NAIROBI, Kenya, May 29- United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has launched ‘Oky Kenya’, an adapted version of the world’s first-period tracker offline app, specifically designed for girls living in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya.
“Allegations of grave cases of sexual violence against civilians, including children, in particular affecting IDPs fleeing conflict in the eastern DRC, is a matter of profound concern which requires immediate action,” said the top UN official who advocates for women and girls impacted by sexual violence.
The representative spoke of how she was “deeply troubled” by some attacks which have been taking place in broad daylight, affecting the daily lives and livelihoods of women and girls in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
Protecting women and girls
She noted that the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has reported an alarming number of Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases in 2022 and that IDP camps represent a ‘volatile security environment’, especially for displaced women and girls.
“More than 38,000 cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) were reported by UNICEF for all of 2022 in North Kivu alone. Humanitarian actors report they have provided assistance to over 600 survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in six IDP camps over the course of two weeks in a volatile security environment. In most cases, survivors reported being attacked by armed men and displaced men in and around the camps,” she pointed out.
No immediate ‘life-saving’ aid
Ms. Patten also called attention to how women and girls are disproportionally affected by sexual violence in thousands of cases reported by humanitarian partners, with some unable to “access life-saving services, including Post-Exposure Prophylaxis kits, during the crucial 72-hour window after an attack”.
She said the best way to protect women and girls in such conditions was to provide medical assistance, but also offer routes for escaping violence and other insecurities in the first place.
Africa is on the brink of achieving a major victory over deadly diseases that have plagued its population for generations. With increased access to medical care, improved healthcare infrastructure, and a renewed focus on disease eradication, the continent is closer than ever to rid itself of illnesses that have taken a devastating toll on its people.
Menstrual health is a human rights issue – not just a health one.
The history of electoral violence in Nigeria does not seem to be ebbing away anytime soon. Again, in this scenario, it’s women that mainly suffer whenever this unfortunate incident happens.
Captain Cecilia Erzuah, 32, who has served in Abyei since March last year, as the Commander of the Ghana Engagement Platoon, will receive the award from Secretary-General António Guterres during a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers this Thursday, said the Department of Peace Operations in a press release.
Up to one in four African girls have their first child before the age of 18. Becoming a mother at such a young age can lead to mental health problems like depression. Research suggests that pregnant and parenting teenagers have poorer mental health than adult mothers.
“20 years on – progress but not enough! Act now to end fistula by 2030!”
An obstetric fistula is a hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without access to timely, high-quality medical treatment. It leaves women and girls leaking urine, feces, or both, and often leads to chronic medical problems, depression, social isolation, and deepening poverty. Ninety percent of pregnancies involving fistula end in stillbirth.
As the country moves towards its 7th General Elections in 2025, women have been motivated to start early preparations, particularly building confidence to contest.
THE Zimbabwe Gender Commission has revealed that women’s participation in all political parties is regressing with no gender equality in practice. This is despite an elaborate legislative and policy framework in Zimbabwe pushing for their participation.
The winner of the 2023 Templeton Prize is Dr. Edna Adan Ismail, a nurse-midwife, hospital founder, and healthcare advocate who has worked courageously to change cultural, religious, and medical norms surrounding women’s health in East Africa, improving the lives of thousands of women and girls in the region and beyond. Drawing from the resources of her Muslim faith, she receives this year’s award in recognition of her extraordinary efforts to harness the power of the sciences to affirm the dignity of women and help them to flourish physically and spiritually. Her many achievements include the founding of the Edna Adan University and Edna Adan Hospital, which has significantly reduced maternal mortality in Somaliland, and her tireless campaign to end female genital mutilation (FGM) around the world.
The National Elections Commission and registered political parties in the country have reaffirmed their commitments to implement a memorandum of understanding that requires a minimum 30 percent quota for females in the 2023 elections.
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA —
Ethiopian journalist Melkamsew Solomon broadcasts a weekly radio program, Yimechish, which focuses on rural women in Ethiopia.
For a collaborative approach, the FAO in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources, and National Assembly Matters on Monday kicked off a capacity-building training of a ‘gender desk’ within the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources of The Gambia.
TOP government officials have called upon local women to venture into the lucrative business of mining and trading in gemstones, which are abundant in the countryside.
Source: AllAfrica
Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) affects about 14 million women each year and claims the lives of around 70 000 women annually - mostly in low and middle-income countries - the equivalent to 1 death every 6 minutes. PPH is defined as the loss of more than 500ml of blood within 24 hours after birth, it is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide.
Delays in the detection or treatment of postpartum haemorrhage can result in complications or death.
A new solution, known as E-MOTIVE, could provide a major breakthrough in reducing deaths from childbirth-related bleeding, according to a landmark study published by researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the University of Birmingham.
Somali humanitarian workers and United Nations officials said women and girls in displaced camps are facing gender-based violence and rape amid the recurring droughts in the country.
SOURCE: INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES
Activist Rokia Doumbia made headlines in Mali on 13 March when she was arrested for posting a TikTok video denouncing high inflation levels and criticizing the transition’s record. Beyond the reactions provoked by her message, Doumbia’s commitment reflects a growing trend among Malian women who want to be part of their country’s political changes.
Participants at a High Tea event to inspire, connect and empower women have hailed Access Bank for its continued commitment to women's empowerment. The conference, organized by Access Bank under its flagship women initiative ‘W’, brought together reputable female-thought leaders from various industries and professional fields, including finance, entrepreneurship, academia, and technology, to foster conversations around gender equality, technology, and innovation.
The Government of Sierra Leone should prioritize the views and experiences of girls to advance its education reforms, Human Rights Watch and Purposeful said in a report released today. Despite the government’s progress in access to education for girls, many girls who are pregnant, living in poverty, or in rural areas remain at risk of exclusion from school.