Violence against women (VAW) is the most widespread and persistent violation of human rights. According to a 2013 study from the World Health Organization (WHO), at least one in three women worldwide (35 per cent) will experience physical and/or sexual violence during their lifetime, usually at the hands of someone they know. This means more than one billion women worldwide are affected by VAW. At least one in three women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence in their … [Read more...]
PTSD, The plight of FGM in The Gambia, Africa
July 26, 2014 by
Slowly changing, but unmoving: The plight of FGM in The Gambia, Africa A Stop FGM – Female Genital Mutilation sign in Bakau New Town, Gambia gives a phone number to reach for those women who want talk with someone about FGM. Image: Nichol Brummer/Flickr London, UNITED KINGDOM, WESTERN EUROPE: Rainy season in upcountry rural Gambia, is green. It is a warm, inviting blend of a thousand greens; a mixture of beautiful, calm, peaceful mingling greens. As I look around and soak in the reality … [Read more...]
World Urbanization Prospects Worldwide
July 1, 2014 by
Revealing urbanization trends worldwide The world’s urban population has grown rapidly since 1950 and the coming decades will bring further profound changes to its size and distribution. On 10 July, UN DESA’s Population Division will release the latest urbanization trends, providing data that are critical for assessing current and future needs with respect to urban growth. Scheduled for launch on 10 July, just one day before World Population Day, the latest version of the World … [Read more...]
The Dark Side of Brazil’s Love for Women’s Soccer
June 30, 2014 by
This summer's World Cup will bring together two things for which Brazil is internationally renowned: soccer and beautiful women. While Brazil's reputation for sexy ladies and futebol are mixed together in the advertising leading up to the games, it's another story on the field. The struggles of women attempting to break into the male-dominated world of soccer reveals the darker side of the beautiful game. For a country renowned for its passion and prowess in the sport, acceptance of … [Read more...]
Global Human Trafficking, a Modern form of Slavery
June 29, 2014 by
Steve McQueen, director of this year’s Oscar winner for best film “12 Years A Slave,” mentioned in his acceptance speech last month that 21 million people are living in slavery today. That quoted figure comes from the 2012 report issued by the United Nation’s International Labor Organization (ILO) that has been attempting to gather international data for over a decade now. In the Asia-Pacific region where most of the world’s forced laborers come from at 56%, an estimated 11.7 million people, … [Read more...]
2014 Partners’ Forum – Johannesburg, (June 30/July1)
June 21, 2014 by
Violence against Women Intimate partner and sexual violence against women Introduction The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life." Intimate partner violence refers to behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner that … [Read more...]
