Source: IRIN
The kidnapping of more than 200 girls from a secondary school in Chibok in northeastern Nigeria's Borno State in April by Boko Haram militants, and a so far unsuccessful high-profile campaign to free them, exemplifies the insecurity-driven education crisis in the area.
Source: Al Monitor
Leila, 22, returned to the kitchen after a few days of rest from house chores. She had university exams. The Sanaa University student laughed when asked, "Where do Yemeni girls spend their summer?" She said, "You are in Yemen!"
Source: CapitalFM
Naima Nguruki and Jacqueline Shongo are about 10 years old but at such a tender age, the brutality of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and forced early marriage have separated them from their families.
Source: Voice of America Incidents of violence against women continue to dominate media headlines in Malawi, despite an eight-year-old law that has stiffened penalties. Police officials say they handle such cases on a daily basis. Advocates blame causes ranging from lenient court sentences to cultural practices.
Source: New Zimbabwe Human rights organisations have lambasted SADC countries for failing to address rights violations in member states.
Source: CNBC Africa Passing through Johannesburg on her way back, she spoke to Methil Renuka, Editor of Forbes Woman Africa, about the decisions she had to take in Malawi's much-disputed May elections, and also her intention to continue her work championing women's rights once she returns home.
Source: Aljazeera
One Wednesday afternoon in July 2010, Latifah Suleimana, a then 13-year-old junior high school student in Ghana's northern region, was in tears as she decided to leave her father's house, indefinitely.
Source: Destiny Connect
Late former president Nelson Mandela’s ex wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela made headlines on Tuesday, when details about her fight for the right to own the family’s Qunu homestead emerged. Her battle highlights that of many SA women to own land.
Source: Devex
As the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals approaches, there can be no doubt that the MDGs, including MDG 3 — “promote gender equality and empower women” — have made a significant difference to the lives of women and girls worldwide.
Source: The Ecologist
Plastic waste, often burning, is a constant companion in Gambia, a poor country where few enjoy formal rubbish collection, writes Louise Hunt. Now a pioneering project to upcycle waste plastic is beginning to tackle the problem - and in the process enhancing women's social and economic status.
Source: TunisiaLive
Amid political strife, Tunisian women will celebrate national Women’s Day Tuesday, marking the 57th anniversary of the country's central piece of women's rights legislation, the Code of Personal Status.
Source: TunisiaLive
Today, Tunisian women are celebrating the national Day of Women and Family and are empowered with a new sense of freedom and hopes for a more advanced and democratic nation.
Source: StarAFrica
About 21 percent of South African women believe that boys have more rights to education than girls while an almost equal number or 20 percent of women believe a woman's place is in the house and not at the workplace, a new survey said.
Source: Huffington Post
Traditionally, women's options for lowering their risk of contracting HIV have been relatively limited: Use condoms or don't have sex. Don't inject drugs. And get tested.
Source: Accra AllAfrica
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) has begun a process of consolidating five major legislations on local governance and decentralization, namely the District Assemblies Common Fund Act, 1993 (Act 455); Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462); National Development Planning (System) Act, 1994 (Act 480); Local Government Service Act, 2003 (Act 656); and the Internal Audit Agency Act, 2003 (Act 658).
Source: CNN
When I was doing my degree in computer science in Ghana's Valley View University 10 years ago, there just were seven girls in the class. After four years, only four graduated and out of that number, just two of us have stayed in technical roles. Today, my little sister's computer science class has at least 30% females and a smaller drop-off rate.
Source: GhanaWeb
A monitoring report on the level of involvement and participation of women in public discourse on radio in Ghana shows a 10% reduction from December 2013, despite efforts by government and non-governmental organisations to improve gender equity at all levels.
Source: ISS
Between 1913 and 1986, women in South Africa passively and actively resisted regulations that would compel them to carry passes - a system designed to control and restrict where and how women lived, worked and moved.
Source: IRIN
After decades battling high maternal death rates - at least a third of which were due to botched abortions - Ethiopia took a stand: it prioritized newborn and maternal health, and in 2005 it relaxed its abortion law in an effort to save women's lives.
Source: The Guardian
Do women hold the key to a peaceful society? Much is known about the victimisation of women through rape, trafficking, and early marriages, but much is yet to be discovered about how women can be empowered in conflict settings to bridge the gap towards peace.