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...]
Côte d’Ivoire: Food for Assets Project Empowers Women’s Group
March 15, 2013 by
A women’s group in western Côte d’Ivoire is participating in a WFP Food for Assets gardening project that is empowering its members and providing nutritious foods for their households. Abidjan – In Gningleu village in western Côte d’Ivoire bordering Liberia, Alice heads a women’s group called “Debasseu”. In English that means “Do it yourself”. The group is participating in a WFP Food for Assets gardening project, and as a result has been able to secure more nutritious foods for their … [Read more...]
COTE D’IVOIRE: Marital equality law sparks controversy
December 5, 2012 by
ABIDJAN, December 2012 (IRIN) - The adoption by Côte d'Ivoire’s parliament of a law on equality between legally married couples has sparked anger, especially among religious people. For them, this law will create more problems in the home than it will solve. Adopted on 21 November, the law says family affairs should be managed jointly by both spouses in the interests of the household and children. The previous law stated that the husband was the sole head of the family. "To remove this … [Read more...]
Women’s Rights in ACCRA – 16 days of activism, Visiting an “outcast” home
December 5, 2012 by
December 2012 - They number about 600, including women, children and men. They have come to Tindang, a small community in Gnani outside Yendi, out of fear from accusers who threaten them as witches and murderers. The Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) on Wednesday said it was conducting checks on reports alleging that 20 girls selling iced water had been arrested by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) taskforce on various streets of Accra. The Ministry also said … [Read more...]
Mali: Shea tree empowers women
August 22, 2012 by
Many women in Mali know all about the benefits of the shea tree. They've been gathering its fruit for years to produce soaps and various products to sell. Now, production hovers at 80,000 tons per year – but it has the potential to reach 250,000 tons and improve lives. Vitellaria paradoxa (previously Butyrospermum parkii), commonly known as shea tree, shi tree, /ˈʃiː/ or /ˈʃiː.ə/, or vitellaria, is a tree of the Sapotaceae family indigenous to Africa, occurring in Mali, Cameroon, Congo, Côte … [Read more...]
