Africa

A spat between Italy and France has reignited a debate over French involvement in its former African colonies.

A selection of photos from across Africa and Africans elsewhere this week.

Unlicensed blacksmiths in Ghana are estimated to produce up to 200,000 guns every year.

Kenyan student Bryson Mwamburi was held overnight after surviving the Dusit hotel complex attack.

By Staff Correspondent
Jan 24 2019 (IPS-Partners)

(The Daily Star, Bangladesh) – As many as 418 children were murdered in the country last year, up by 23.30 percent from the previous year, says a report by Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum.

In 2017, at least 339 children were killed, mentions the report titled “State of Child Rights in Bangladesh 2018” unveiled in the capital’s Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.

Analysing the reasons behind the killings, it found that in most cases, children were murdered over trivial matters, family or conjugal dispute, dowry, extramarital affair and enmity.

In some cases, children were beaten to death over trifles or on false allegations of theft. There were incidents in which a parent killed his or her child and then committed suicide, BSAF Director Abdus Shahid Mahmood said while releasing the report.

The findings are based on media reports published in 15 national dailies.

It said 4,566 children fell victim to different types of incidents last year, up by 18.75 percent from the previous year. The number was 3,845 in 2017.

Incidents of child rape fell by 3.71 percent last year when 571 children were raped. The number was 593 in 2017, the report pointed out.

The country saw verdicts in 31 child murder cases and 50 cases over child rape last year, said the BSAF director.

“This reflects a sign of impunity and lengthy trial process in incidents of violence against children,” he said.

Apart from murder, suicide, road crash and drowning were among the main causes of death of children last year, according to the report.

Sharing the findings, Shahid said 627 children were killed in road accidents last year, up by 75.63 percent from the previous year.

Besides, 606 children drowned last year. The number was 391 in 2017.

Forty-six children died due to wrong treatment by doctors and negligence of the authorities concerned. The number was 35 in 2017, the report said.

Last year, 812 children fell victim to sexual violence, including rape, — a 9.71 percent fall from 2017 when 894 children faced such incidents, according to the BSAF.

A total of 262 children suffered violence and torture, including corporal punishment, last year, compared to 271 in 2017.

It said 233 children went missing and 150 others were abducted last year. Of those kidnapped, 136 were rescued.

In 2017, at least 177 children were abducted, and 188 others went missing. Of the abductees, 98 were rescued.

Moreover, 396 children were injured in different incidents, including road accidents and attempted murder last year. The number was 231 in 2017.

The report also mentioned that 38 incidents of child marriage were reported last year, and at least 134 children averted it, thanks to government intervention.

BSAF Chairperson Khawaja Shamsul Huda said the actual number of incidents of violence against children could be higher as many such incidents go unreported.

The BSAF urged the government to take effective measures to ensure speedy trial of incidents of violence against children, exemplary punishment of the culprits and quick implementation of the verdicts.

It said parents should be more cautious to stop sexual violence against children.

The forum also called upon development organisations to strengthen their awareness campaigns to check violence against children.

Addressing the programme as the chief guest, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said the commission was not satisfied with the overall status of child safety in the country despite progress in some areas.

Violence against children cannot continue this way, he said.

“We want an end to child marriage in the country. We want that no child will become a victim of rape.”

Reazul stressed the need for setting up a directorate and a national commission to deal with issues of child rights.

He also urged the government to formulate rules in line with the Children Act 2013 and the Child Marriage (Restraint) Act 2017.

Sharmeela Rassool, chief technical adviser of the UNDP’s Human Rights Programme, said about 1.3 million children have been involved in hazardous work in Bangladesh.

Efforts should be made to improve their condition, she added.

This story was originally published by The Daily Star, Bangladesh

The post Child murder up by a quarter appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Illustration: Noor Us Safa Anik

By Aaqib Hasib and Momotaz Rahman Megha
Jan 24 2019 (IPS-Partners)

(The Daily Star, Bangladesh) – The past decade has seen progress being made for movements to support equality. The #MeToo and Time’s Up movements helped start conversations within the general public worldwide on the topics of sexual harassment and misogyny.

The power of conversation helped bring into the mainstream the many problems women face on the daily – in their social lives, workplaces, and even their homes. Activists who came forward to speak against the many incidents of sexism and sexual harassment have been essential to the fightback against the systematic misogyny that is embedded into our culture and societies.

