Gender
Key Correspondents report on gender and development by documenting what life is like for women facing domestic violence, some of whom are also living with HIV, TB and other health issues. Stories range from the rights of women rebuilding their lives and their health after suffering violence to mothers who have experienced and overcome stigma and abandonment after developing maternal health complications during childbirth such as fistula.
Key Correspondents also highlight the connection between human rights and health by documenting the impact violence and discrimination have on LGBT by telling individual stories of struggle and empowerment and by documenting grass roots campaigns and community action.
Lack of access to contraception in Uganda costing thousands of lives
More than a half of all pregnancies in Uganda are unintended and nearly a third of them end in abortion a new survey has found. more
African Union must tackle conflict related rape say campaigners
International campaigners are calling on the African Union to tackle conflict-related rape when it meets for its 20th Summit today. more
How hunger is fuelling domestic violence in rural Zimbabwe
In rural Buhera, about 300 kilometres southeast of Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, many women face domestic violence and say that hunger is fuelling the situation. more
Men the world over must change their mindset, says Indian ambassador to Zimbabwe
The Indian ambassador to Zimbabwe has said there is a need to change the mindset of men the world over so as to stop violence and rape against women. more
Literacy vital for the protection of women from HIV and unwanted pregnancies
Illiteracy is hindering women in Mozambique from preventing unwanted pregnancies and HIV leading to a higher mortality rate for mothers, a health specialist has said. more
16 Days: Fighting sexual violence in Zimbabwe
“We are satisfied with the outcome of the recommendations as they speak to the immediate and long term solutions. We are also satisfied with the openness – talking [about] all aspect of rape and sexual violence – and I think for me it’s important that we have broken the culture of silence, especially among women.” more
Southern Zambia records 505 cases of gender based violence
The commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence was marred by apathy as only ten institutions plus ruling party the Patriotic Front Women’s Group turned up for an event in Livingstone to mark the campaign. more
16 Days Campaign: Gender based violence and disability
In an interview ahead of the 2012 16 Days Campaign against gender based violence, which begins this Sunday (25 November), Pascal Mulenga, president of the Zambia Union of the Blind, said some blind men are being battered by their wives but the police are taking the cases lightly. more
16 days of action against gender based violence: time to speak out!
As the eyes of the world turn to the issue of gender based violence now is a great time to post stories on this topic. more
Domestic violence: still a private matter in Zimbabwe
When the Domestic Violence Act came into being in 2007 it was held as one of the most progressive laws for the advancement of women in the fight against domestic violence in Zimbabwe. more
Full attendance from men at antenatal and under fives’ clinic in rural Choma
This week has been an interesting one for me. Being a volunteer at the District Aids taskforce of Choma in Zambia I have had the privilege to be involved in community outreach programmes. more
Unconventional labour practices
Going for labour is something women look at with great anticipation and mixed emotions. There also exist some unconventional practices which are attempted in various settings presumably to induce labour. more
To what extent are our gender initiatives informed by evidence?
As part of the Gender Challenge Initiative, Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) with support from the Research Triangle Institute, has hosted a one day, national dialogue on gender, gender based violence (GBV) and HIV. more
Local Gokwe women trained as researchers to reduce the ‘fear factor’
More than 30 women from Gokwe district, Zimbabwe have been trained in data collection in order to diffuse the’ fear factor’ informants experience when taking part in health research. more
The challenge Zimbabwe women face accessing identity documents
Many women in Zimbabwe face numerous challenges accessing identity documents. These challenges range from unaffordable charges, difficult attitude of the employees at the registry offices and bureaucratic hurdles. more
Female prisoners in Zimbabwe ‘denied human rights’
The inhumane treatment of female prisoners, especially pregnant inmates, in local prisons has been bemoaned by a prominent Zimbabwean Pastor. more
Women in Burundi, Rwanda and Angola to benefit from anti-haemorrhaging drug
The provision misoprotsol, a drug that can be used to both induce labour and prevent haemorrhaging, is being expanded in various low income countries in a bid to improve women’s health. US based non governmental organisation Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) … more
Family planning in Uganda
Family planning is when or when not to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other aspects of family planning include prevention, sexual education, management of sexually transmitted infections, pre conception counseling … more
Women in Zim being sidelined at local authority level
Thirty two years after independence Zimbabwean women are still lagging behind when it comes to the occupation of positions in local authorities. more
African Union’s African Women Decade bearing fruit
When the African Union (AU) declared 2010-2020 as African women decade, many of us dismissed it as another cheap politicking by the African body or another money making spree by some pretenders. more
Avaaz petition Zimbabwe police to end curfews for suspected sex workers
A petition calling for police to end the curfew on Zimbabwean women suspected of being sex workers has been created by Avaaz. more
For my people perish says the lord
Christians should discuss how the church can contribute more towards addressing church members’ diverse HIV and AIDS needs and stopping maternal death, argues KC Robert Tapfumaneyi. more
Are men preventing prevention? My experience as a man at an antenatal clinic
KC James Kityo’s experience as a man at an antenatal clinic. more
Violence against women and children – what can you do?
