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Zambian blog, Real Life of a Journalist (http://oliviaphiri.blogspot.com/2006/04/making-icts-accessible-to-women-...) writes on how to make ICTs more accessible to women. Technology has been traditionally “male” in both its construct and usage. She praises the coming of FOSS but writes that it is not user friendly and requires a certain level of technology literacy. She believes one way to overcome technophobia and illiteracy is to start teaching ICTs at primary school level.

“The computer must not be seen as a sophisticated machine, it is a tool like a cooking stick, which any person needs to study and gets used to. The world is becoming a global village; virtual offices are ruling the day…Women should be included in this growing process if sustainable development is to be achieved. Everyone should be awarded an opportunity to explore the world beyond their boundaries while sitting down.”

Random Rants of a Kenyan Girl Next Door (http://randomgirlnextdoor.blogspot.com/2006/04/black-africa-vs-black-ame...) is reminded of the tensions between Africans and African Americans. As she was told last week: “A lot of you (Africans) think you're better than us.” As she writes, this is largely true. One possible explanation she raises is:

“The majority of Kenyans, and other Africans, leave home in pursuit of education and job opportunities. Because of the stress we go through to get abroad, most of us are very driven in accomplishing specific goals. After living here (US or wherever else) for a while, you get a reality check about the system. You realize that there are certain benefits reserved for citizens (loans, scholarships, affirmative action programs) and then you wonder ‘Why aren't these people taking advantage?’ For us, it just makes sense.”

African immigrants to the US come with a colonial experience that is very different from the racist experience of African Americans. Both have struggled against white supremacy but the sight and nature of those struggles are different. White America relates very differently towards new African immigrants than towards indigenous African Americans who relative to their population are the poorest and most disadvantaged in America.

Black Star Journal (http://blackstarjournal.blogspot.com/2006/04/secretary-and-her-good-frie...) comments on the recent meeting between US Secretary of State, Ms Rice and the “tyrant in charge of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema” and wonders if:

“Equatorial Guinea's nightmarish human rights' record (which is significantly worse than Robert Mugabe's 'outpost of tyranny' but without the bluster) was part of the talks. Given the country's position as one of Africa's emerging oil exporters, I doubt the set of discussions between the secretary and her 'good friend' were that 'full.'”

I doubt it. The US is well known for it’s selective amnesia when it comes to issues of human rights – thus Zimbabwe, Burma, Belarus and Cuba are singled out, Guinea and Ethiopia are not. Neither is Nigeria, despite its blatant disregard for human rights in the proposed gay ban legislation that is presently being presented in the Senate.

Enough is Enough (http://enoughzimbabwe.org/mugabe-misfires-again-on-independence-day) is a new “super blog” from Zimbabwe. The project has been supported by the Committee to Protect Bloggers.

“In addition to my regular posts (Zimpundit) you will be able to find a wealth of information in different multimedia formats from a variety of vantage points including other Zimbloggers, observers, and Zimbabweans abroad.

Alt.Muslim (http://www.altmuslim.com/perm.php?id=1695_0_24_0_M">Alt Muslim) writes on Muslim immigration to the US which he sees as being a particularly challenging experience especially since 9/11. However the Muslim voice has been largely silent during the highly visible immigration debate taking place in the US today.

“The last few years have shown us the early targeting and detained (without a single terror-related conviction among them), the plight of Muslim immigrants caught in INS red tape, the special registration that specifically targeted Muslim visitors, the prevention of the immigration of US scholars, and the deportation of Muslim women who made the mistake of divorcing their US citizen husbands. Based on this, one would think that Muslims would have a lot to say on the current raging debate on immigration. But aside from a few voices joining calls for a more humane immigration policy as scattered endorsers of various protests, there has been little contribution from Muslim circles.”

Although the present immigration protests are largely drawn from the Hispanic community, he feels the Muslim community needs to participate as the issue affects them as much as any other recent immigrant community.

Black Looks (okrasoup.typepad.com/black_looks/2006/04/remembering_iqb.html) remembers April 16 (the International Day Against Child Slavery) and comments on the use of child labour in Nigeria where it is estimated there are 15 million working children. The government is presently drafting new policy which aims to support legislation against child labour but this will not include domestic or occupational work, which the draft describes as:

“…mild involvement of children in household and occupational activities carried out in safe conditions and environments and constitutes a mechanism for socialising children necessary for their adjustment to social and economic milieu.”

Black Looks comments:

“The words used to describe domestic labour and hawking as ‘mild involvement’ is outrageous. Children are made to work for up to 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. The child hawkers spend their day walking the streets with their wares with no relief and instructions that they must sell x amount in a day. All the children, domestic servants and hawkers are vulnerable and open to sexual and physical abuse by punters and employers or rather owners. It is unacceptable that these two groups of children are therefore not to be included in this policy which makes a mockery of the whole idea.”

Afrikan Eye (http://afrikaneye.blogspot.com/2006/04/effect-of-colonialism-on-african-...) has an excellent piece on the affect of colonialism on African Women in which she explores the economic, social and political impacts and the responses by African women.

“The first socio-political effect of colonialism was the concept of the Victorian woman which the colonisers brought with them. The colonialists came with the belief that women were to remain creatures of the private domain. Women were to preoccupy themselves with domestic issues and leave the ‘real work’ of ruling and running the nation in terms of politics and economics in particular to the men. (Economically) Firstly, women were affected by the alienation of land experienced by most Africans. However, women appear to have been more personally affected by this land alienation.”

Feminist African Sister (http://feministafricansisters.blogspot.com/2006/04/sexual-offences-bill-...) comments on the proposed Kenyan legislation known as the “Sexual Offences Act” and finds it “ludicrous to the extreme” that activists are having to lobby parliamentarians to support a bill of this kind.

“The Bill is meant to be about the national, common good! It is meant to be about Kenya against the big, bad, perpetrators of sexual violence!”

She is also irritated by activists having to justify the bill in terms of how it will also help men and boys who are raped as if women being raped is an insufficient reason for passing the bill. She asks:

“…why can't we just support efforts to punish sexual violence period! Why must we qualify it by saying, ‘even men and boys are raped?’ I don't buy for one minute, that this kowtowing will get men and boys to empathize with the rampant rape of women and girls! I don't need to be told that I too could be hit by a car, to empathize with a person who has been hit by a car! The fact that the person is telling me they were hit by a car should be enough! They need not roll up their sleeves to show me the bruises or broken bones! So why are we allowing ourselves to do so? Why do we need to qualify the reasons men should support the campaign against sexual violence and this Bill?”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]