Pambazuka News is produced by a pan-African community of some 2,600 citizens and organisations - academics, policy makers, social activists, women's organisations, civil society organisations, writers, artists, poets, bloggers, and commentators who together produce insightful, sharp and thoughtful analyses and make it one of the largest and most innovative and influential web forums for social justice in Africa. 
women & gender
Egypt: Women keep showing power in protest
2012-05-16, Issue 585
Female protesters continue to participate in pro-democracy demonstrations that remain deadly more than a year after President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. Primary school teacher Reham El Hakim, for instance, was on the front lines on 5 May when the 12th person was killed during demonstrations against the military government in Abbasaiya. It's now commonplace, however, to hear people say that the military government and Islamic politicians, who did not at first approve of the anti-Mubarak demonstrations, have 'hijacked' the revolution, reports www.womensenews.org
Cameroon: Ethnic group denounces matrilineal inheritance
2012-05-16, Issue 585
When it comes to inheritance in Africa, patriarchal systems often receive criticism from women and women’s rights advocates. But members of Cameroon’s Balue tribe say that their matrilineal inheritance system is actually worse. Not only can women not inherit property, but it also passes land and belongings out of the immediate family and into the extended family, reports Global Press Institute.
Uganda: Drop-in centre of Ugandan sex worker organisation raided
2012-05-16, Issue 585
On 7 May, police authorities in the Ugandan city of Gulu – a city located approximately 320km north of Kampala by road with 150,000 inhabitants – ‘dropped by’ a sex worker drop-in centre. They raided the small office and arrested two staff and three members of the Women’s Organization Network for Human Rights Advocacy (WONETHA), a duly-registered group that runs the centre. 'We find this to be an attack on WONETHA and sex workers’ freedom of association, assembly, speech and expression, and we strongly protest against this,' says a release by Macklean Kyomya, WONETHA’s Executive director.
Africa: Gender, poverty and environmental indicators on African Countries, 2012
2012-05-17, Issue 585
The twelfth volume of Gender, Poverty and Environmental Indicators on African Countries is published by the Statistics Department of the African Development Bank Group. The publication also provides some information on the broad development trends relating to gender, poverty and environmental issues in the 53 African countries.
Global: UN Women announces members of Global Civil Society Advisory Group
2012-05-21, Issue 585
UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet has announced the members of her Global Civil Society Advisory Group that will facilitate regular consultations and dialogue between civil society and UN Women. The establishment of UN Women Civil Society Advisory Groups at the global, regional and national levels was announced earlier this year at the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Global: Birthing justice - water and the global commons
2012-05-21, Issue 585
'Birthing Justice: Women Creating Economic and Social Alternatives' is a series that features 12 alternative social and economic models which expand the possibilities for justice, equity, and strong community. The latest installment looks at water being turned into a good for sale and for profit. 'Driven by a different vision and by economic necessity, a global counter-trend is growing to assure that household water be free or cheap, accessible, and safe, and that the earth’s water be kept pure and flowing. Marcela Olivera is a part of this movement. In 2000, she played a key role in organizing the massive protests in Cochabamba when residents of the city forced the Bechtel Corporation to give up control of the municipal water system, thereby restoring water as a human right for all instead of as a source of corporate income. This victory has been repeated elsewhere in Bolivia and around the world.'
Algeria: Women claw their way into parliament
2012-05-21, Issue 585
Algeria's legislative election saw women take almost a third of the seats, making the national assembly the most gender-balanced in the region but activists say the battle is far from won. According to official results made public Wednesday, 143 of the enlarged national assembly's 462 seats will be occupied by women, up from a representation of only seven per cent in the outgoing house.
Mali: Blow to women’s rights
2012-05-08, Issue 584
Farima Samake, a widow living in the village of Gwelekoro in the south of Mali, regrets obeying her husband when he took their first daughter out of school to take care of her younger brother. 'Her father decided it and I didn’t refuse,' says Farima. 'Now she is married in another village not far from here. I think our decision has been an injury to her because if she had studied her life could have been different.' Farima didn’t oppose the decision because the law dictates that a woman must obey her husband. 'In all the villages of this region, girls get married at 15 or 16, even if they go to school,' she says. 'Their parents must ask the husband to let their daughter attend school once she is married.'
Malawi: Low female representation irks NGO
2012-05-09, Issue 584
Malawi's NGO Gender Coordination Network has expressed concern over low female representation in President Joyce Banda's cabinet, in which out of 30 ministers and deputies, only eight are female. The organisation’s chairperson, Emma Kalia, has been quoted as saying that the low representation of female ministers in the new cabinet is contrary to the Southern African Development Community and Africa Union regulations that call for equal opportunities between men and women.
South Africa: Soweto #RapeVideo - I don’t create or forward violence
2012-05-09, Issue 584
In connection with a recent gang rape video, Women’sNet has issued a statement supporting the criticism of organisations like Media Monitoring Africa, who have criticized the initial coverage of the story for revealing details about the alleged victim, and the Daily Sun’s publication of a picture of the girl involved. 'Survivors have a right to anonymity, and according to our law those who circulate and use images from this video are liable for prosecution.'
