insert_link Uncategorized Mungiki, Kenya’s violent youth gang, serves many purposes: how identity, politics and crime keep it alive By Bodil Folke Frederiksen, Roskilde University Kenya has scores of youth gangs known for their violence and links to the politically powerful. None is more infamous than the Mungiki movement, with a past membership estimated to be at least a million. Though banned, it’s constantly in the news as a tool or target of big political players. Bodil Folke Frederiksen, who has studied Mungiki as part of […] today15 February, 2024
Africa Kenya’s sex workers have solutions to their problems, but international NGOs aren’t hearing them By Lise Woensdregt, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam In Kenya, rights organisations run by sex workers have gone into numerous partnerships with international organisations over the past decade. In recent research, I set out to understand whether these relationships worked in favour of the sex workers and their organisations. My research focused on an organisation in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, that supports male sex workers. Kenya’s laws punish activities related to […] today13 February, 2024
insert_link Africa Women fishers in Makoko, Lagos’s ‘floating slum’, are struggling as breadwinners: education and funding would make a difference Makoko women fish traders waiting to buy fish from fishermen. Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP / Getty Images Ayodele Oloko, University of British Columbia Makoko, a coastal fishing community in Lagos, Nigeria, was established by fishermen in the 19th century. It is considered the world’s largest “floating slum”. There are conflicting figures about its population but it is home to about a million inhabitants living in poor and informal housing built […] today7 February, 2024
insert_link Interview Transcripts EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Uhuru Dembers Talks More On Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation Mining Indaba In a recent address at the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation Mining Indaba, Uhuru Dembers, Director of the Desk for Social Development of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia, and associated with the Social Economic Justice Unit of the Council of Churches in Namibia, shared insights into the outcomes of the national alternative mining conference held on January 29th and 30th, 2024. A Landmark Gathering for Namibia's Mining […] today2 February, 2024
insert_link Namibia Ministry Encourages Stability for Effective Food Parcel Distribution to Marginalized Communities Rebekka Namwandi, the Deputy Director of Marginalised Communities in the Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, is urging members of marginalized communities to stay in one place for more effective distribution of quarterly food allocations. Namwandi acknowledged the nomadic lifestyle of some community members, which complicates the allocation process. She emphasized the difficulty and costliness of reaching nomadic populations, as regional planners often find vacant villages. In […] today26 January, 2024
insert_link Health / Medical INTERVIEW: Youth Activist Lloyd Bock Discusses Poverty and Meeting with Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi on Budget Consultation In a recent conversation, Youth Activist Lloyd Bock sheds light on the upcoming budget consultation with Iipumbu Shiimi, Namibia's Finance Minister. The discussion delved into key aspects surrounding the budget, its presentation, and the underlying motives. Here's an overview of the insightful dialogue: The discussion revolves around crucial elements such as the budget, its intended audience, and the overarching purpose. According to Lloyd, the House of IPP, in collaboration with […] today26 January, 2024
insert_link Africa Nigeria has a democracy deficit – corruption and a lack of welfare policies are to blame By Fidelis Allen, University of Port Harcourt Democracy refers, at a minimum, to a political system that guarantees some involvement in decision-making. It gives citizens opportunities to choose and replace their leaders or representatives via free and fair elections. But that’s not all. Democracy also protects citizens’ socio-economic, political and cultural rights. Its success turns on its ability to bring changes to the living conditions of citizens. It […] today25 January, 2024
insert_link Namibia Isaacks advocates for local language proficiency for regional job opportunities ||Kharas Regional Council chairperson, Joseph Isaacks has directed council officials to include local language proficiency as a mandatory condition for all vacancies in the regional government. Isaacks made the statement during a staff meeting here on Tuesday. He said other regional councils have language proficiency conditions in advertisements for vacancies and it is time for ||Kharas to follow suit, adding that the region’s inhabitants are identified by the languages […] today24 January, 2024
insert_link Lifestyle South Africa’s ageing population comes with new challenges. How best to adapt to them By Lauren Johnston, University of Sydney Young people – under the age of 15 – currently make up 29% of South Africa’s population. But this will soon change: the aged portion of the population is forecast to rise from 2030, bringing many challenges. Lauren Johnston, an economics and political economy expert, recently published a paper on the subject. We asked her to put the developments into perspective. What is […] today22 January, 2024
