genocide, torture, apartheid and forced disappearances, there isn’t a treaty specific to crimes against humanity. That lack is now being remedied. The International Law Commission, a UN expert body, has submitted […] today16 July, 2024
insert_link Africa Gambia MPs uphold ban on female genital mutilation Gambian lawmakers voted this afternoon to uphold a 2015 ban on female genital mutilation, rejecting a controversial bill seeking to overturn the law after months of heated debate and international pressure. Legislators killed the bill by voting against all the proposed amendments to the 2015 text that would have decriminalised the practice. Rights groups and the United Nations had urged MPs to reject the bill, saying it […] today15 July, 2024
insert_link Namibia Namibia’s sodomy laws have been overturned – what that means for LGBTIQ+ rights in the country Bennian/Getty Images, CC BY By John Nakuta, University of Namibia The Namibian high court recently invalidated the country’s colonial-era “sodomy law”, which had made consensual sexual acts between men a criminal offence. The court declared that the common law offences of “sodomy” and “unnatural sexual offences” were unconstitutional. This ruling follows a separate decision in 2023 where Namibia’s supreme court ruled to recognise certain same-sex unions […] today8 July, 2024
insert_link Africa Sierra Leone bans child marriage with new law Sierra Leone has brought in a new law banning child marriage with much fanfare at a ceremony organised by First Lady Fatima Bio in the capital, Freetown. The BBC reports that invited guests, including first ladies from Namibia and Cape Verde, watched as her husband President Julius Maada Bio signed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act into law. Anybody now involved in the marriage of a girl aged under the […] today3 July, 2024
insert_link Namibia Electoral Commission Faces Criticism Over Gender Inclusivity in Voter Registration Policy The Electoral Commission says it will only register those people who are classified as male or female on their identification documentation. This comes amid concerns from activists and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and other communities about the lack of inclusivity for non-binary and transgender individuals. Activist Linda Baumann weighed in. today3 July, 2024
insert_link World Assange’s wife says he needs time to ‘recuperate’ after release Wikileaks founder Julian Assange needs privacy and time to recover after more than five years in a high-security London prison, his wife Stella said after his return to Australia Wednesday. Assange wanted to attend a news conference soon after his arrival in the Australian capital but "you have to understand, he needs time, he needs to recuperate, and this is a process," she told reporters, apparently close […] today26 June, 2024
insert_link Africa Kenya state-backed rights body says 22 killed in Tuesday protests Twenty-two people were killed in Tuesday's protests in Kenya, a state-funded rights organisation said, vowing an investigation into what it described as "the largest number of deaths (in) a single day protest." "We have recorded 22 deaths... we are going to launch an inquiry," said Roseline Odede, chairwoman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, adding that 19 people had died in the capital Nairobi, where […] today26 June, 2024
insert_link Local Solidarity and Support. Don’t Punish, with a focus on women and gender diverse people who use drugs – 26 June 2024 Y-Fem is a registered feminist human rights organization which is focused on feminism, women’s rights and movement building to ensure women’s can assert and demand their rights in all spheres of life. Y-Fem is focused on improving intersectional and inclusive coordination amongst organizations working in the women’s rights and feminist space in Namibia as well as movement building with a focus on rural grassroots level mobilizing. “Support. […] today26 June, 2024
insert_link Africa Forced evictions suppress Maasai spirituality & sacred spaces in Tanzania In March, the Tanzanian government issued a new round of eviction notices impacting Maasai communities: The first one was issued in Simanjiro district for the expansion of Tarangire National Park while the second was issued to eight villages for the expansion of the Kilimanjaro International Airport. Maasai elders and spiritual leaders say they fear and disapprove of the Tanzanian government’s decision of eviction that has disrupted their […] today25 June, 2024