Global: Campaign launched to stop rape and gender violence in conflict
2012-05-09, Issue 584
The International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict unites organisations and individuals into a powerful and coordinated effort for change. 'Together we will demand bold political leadership to prevent rape in conflict, to protect civilians and rape survivors, and call for justice for all - including effective prosecution of those responsible.'
Egypt: Egyptian upholds sex-war view of revolution
2012-05-09, Issue 584
Egyptian-American columnist Mona Eltahawy has sparked controversy and debate over an article she wrote contending that women have not yet benefitted from the revolution and the women’s revolution won’t begin 'until the rage shifts from the oppressors in our presidential palaces to the oppressors on our streets and in our homes'. Critics have argued that while oppression does exist, her analysis is simplistic and irresponsible as it uses 'Orientalist' arguments to defame Arabic culture and serves a neo-colonial agenda of the 'white man'. In a blogpost, journalist and activist Mona Kareem called on Western media to highlight the voices of other Arab women for an accurate picture of 'Arab feminism'.
Egypt: Women’s NGO takes pro-FGM Parliamentarian to court
2012-05-09, Issue 584
Egypt’s New Women Foundation said they are suing Islamist Parliament member Azza al-Garf over her pro-female genitals mutilation (FGM) statements. The women’s rights foundation sent a letter to the speaker of parliament Saad al-Katatny, informing him of legally going after Garf and asking for his permission to be allowed to take the MP to court. The parliament needs to lift immunity for an MP in order for them to be held accountable in a court of law.
Egypt: Free Egyptians Party calls for sexual harassment law
2012-05-14, Issue 584
Egypt’s liberal leaning Free Egyptians Party declared its support for the calls and demands by women’s rights organizations and NGOs in the country, which have called for woman’s rights. The party also said it stands against 'the phenomenon of sexual harassment' and called for the passing of a law criminalizing the act. The party condemned in a statement on Sunday the 'shameful stance of the female parliament members of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), who stand against a woman’s right to defend herself and refuse to condemn the man who assaulted the woman and only blame the society and the woman, who is the victim.'
Morocco: Women’s rights threatened as Salafists assault, strip woman
2012-05-14, Issue 584
Women’s rights in Morocco have come under the spotlight recently after a young woman was assaulted in a Rabat market by people she called 'Salafists', or ultra-conservative Islamists. She said she was accosted by the men because of the short dress she was wearing. Other witnesses were reported by the Magharebia news portal as saying the girl was attacked with stones and beaten after the assailants said the dress was 'too revealing'.
Kenya: New communication platform removes education obstacles for girls in Kenya slum
2012-05-14, Issue 584
The Talking Box is an initiative for girls in Nairobi’s Kibera slum that invites students to write down concerns that they are afraid to discuss with their teachers or parents. According to this article from Global Press Institute, educators say it’s reducing school dropouts and improving academic performances.
South Africa: Court declares Soweto woman customary law heir to prevent eviction
Press release: Housing rights protected as Court recognises customary law adoption of a woman facing eviction
2012-05-14, Issue 584
On 8 May 2012, the Johannesburg High Court declared that a girl taken in and treated as a daughter by a woman in Soweto could inherit as her customary law heir. Judge Coppin declared the daughter (who prefers to remain anonymous and will be referred...
Kenya: How beads are used to ‘book’ Samburu girls into sexual relationships
2012-05-06, Issue 583
Beading is a practice in the Samburu indigenous community of Kenya which involves the sexual engagement and exploitation of girls as young as nine years old by male relatives. Download the newsletter by Kenyan organisation Samburu Women for Education and Development Programme (SWEEDO) to find out more.
Egypt: Military releases women detainees, journalists
2012-05-06, Issue 583
Lawyers in Egypt said that the 14 women detained by the military on Friday were released on Sunday after the legal appeal was accepted by the military prosecutor. A total of 15 women were detained on Friday in the forced eviction of the sit-in near the ministry of defense, and military prosecutor ordered 14 of them to be held for 15 days pending investigation.
Uganda: A passionate human rights activist
Profile on Sylvia Tamale
2012-05-07, Issue 583
Sylvia Tamale chooses to raise her voice on issues like the right of sex workers to earn a living, the right for adults to enjoy adult entertainment and leisure like ebimansulo (striptease shows), and the recognition of human rights for marginalised groups such as sexual minorities and refugees, addressing the injustices in the law. Her arguments? That as long as these minorities’ activities do not infringe on the freedoms and rights of others, they should be granted their right to freely do as they please.
