insert_link Africa Tanzania’s political parties have few women in leadership and candidate lists: some solutions By Victoria Melkisedeck Lihiru, The Open University of Tanzania Tanzania, in keeping with global political trends, reserves 30% of seats in parliament for women. These so-called special seats were introduced with multiparty politics in 1992, in response to the low numbers of women elected to positions of power. There were only eight elected female parliamentarians after the first multiparty elections in 1995. Ten years later, 17 […] todayMay 14, 2024 14
insert_link Uncategorized Obstetric and gynecological violence: Empowering patients to recognize and prevent it Women who receive obstetric and gynecological care must be heard when they say that they have received inadequate, violent treatment. (Shutterstock) By Audrey Ferron-Parayre, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa; Catherine Régis, Université de Montréal; Emmanuelle Bernheim, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa, and Sylvie Lévesque, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) In recent years, media and social networks have brought to light growing denunciations of obstetric and gynecological care that is considered […] todayApril 17, 2024 9
insert_link Africa A decade after the kidnapping of the Chibok girls in Nigeria, what has the #BringBackOurGirls movement achieved? By Temitope Oriola, University of Alberta In April 2014, the terrorist organization Boko Haram kidnapped 276 high school girls in Chibok, a town in northeast Nigeria. About 57 of the girls managed to escape on the night of their capture. Boko Haram had demonstrated its intentions regarding the education of girls and young women prior to the mass kidnapping — two months before the Chibok kidnapping, Boko Haram […] todayApril 17, 2024 12
insert_link Africa The Gambia may allow female genital mutilation again – another sign of a global trend eroding women’s rights By Satang Nabaneh, University of Dayton The Gambia’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) since 2015 is under threat. Proposed changes before parliament could permit medicalised female genital cutting and allow it for consenting adults. This potential reversal has thrust the country into the global spotlight as the latest example of the backlash against gender equality. The Gambia’s criminalisation of FGM was not the first in west […] todayApril 2, 2024 14
insert_link Opinion Pieces UN Rights Experts Make False Promises About Prostitution The essayist, an expert in human trafficking, writes that a guidance paper produced by a UN human rights group on eliminating discrimination against “sex workers” actually “advocates for policies that will endanger women and girls.” TONY WEBSTER/CREATIVE COMMONOpinion By Taina Bien-Aimé The United Nations working group on discrimination against women and girls published a paper last year that not only fails to address the widespread human rights violations caused by prostitution […] todayMarch 14, 2024 16
insert_link Namibia Old Mutual report shows gender pay gap in Namibia The Old Mutual Financial Services Monitor 2023 has revealed that we still have a long way to go to foster financial inclusivity. Globally women tend to earn less than their male counterparts and the position is no different in Namibia. Whilst age and income are positively correlated the rate of growth is significantly lower for women. Mignon du Preez, Group Marketing, Public Affairs and Sustainability Executive, Old Mutual Namibia explains […] todayMarch 11, 2024 33
insert_link World French parliamentarians secure abortion rights French parliamentarians have voted to enshrine the right to access abortion services into the constitution. Ross Cullen reports that lawmakers and senators overwhelmingly approved the changes in a rare joint session of parliament. todayMarch 6, 2024 15
insert_link Health / Medical On International Women’s Day, UNAIDS calls for protecting women’s rights to protect their health Ahead of International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March, UNAIDS is calling for the protection of women’s rights to protect their health. The world is way off track to meet the gender, equality and HIV targets that are part of the Sustainable Development Goals. At the current rate of progress, it will take an estimated 300 years to end child marriage, 140 years for women to be represented equally in […] todayMarch 6, 2024 20
insert_link Africa The Moroccan referee who has overcome cultural barriers and gender stereotypes to make history at AFCON 2023 By Joel Omotto, bird story agency Bouchra Karboubi is blazing a trail through the beautiful game. While there has been a laudable increase in the number of female referees at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following the appointment of six women, only one has been given the mandate to officiate as a centre referee, with the rest working as either assistant referees or Video Assistant Referees […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 14