When exploring the topic of systematic misogyny, we were able to learn just how ingrained it is in our daily lives. Women face misogyny in almost every aspect of their lives, and the only way to combat something that is part of the basic system of how our societies operate, is to raise awareness on the different dimensions of a woman’s life where she is discriminated. Raising awareness is only the first step; it will help further shape the conversation towards a future where women are treated equally.

MISOGYNY AT HOME

Being a woman is tough. The streets are filled with unwanted stares and catcalling. But sometimes a woman doesn’t even need to exit the safety of her own home to come face to face with a form of misogyny. Sometimes it is at the hands of their parents and siblings, and sometimes relatives, that they witness misogyny rear its ugly head.

When asked about her experience, second-year university student Tasnia Alam* shared, “I’ve been criticised for not being fair, for not being tall, or not ‘feminine’ enough. I’ve been subjected to body shaming for as long as I can remember by my mother and some of my relatives. There is a constant feeling of never being treated with the same respect as my brother and I’ve come to make my peace with it. And even though, to cope, I’ve created a world of my own outside of my family, which motivates me to be who I want to be, no matter how empowered I become, I feel like there will always be this stinging feeling of never being accepted and cherished by my own family.”

If the parents are concerned with the behaviour of their daughters rather than that of society, we need to re-evaluate our priorities. The entire blame doesn’t fall on our parents’ generation, instead the situation is a by-product of cultural upbringing.

MISOGYNY IN SOCIAL GROUPS

Women often find themselves discriminated by even their closest friends. When asked about systematic misogyny that she face in her social groups, Odhora Islam*, a university student, said, “Back when I was in kindergarten, my school thought it was okay for them to make the girls take dance classes while the boys were allowed to go for sports. The girls in my class, including myself, who showed immense interest in outdoor sports, were never allowed to attend these classes with the boys, because according to the school, we were ‘too weak’.”

Exposure to such social constructs from an early age shapes the way our mentalities evolve. It isn’t uncommon to see misogynistic comments being passed in friend groups, only to be considered and then shrugged off as a joke. Sometimes we even have friends who promote feminism and equality, but are unaware how certain comments that they make are a contradiction to their support for women.

Thus, combating misogyny will often require you to go up against the people that are close to you. Some educational institutions also have to stop associating subjects such as Home Economics as a degree or course designed specifically for women. Instead, they should open their doors for women to partake in whichever academic pursuit they wish to.

MISOGYNY AMONG WOMEN

Misogyny at the hands of other women is a common sight in our societies. The way in which our societies have developed over the course of history is the prime cause of women being misogynistic towards other women.

Another university student, Antara Kabir* had this to say on the matter: “I find myself in these situations repetitively. Whether I am dressing in more Western clothes, or working long hours at a job that requires me to stay out late, I’ve heard my neighbour make comments about me being too ‘modern’ and that I am a disgrace to my parents. Hearing such comments from another woman hurts more, as I believe we should be supporting each other rather than engaging in petty backbiting.”

However, even though societies tend to dictate certain gender stereotypes for women, when someone breaks out of these social constructs, it’s extremely important to see it as a step forward for women. Whenever a woman breaks through a glass ceiling, it becomes a step towards empowerment for women everywhere; empowered women help in empowering other women, thus helping society to evolve as well.

MISOGYNY AT WORKPLACE

Misogyny in the workplace isn’t a newfound phenomenon. Women in the workplace are more often than not shown a lack of respect, mostly when compared to how a man is treated. Similar to the problems faced by women in social groups, the same gender stereotypes exist here as well. Men in the workplace often leave women out of certain work-related activities, mainly due to their assumptions about women’s capabilities based on pre-existing gender stereotypes.

When asked about the issue of exclusion, Maliha Ahmed Khan*(24), working in the development sector, said, “Usually the discrimination comes in the form of exclusion, especially from certain activities and roles. For example, a woman might not be assigned a task, like going to a remote area for fieldwork, that she is capable of doing simply because it is assumed that the role is more suited for males.”

All of the women we talked to suggested similar measures to combat the problems and discrimination that they face on a daily basis — being there for women to raise their own voices and stand up for their rights, as they are equally as capable as the men they work alongside.

MISOGYNY IN RELATIONSHIPS

Relationship dynamics are often seen to be dictated by misogynistic ideologies. Misogynistic partners will typically display signs of micro-managing, because they need to feel that they are in control of the relationship. It is their belief that women are incapable of taking and being in control. Their misogyny might be displayed in small decisions, like them choosing where to go on a date or which movie to watch, even when their significant others or wives may have stated their own choice. They will justify making decisions all the time by saying that they do it better than you, because you area woman and therefore indecisive and bad at decision-making. This is a direct reflection of the superiority complex that misogynists thrive on.