Global: Birthing Justice, reclaiming land in Honduras
2012-05-07, Issue 583
The 'Birthing Justice: Women Creating Economic and Social Alternatives' series features twelve alternative social and economic models which expand the possibilities for justice, equity, and strong community. They are based in the US, Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Some are national-level, some global-level. Some are propelled by people’s movements, some forced or adopted into government policy. In first-hand narratives, women describe their role in having created the models and show us their unique perspectives and challenges in the movements. The fifth narrative focuses on land occupations in Honduras.
Southern Africa: Violence against women at ‘crisis’ levels
2012-04-25, Issue 582
The South African Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, has called for Southern African countries to develop a comprehensive, holistic and integrated approach to end gender-based violence (GBV). In her keynote address to the opening session of the third annual Gender Justice and Local Government Summit in Johannesburg, Xingwana, added that countries must continue to focus on the links between HIV and AIDS and GBV in strategies for prevention, response and support.
South Africa: A history of violence amongst SA men
2012-04-26, Issue 582
The white right-wing group Kommandokorps has emerged again in mainstream media after an in-depth article in the Mail & Guardian and a short documentary video in cyberspace. Wessel van den Berg and Mbuyiselo Botha argue that the video shows the way in which violence is equated with manhood, demonstrating that certain forms of masculinity are valued above others. 'These processes are often overlooked, but they are the root cause of the high levels of violence in South Africa.'
Africa: Towards a parliamentary strategy for African women's rights and gender equality
2012-04-29, Issue 582
While it is a recognised universal fact that eliminating gender inequality and achieving women’s empowerment are paramount to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, progress with implementation of the MDGs is the slowest in those areas that depend most heavily on improving the status of women and girls. The Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) held a seminar titled 'Uniting parliamentary efforts to end violence against women in Africa' to discuss the important role parliaments can and do play in ending violence against women in Africa. Besides being an opportunity to learn, meet and develop new projects, this seminar also served as a base for a parliamentary resolution and two parliamentary guidelines on FGM/C and UNSC Resolutions 1325.
Global: Women of the world unite for rights
2012-04-29, Issue 582
The world’s recent financial and political upheavals have not been kind to women. In Libya’s Tripoli, female suicide rates increased tenfold during the revolution, while dismal job prospects have young Greek women abandoning their career aspirations, participants in a global forum on women’s rights said over the weekend. 'Many people say this is a time for transformation and moving forward but we know from our work that it’s also a time of instability and uncertainty,' Jamaican activist Mariama Williams, a senior programme officer at the South Centre, said at the closing session of the 12th International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development in Istanbul.
South Africa: Traditional Courts Bill causes concern
2012-04-23, Issue 581
The Association for Rural Advancement (AFRA), The Rural Women’s Movement (RWM) and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and 100 representatives of the rural masses met for two days to discuss the impending Traditional Courts Bill. The conference unanimously expressed deep reservations about the bill in its current form. 'The bill will have serious consequences for rural women and the rural population in general in terms of equal access to justice and it erodes the traditional justice system as it were by imposing the senior traditional leaders as the sole adjudicator.'
Cameroon: Women encouraged to run in elections
2012-03-28, Issue 579
In Cameroon’s Northwest region, citizens, organizations and local officials are taking part in campaigns and speaking out to encourage women to run for office in the legislative and municipal elections anticipated for this year. Though a date has yet to be set for the elections, International Women’s Day this month stirred up excitement for women’s campaigns.
Global: Saying no to safeguarding 'traditional values' at the expense of the human rights
Statement of feminist and women's rights organisations
2012-03-28, Issue 579
This month the UN Commission on the Status of Women failed to adopt agreed conclusions at its 56th session on the basis of safeguarding 'traditional values' at the expense of human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. 'Together with our partner feminist and women's rights organisations, we say NO to any re-opening of negotiations on the already established international agreements on women’s human rights and call on all governments to demonstrate their commitments to promote, protect and fulfill human rights and fundamental freedoms of women.'
Global: Women in informal employment and growth
2012-03-22, Issue 578
This page on the Women in Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising website explores the two-way linkages between informality and growth: the impact of the informal economy on economic growth, and the impact of economic growth on the informal economy. How much and in what ways does the informal economy contribute to economic growth? Or does the informal economy account for low productivity and low growth? Does the size of the informal economy shrink during economic growth and expand during economic slumps or downturns? Is it, in other words, counter-cyclical or pro-cyclical?
Global: World Courts of Women on Poverty launched in the US
2012-03-26, Issue 578
Four American cities are gearing up to host regional meetings of the World Court of Women on Poverty in the US Founded by Tunisian activist Corinne Kumar, the World Courts of Women (WCW) are public hearings featuring testimonies of survival and resistance from people on the margins. Since 1992, there have been 37 Courts in cities around the world, including the International Court of Women on Crimes Related to Population Policies in Cairo, Egypt in 1994; the World Court of Women against War, for Peace in Cape Town, South Africa in 2001; and the World Court of Women on U.S. War Crimes in Mumbai, India in 2004.
Previous | 1-30 | 31-60 | 61-90 | 91-120 | 121-150 | 151-180 ... Next