Dublin to Host 8th Forum of Cities Against Poverty Making Cities Smart, Safe and Sustainable to be key focus of the forum Geneva, 1 October 2012—On World Habitat Day, the United Nations Development Programme has announced the host city of WACAP8 will be Dublin, Ireland. The WACAP8 forum will take place on 20-21 February 2013. The World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty (WACAP) was first launched in 1996 as a global network of municipal governments. Its ambition is to address the … [Read more...]
World Habitat Day: “Changing Cities, Building Opportunities”
World Habitat Day occurs on the first Monday of October. This year’s theme – “Changing Cities, Building Opportunities” - provides the occasion to reflect and act on how to make our cities and communities smarter, safer and more sustainable especially for women, youth and children. More people move to cities in the hope that cities may offer employment opportunities. But evidence shows that women and men do not enjoy them equally. Studies conducted last year by UN Women in five major … [Read more...]
GALS champion in the Muhanga district in Rwanda
Beatrice Gerli reports on Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) in the case of DUHAMIC- ADRI, Muhanga District, Rwanda. “After attending GALS trainings, I opened up with my wife Cotilda and discussed openly our issues. We are managing to solve our problems and we are much better off. Even the productivity of our activities has sharply increased!” proudly said Eria, one of the GALS champion in the Muhanga district in Rwanda. He also added that in May his family only had 10 Kg … [Read more...]
GUINEA: Fresh tears, steeled will, hundreds of women raped
CONAKRY, September 2012 (IRIN) - One after the other, women visiting their sick friend Aïssatou Baïlo Diallo, a 42-year-old teacher in Guinea’s capital Conakry, are overcome with emotion and leave her bedside crying. Diallo has been in and out of hospitals since she was raped in the 28 September 2009 stadium attack, and in recent weeks her health has deteriorated rapidly. Three years after the stadium massacre, the pain is fresh. Three years ago, at Conakry’s 28 September Stadium, hundreds … [Read more...]
TRADE of INNOCENTS – World Premiere Sept 29
SEX TRAFFICKING of CHILDREN: The numbers surprised me. Several thousands of women and girls each year routinely forced to have sex multiple times per day? 1 official and many unofficial trafficking circuits spanning the country? Over 5,000 brothels disguised as massage parlors? 13 as the average age of entrance into the trade? $200,000 in profit per girl/child per year? The land of the free? Yes, I’m talking about America. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in … [Read more...]
Joint Programme on Rural Women with Rome-based agencies
Michelle Bachelet remarks at the launch of the Joint Programme on Rural Women with Rome-based agencies, “Accelerating Progress toward the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women”. New York, 27 September 2012. Good afternoon. Welcome, President Johnson-Sirleaf; our distinguished panelists and participants; and our co-hosts, the Governments of Brazil, Canada, Liberia and the Netherlands. Thank you for your partnership and strong support. It is wonderful to be here with all of you. This … [Read more...]
ZAMBIA, actions to meet the Millennium Development Goals
Identifying good practices that lead to greater equity in reproductive health The UN agencies known as the H4+ support priority countries that take concerted actions to meet the Millennium Development Goals on maternal and child health. UNFPA has identified Zambia as one such country. The following feature shows some of the "Good Practices" the country has undertaken to expand access to reproductive health. When Mabvuto Zulu returned to Zambia after studying medicine in Cuba, he worked … [Read more...]
UNDP offers six-point plan to fast-track women in politics, Asia-Pacific
UNDP THAILAND/MARK S. COGAN | ABC JOURNALIST HELEN BROWN MODERATES A DISCUSSION OF PROMINENT POLITICAL ACTORS SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS ON WHY THE PUSH FOR POLITICAL EQUALITY IN ASIA LANGUISHES BEHIND OTHER REGIONS. BANGKOK — It will take 50 years for gender balance to be achieved in Asia-Pacific national legislatures if the increase in women’s participation in parliaments remains at the current pace, says a UN Development Programme (UNDP) study released this week. Economic progress will be … [Read more...]
AFRICA: Kenya moves to increase women in its police force
Kenya moves to increase women in its police force, and improve their work environments ~ Celebrate! To boost and empower women in the security and legal system, Kenya is setting up an association of women police officers to promote their role in law enforcement and security reform. The National Women’s Police Association will be a platform where policewomen can develop leadership skills, support one another and advance gender sensitive policies and practices throughout the force. An … [Read more...]
V-DAY, Dr. Mukwege, Godfather of V-Men, Puts Out a Call to Men
Dr. Mukwege, Godfather of the V-Men Movement, Calls on Men Throughout Africa & the World End Violence Against Women & Cherish Women's Vaginas - OCTOBER 4, 2012 August 27 - 29, V-Day, with support from the Skoll Foundation and the Wallace Global Fund, convened 48 activists and social entrepreneurs from 17 countries in Africa for the first ever V-Africa Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Denis Mukwege, Founder of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu. DRC and the … [Read more...]
World Pulse, Ending Violence Against Women Campaign Update
The Power of Your Stories "While there is breath in this body I will speak the truth." Aoife | Ireland It has been two weeks since we announced our Ending Violence Against Women Digital Action Campaign, and we have already received over 240 community submissions from all over the world. From a witness to the horrors of acid violence in Bangladesh, to a South African man determined to redefine masculinity and address the root causes of violence, to a journalist grappling … [Read more...]
Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls must be punished
September 2012 – Violence against women and girls and the indiscriminate extraction of natural resources are among the most pressing issues that indigenous peoples face today, a United Nations human rights expert said today. “A recurring issue that has come to my attention in various contexts is that of violence against indigenous women and girls,” said the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, in his statement to the UN Human Rights Council in … [Read more...]
Ethiopian Fistula Surgeons Train Physicians in Mozambique, Women’s Maternal Health
BEIRA, Mozambique — Following a successful fistula repair surgery, 25-year-old Esther Joakim Chimoio envisions a better life. Although her husband abandoned her because of her condition, she now has ambitious plans that will allow her to take care of her children on her own. "I want to go back and start my own banana and orange business to support my children. Before I was working in the fields for a woman in my area due to my limited strength because of fistula," she says, beaming. Esther … [Read more...]
Lorna Blake – I Know My Galactic Family Is Here, Do You? (Video)
- Lorna Blake - 'I Know My Galactic Family Is Here, Do You?' (UFO Disclosure + World Conference 2012 Info) How are you? I trust your weekend is going well:) Here's a video of people from all over the world experiencing galactic encounters. This video has been produced and released by InLIght Radio for you to share with all your family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues - and the world - to let them know that our Galactic family is here. For … [Read more...]