Four 'good practice' reports, commissioned by UNFPA, suggest that a holistic approach to changing social norms, involving dialogue among all community members, works best to discourage female genital mutilation or cutting. The following story discusses how the four good practices – community dialogues, use of videos, public declarations and national legislation – can work together to promote the health and rights of adolescent girls. The Tepeth are mountain people of northeastern … [Read more...]
“Nourishing Bodies, Nourishing Minds”
January 25, 2013 by
In a bid to improve access to health care, nutrition and education for the world’s most underserved children, UNESCO is joining forces with the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the private sector to launch a three-year partnership, “Nourishing Bodies, Nourishing Minds,” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on 24 January 2013. This partnership comes in direct support to the UN Secretary-General’s, Global Education First Initiative aimed at galvanizing renewed international action … [Read more...]
Neema Namadamu, Congolese grassroots women leaders
January 24, 2013 by
The Democratic Republic of Congo was recently dubbed 'a never-ending nightmare' by the New York Times, but over 200 Congolese grassroots women leaders---- self-identified as the Maman Shujaa, or 'Hero Women'---- have emerged from the shadows to organize a movement denouncing violence and demanding peace.They have utilized our platform to request a voice in the decisions that affect their lives, and the world is taking notice. As the 20th African Union Summit kicks off this week, with Hero … [Read more...]
Ugandan HIV campaign targets “cheaters”
January 24, 2013 by
KAMPALA, January 2013 (PlusNews) - A new Ugandan HIV-prevention campaign that frankly addresses sexual infidelity is generating heated debate over the direction the country's HIV strategy should take. Billboards erected in various parts of the capital, Kampala, by Uganda Cares - a programme of the US NGO AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) - bear the image of a broken heart and the lines "Cheating? Use a condom" and "Cheated on? Get tested". The campaign aims to address the growing … [Read more...]
Future of Healthcare in Africa
January 22, 2013 by
Improving health outcomes in Africa will require a shift to preventive care and less reliance on international aid, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit A wholesale restructuring of Africa’s healthcare systems will be necessary over the next ten years, including measures to expand access to healthcare, to focus on primary care and prevention, and to manage chronic conditions. These reforms can be achieved by giving local communities more control over their healthcare, by using mobile … [Read more...]
Tanzanian women take matters into their own hands, pooling resources
January 17, 2013 by
“You need to join forces if you want to stand strong,” explains Batuli Massawe, a 46-year-old mushroom farmer who has become a respected entrepreneur due largely to training and solidarity lending in the community of Morogoro, 190 km west of Tanzania’s capital. In a country where agriculture provides the main source of livelihood for a large majority of the population — accounting for more than two-thirds of employment and almost half of Tanzania’s GDP — the the agricultural sector is … [Read more...]