A misogynistic partner is also likely to devalue the success of their female partners, because things in which women excel are of less importance than the things which they do. This is one of the main reasons why being a “housewife” is seen as a job that has no value to it. Women are also likely to be blamed for anything and everything that goes wrong in the relationship, because misogynists assume women mess up because they are sentimental and unprofessional.

Anika Tabassum* shares from her personal experience, “In the beginning I thought his controlling attitude was a gesture of love, and that he didn’t want me to worry about things, and so he did them himself. However, the more time we spent together, the more I understood how little he actually thought of me. He started labelling all of my opinions as wrong. He treated me like a child, who has no idea about how the world works.”

There is often no fix for misogynistic partners. Trying to hold on to such toxic relationships only makes life harder for women, and it becomes an endless cycle, with them trying to justify the actions of their partners. And the more time women spend trying to cut them some slack, the more they feel that they have power over a woman and her actions. If you are a woman with a misogynistic partner, it’s high time you stop justifying their irrational behaviour; misogynists don’t need excuses made for them, instead put your foot down and move on.

When asked about how women can rise up and fight against the many forms of misogyny they face, Afsana Islam, Assistant Professor at the Department of Women and Gender Studies in University of Dhaka, explained, “Sexism is an ideology under the shelter of patriarchy which helps to uphold misogyny and creates impediments to women’s empowerment. We have to work on the factors behind them. Firstly, women have to be self-confident. Secondly, women should gain adequate knowledge and awareness about their rights. And thirdly, engaging men and boys from the early in their childhood to change cultural misconception is vital to solving the problem. Men’s awareness and involvement is also a necessity to overcome misogyny.”

The way the world views women is slowly changing, and it’s our responsibility to get behind this change and help it climb up the slope of misogyny, for a future where men and women are treated equally is essential.

While some topics allow for everyone to have their personal opinion and perspective, the case regarding misogynistic treatment is not the same. There is no dialogue for opposition, because when the issue becomes one that denies women their fundamental and basic human rights, it no longer has any further option for discourse.

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals

Aaqib loves petting doggos. Send him pictures of your ”good boys” at aaqibhasib94@gmail.com

Megha is probably going to be a dropout of university. If you think you are going to do the same, you can find her at megharahman26@gmail.com and share your thoughts.

This story was originally published by The Daily Star, Bangladesh

The post Combatting Systematic Misogyny appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Zimbabweans are mourning the death of music legend Oliver Mtukudzi has died aged 66.

By Geneva Centre
GENEVA, Jan 24 2019 (IPS-Partners)

(Geneva Centre) – In a letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres signed by HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches Reverend Dr Olav Fykse Tveit and the Executive Director of the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue Ambassador Idriss Jazairy, the co-signatories appealed to the UN Secretary-General to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the matter concerning the Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi.

In the said letter, the co-signatories underlined that they “celebrate the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan of 31 October 2018 to acquit and release Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian lady convicted and sentenced to death under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws in 2010.”

However, they expressed their concerns about calls from extremist and radical groups to overturn the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and to reinstate the death penalty following her acquittal.

In this regard, the co-signatories stated that this ominous situation violates article 3 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”

The co-signatories likewise referred to the Holy Scriptures of Christianity and Islam about the sanctity of life and the importance of valuing each other. “The Old Testament says that ‘All life is sacred’ while the Holy Qur’an [29:46] asserts that ‘whoever kills a soul (unless for a soul) or for corruption (done) in the land, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely,” it was underlined by the co-signatories.

It was in this context that the co-signatories appealed to the UN Secretary-General to support “our appeal to the international community, as well as to the authorities and people of Pakistan to comply with article 3 of the UDHR.”

The letter can be downloaded below:
Letter to UN Secretary General

The post HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, General Secretary of World Council of Churches and Executive Director of the Geneva Centre address the UN Secretary-General regarding situation of Asia Bibi appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets demanding an end to President Omar al-Bashir's 30-year rule.

Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn into office as the new president of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

After two-time Champions League finalist John Mikel Obi joined Middlesbrough, can you name the 13 other players who have gone from Champions League final to working in the Championship?

Chelsea winger Victor Moses completes a medical before a proposed loan move to Turkish club Fenerbahce.

It is the first peaceful transfer of power in nearly 60 years, but many dispute his victory.

