Palestine refugee girl’s story receives international award August 2012 Jerusalem When Israeli bulldozers arrived to demolish her home, 14-year-old Palestine refugee Salha Hamadin called on her pet Hantush to take her somewhere far away until they finished. Hantush, a flying lamb, took Salha on an adventure to Spain, where she met with the Barcelona football team’s Lionel Messi, who then returned with Salha to her community and promised to fix their football field. Messi then offered … [Read more...]
Ethiopia: HIV+ Mother Pulls Family Back from Brink
August 2, 2012 by
With the help of WFP's food support and livelihood assistance programmes, Belaynish Dabe and her HIV-positive husband no longer struggle to feed themselves and their children. WFP's food support to people living with HIV helps ameliorate the double burden of lack of income and deteriorating health. DEBRE ZEIT--Belaynish Dabe, an HIV-positive mother of six children, used to struggle to feed herself and her children due to a lack of regular income. She grew only maize, which she could … [Read more...]
Women in EU public sector face higher risk of losing jobs
August 1, 2012 by
GENEVA (ILO News) - Women working in the public sector in countries of the European Union (EU) have been particularly hard-hit by recent cutbacks in jobs, wages and benefits, according to a joint ILO European Commission study titled “Public Sector Adjustment in Europe”. In a chapter on gender, the study (made public on 28 June 2012) warns that these cuts will damage progress made towards gender equality. Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead, a Senior advisor to the Conditions of Work and … [Read more...]
Jamaica; frank discussion of sex, women’s socioeconomic realities needed to address HIV
August 1, 2012 by
Jamaica’s national response to HIV needs to better address the challenges faced by vulnerable persons, according to Sannia Sutherland, the Director of Prevention for Jamaica’s National HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infection Programme. Here she highlights how the socioeconomic impact of higher unemployment levels among women can disproportionately affect their ability to practice safer sex. Sannia says many must choose between buying food for their family or buying a condom. Watch the full … [Read more...]
A Celebration of Women Foundation – Celebration House™
August 1, 2012 by
Celebration House™ safe houses for young women, enabling the education they need for a self sustainable, equitable lifestyle. A Celebration of Women™ Foundation is now in the midst of planning the opening our very first flagship Celebration House, a home for young women that will nurture, while they received an Education that will enable them to grow into Future Women LEADERS. These young women will be put through rigorous testing during our application process. Those who … [Read more...]
Afghanistan: PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS Program 2012
July 31, 2012 by
The Embassy of Afghanistan shows support for female Afghan graduates of the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS leadership development program WASHINGTON, DC—Ambassador Hakimi and Mrs. Hakimi welcomed eight Afghan women participating in the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS Program and their program coordinators to the Embassy for a congratulatory dinner on Monday, July 23 and then attended their program presentation and graduation on Tuesday at the International Women’s Economic Summit. … [Read more...]
Saudi Arabia’s First Female Olympic Athletes Called ‘Prostitutes’
July 31, 2012 by
Saudi Arabia will be sending two female athletes to the 2012 London Olympics, which officially began Friday. Wojdan Shaherkani (Judo) and Sarah Attar (athletics) will be the first two women to ever represent the kingdom, where conservative religious clerics forbid the participation of women in competitive sports. On Twitter, their anticipated involvement in the games set off a flurry of reactions, including a hash tag which described them as the “Prostitutes of the Olympics.” Saudi … [Read more...]
Syria: head of UN observers meets with Government officials, voices concern over Aleppo
July 30, 2012 by
30 July 2012 – The acting head of UN observers in Syria today held his first meeting with Government officials, during which he called for an end to the fighting that has wracked the Middle Eastern country, and voiced concern about ongoing combat taking place in the city of Aleppo. “It was a good opportunity for me to discuss UNSMIS activities in the coming 20 days. I stressed the need for all sides to end the bloodshed – Syrians killing Syrians – and for all sides to commit to political … [Read more...]
DAKAR – Catch 22, ‘opium’ farmers need Alternative Livelihood
July 28, 2012 by
DAKAR, July 2012 (IRIN) - Upwards of 90 percent of the opium poppies in Myanmar’s northern region are grown in Shan State, even though farmers are aware that if they grow an illicit crop, it may be eradicated and they could lose everything Alternative livelihood support is needed if growers are to be weaned off this double-edged source of income. “Farmers grow opium poppy to buy food, pay off debt and have a cash income to pay school fees and health expenses,” Gary Lewis, regional … [Read more...]
NEPAL – Better health, particularly women and children
July 28, 2012 by
KATHMANDU, July 2012 (IRIN) - Nepal will produce nearly half a million improved cooking stoves over the next five years to benefit rural communities and bring the chance of better health to millions of people, particularly women and children. The target of 475,000 stoves was set by the National Rural and Renewable Energy Programme, a new effort to bring all rural energy programmes under one management and funding body, and will be implemented by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) … [Read more...]
SOUTH SUDAN: The biggest threat to a woman’s life
July 26, 2012 by
JUBA, 20 July 2012 (IRIN) - South Sudan has the worst reported maternal mortality rate in the world. “More women die in child birth, per capita, in South Sudan, than in any country in the world,” says Caroline Delany, a health specialist with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in South Sudan which is funding a raft of maternal health programmes. A 2012 report entitled Women’s Security in South Sudan: Threats in the Home by Geneva-based think-tank Small Arms Survey (SAS) … [Read more...]
