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...]
Veneranda Nyirahirwa – Rwanda’s Women Lead
April 10, 2014 by
20th Anniversary of Genocide, Rwanda’s Women Lead Rwanda’s Member of Parliament Veneranda Nyirahirwa says women in Rwanda have fought for political representation. In the Lower House of Parliament women occupy 64 percent or 51 out of 80 seats. Credit: Fabíola Ortiz/IPS KIGALI, Apr 2014 (IPS) - When Rwandan Member of Parliament Veneranda Nyirahirwa was just a girl, she wasn’t allowed to attend secondary school because of her ethnicity. It was only in the wake of the country’s … [Read more...]
Women Taking Action: NGOWG MAP – May 2013
May 3, 2013 by
NGOWG MAP - May 2013: BiH, Central African Republic, Central African region, DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria, Yemen; Counter terrorism, WPS The NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security has released the May 2013 version of our Monthly Action Points (MAP) on Women, Peace and Security for the UN Security Council. For May, in which Togo has the Security Council presidency, the MAP provides recommendations on the situations in Bosnia and … [Read more...]
2,000 child soldiers recruited by forces in CAR – Take Action!
April 13, 2013 by
April 2013 – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today said more than 2,000 boys and girls have been recruited by armed forces in the Central African Republic since the latest wave of violence in the country began in December. In a news release, UNICEF said it had clear evidence of continuing recruitment of children, and warned that such practices represent a grave violation of international law. “Recruiting children is both morally unacceptable and prohibited under international … [Read more...]
UN chief condemns armed attacks by rebels in CAR
December 28, 2012 by
The armed attacks launched by rebel fighters on several towns in the Central African Republic have been strongly condemned by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The rebels are reported to have advanced towards the capital, Bangui, prompting the United Nations to temporarily relocate its non-essential staff from the country. In a statement issued late on Wednesday, Mr. Ban says he deeply regrets the loss of life and population displacement caused by the fighting. The Central … [Read more...]
Taking Action against Lord’s Resistance Army, Invisible Children, Security Council
December 20, 2012 by
The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), also known as the Lord's Resistance Movement, is a Christian fundamentalist, militant new religious movement cult operating in northern Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. It has been accused of widespread human rights violations, including murder, abduction, mutilation, child-sex slavery and forcing children to participate in hostilities. Initially it was an outgrowth and continuation of the larger armed … [Read more...]