I bowed my head, trying to hide tears from the student across from me who was diligently working on an essay. Sitting in the library, I was reminded of how common violence against women and children is; it can be easy to recite figures in place of real stories. more
Woman of Purpose: transforming and empowering women’s lives in Uganda
Woman of Purpose (WOP), an NGO based in Pallisa in Eastern Uganda, has gone a notch higher in transforming and empowering women and communities reports Kityo James. more
Zimbabwe to host high-level meeting on empowering women
Zimbabwe will next week (24 to 25 May) host a high-level meeting of the Global POWER Women Network Africa. more
Sexual and reproductive health report launches in Kenya
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has launched a sexual and reproductive health report following a 2011 public inquiry into the extent and nature of the violation of sexual and reproductive health rights in the country reports KC Sidi Sarro. more
Reducing maternal and infant mortality in Zambia
Giving birth to a baby is a joy for many women but this is not the case for many in Zambia given the high number of maternal deaths. Many women in rural areas see giving birth as not only a burden but a nightmare. Women are scared of falling pregnant due to high costs and also the shortage of midwives, which leads them to give birth at home using the services of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). more
The Segu culture violating the rights of girls and women
Thomas Banda (name changed) graduated from the traditional school where boys who have come of age are taught to engage in Segu (meaning ‘to open’), the raping of young girls to prove their sexual prowess. more
‘One in five’ women in labour face disrespect and abuse finds Kenyan Population Council
One in five women giving birth in Kenyan health facilities face disrespect and abuse, according to the latest figures released by the Kenyan Population Council. more
‘With time I have managed to survive’: violence against women living with HIV
KC Sidi Sarro meets the women who are re-building their lives after being abused by their partners and families for being HIV positive. more
Teenage pregnancy still a challenge for Zambia
Emmanuel Chansa, Provincial AIDS Co-ordinator Advisor, revealed during a meeting of the Provincial AIDS Task Force that 68 girls at Chipata’s Hillside Girls High School in Zambia fell pregnant in the last two months of 2011. All of them were below the age of 16. more
Empowering women in the Pacific region
For the first time, an alliance of young women from the Pacific region, including Australia and New Zealand, has been formed to focus on young women, their empowerment and promoting women’s leadership.
more
You share my feelings: the tale of a child bride
Emaweyesh Kassie, 19 year old from Gonder, Northern Ethiopia married when she was six. Here, she shares her experience. more
‘Empower Girls’: MP’s International Women’s Day message for Uganda
Uganda’s government should ‘empower girls’ to improve the social and economic status of women, according to an International Women’s Day address by Woman Members of Parliament. more
“Women Beat Us” say Ugandan men
Many men report being battered and abused by women in their homes and many more are silent when they are beaten, denied sex and robbed of their property, says Paul Tentena the coordinator of Coalition Against Men Persecution (CAMP) a … more
End violence against women. Zimbabwe joints UN campaign
Zimbabwe has joined the UN Africa Unite campaign to end all forms of violence against women under the theme: “Speak out, Climb up.”
more