The post Mexico Opens Its doors to Central American Migrants appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Lujio Jaran took up fishing as an alternative source of livelihood but receding waters in Lake Turkana is affecting the quality of fish and fishing activities; sometimes fishermen go home empty handed after even after hours of fishing. Photo: Amunga Eshuchi/UNDP Kenya

By Ngele Ali
NAIROBI, Jan 24 2019 (IPS)

It’s estimated that 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. Unfortunately, our water resources are under serious threats attributable to uncontrolled human activities that are severely impacting livelihoods and the ecosystem.

For instance, every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, a large percentage of it having been washed into the oceans through rivers as a result of poor waste management and dumping upstream.

Against this backdrop, in late November 2018, Kenya together with Canada and Japan hosted 18,000 delegates from 184 countries, including several Heads of state, top government officials, the private sector, civil society, academia, scientists and private citizens in Nairobi.

Ngele Ali, Head of Communications, UNDP Kenya

Under the auspice of the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference, the three-day gathering pursued conversations on productivity and protection of the blue economy; with a call to rethink utilisation and promotion of water resources, as a base for new economies (fisheries, tourism, aquaculture, maritime transportation and renewable energy) to advance socio-economic development and environmental sustainability.

Being the first international gathering of its kind – that looked at all water resources – the outcomes of the conference are expected to act as a launching pad that will progressively stimulate global discourses and influence how countries make the Blue Economy more advantageous for all.

The Blue Economy is not entirely a new concept as communities have always relied on water resources directly or indirectly, for their socio-economic interests. Through the SDGs, communities are urged to ‘conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.’

Therefore in line with this vision, the conference created a unique space for the exploration of ideas that will responsibly spur sustainable economic growth and build resilient communities. Although the potential of the blue economy is evident, barriers that hinder communities from benefitting to the maximum need to be addressed.

"The blue economy can only succeed if it guarantees that the needs of communities are put into consideration and safeguarded now and in the future"

Ahuna Eziakonwa, UNDP Regional Director for Africa

As we move forward after successful discussions that unpacked the blue economy as a viable economic driver, it’s now time to take stock and pragmatically create a shift that will convert theorised concepts into tangible and result oriented actions.

First, to address the declining access and quality of water, formulation of adequate environmental governance policies must be put in place; to help tackle issues of climate change and uncontrolled human activities.

Specifically, countries need prioritise investing in solutions that involve communities to address encroachment of riparian lands, destruction of water towers, pollution, poor management of waste and disposal which continue to choke our dwindling resources and the ecosystem.

Second, for the blue economy to be more lucrative and beneficial for all, strategic partnerships that will lay essential foundations need to be established to facilitate inclusive and accountable implementation of ideas.

Governments, environmental institutions, the private sector, communities and all other stakeholders need to work in concert to drive an agenda that will support innovative ideas that respond contextually to communities’ needs and ambition.

Third, if the intention is to advance this sector, to significantly contribute to building communities’ resilience and lifting people out of poverty; communities must be at the heart of proposed ideas and actions.

As Ahuna Eziakonwa, UNDP Regional Director for Africa emphasised, the blue economy can only succeed if it guarantees that the needs of communities are put into consideration and safeguarded now and in the future.

Fourth, the decline of the water resources is alarming as it negatively impacts on communities’ wellbeing, fuels competition for the scarce resources and contributes to community conflicts. Any conceivable ideas must, therefore, reflect the vision of the 2030 agenda of sustainable development.

As the blue economy opens new development opportunities, all players in the sector should foster partnerships that ensure equitable access and utilisation of available resources for inclusive economic growth.

Fifth, besides commitments by countries to mobilise of funds that will advance the sector, there is the need for political will intentionally promote interventions that discourage further destruction and depletion of the blue economy resources.

Since communities have been custodians of water resources for centuries, advancing home-grown conservation ideas will ensure their buy-in and guarantee that no one is left behind by this new realm of economic trajectory.

Further, rather than reinvent the wheel, countries need to make deliberate efforts to create opportunities to learn from each other, open access to information and data, build knowledge and capacity; as these will go a long way to deliver a stronger and inclusive water-based economy innovatively.

The post A Pragmatic Shift Needed, to Deliver the Potential of Blue Economy appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Excerpt:

Ngele Ali is Head of Communications, UNDP Kenya

The post A Pragmatic Shift Needed, to Deliver the Potential of Blue Economy appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Brutal beatings and rising inflation are proving a noxious mix in Zimbabwe.

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Of the 52 African countries whose transfer windows are listed with Fifa, no two use the same date - causing problems for many clubs. Is it time to change the system?

Championship promotion-chasers Middlesbrough sign former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi.

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