News Bursts

UN Launches New Program for Girls, Teen Activist Shot

Malala Yousafzai, 14-Year-Old  Girls’ Education Champion, Shot by Taliban
At the age of 11, Malala Yousafzai took on the Taliban by giving voice to her dreams. As turbaned fighters swept through her town in northwestern Pakistan in 2009, the tiny schoolgirl spoke out about her passion for education — she wanted to become a doctor, she said — and became a symbol of defiance against Taliban subjugation. Read more here (New York Times).

University Students Protest Tuition Fees in Sudan
Students from four different universities across Sudan recently began a strike in protest of tuition fees. The dispute began when universities refused to register students until they paid tuition fees.  Student leaders argue Darfuri students enrolled in national universities are not required to pay fees and should be allowed to enroll. An appeal has been made to the Ministry of Finance, the Darfur Regional Authority and the governments of the five states of Darfur to solve the problem. Read it all here.

Teenage Ugandan Girl Wins Seat in Parliament
Proscovia Oromait, a young 19 year old girl fresh out of high school, has won a seat in Uganda’s parliament. Although some are criticizing Oromait for her lack of experience, she claims, “It’s not about the age … it’s the brain.” She will represent Usuk, a region known its extreme poverty. Read it all here.

UN Launches New Program for Girls and Women
A new five year program, Accelerating Progress Toward the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women, was recently launched by UN Women and three Rome-based United Nations agencies. The program, which will begin in countries like Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Rwanda, seeks to empower poor rural woman who are struggling to find decent employment. The program has four primary goals: improve food and nutrition security, increase incomes, enhance leadership and participation in rural institutions, and create a more responsive policy environment at national and international levels. Read more.

 

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Restrictions for College Students in Iran, Nansen Refugee Award & More

 

New Restrictions on Women’s Education in Iran
As the new school years begins in Iran, Human Rights Watch recently urged the government to lift new restrictions on women attending university and enrolling in certain academic fields. Although women make up the majority of college students in Iran, there are currently over 30 universities that now ban women from 77 different majors, including high-paying fields such as accounting, counseling, and engineering. No clear reason has been given for the change, but Iranian officials have recently expressed concern about the country’s declining birth and marriage rates–which are partially due to the rising number of women attending university. Read more here.

Somali Woman Dedicated to Girls’ Education Receives Award
This year’s winner of the Nansen Refugee Award is Hawa Aden Mohamed, a Somali woman who has worked relentlessly to empower girls and women. As a strong advocate for girls’ education, “Mama Hawa” believes in the power of learning, “I think not having education is a kind of disease…without education you do not exist much. Physically yes, but mentally and emotionally you do not exist.” She is the co-founder of Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development in Somalia, where 1,250 girls receive formal education and 1,600 over the age of 16 are taught basic literacy, numeracy, and life skills such as sewing.  Read Mama Hawa’s full store here.

Punjab Governor Calls for Quality Education for Girls
Governor Shivraj Patil spoke about the importance of educating girls during a recent visit to the Dashmesh College of Girls at Badal village in Punjab.  During his address, Patil said that quality education must be provided for girls in India, as they have the potential to shape the future of the nation.  He went on to say that educated girls contribute significantly to a nation’s socio-economic and political development. Read it here.

Girls Outnumber Boys in Tanzania Exams
Official reports out of Tanzania show that girls outnumbered boys sitting for this year’s Class Seven exams.  Figures show there were 19,943 female candidates and 18,091 male candidates in Arusha. This is great news for a region that has struggled to keep girls in school. Read it here.


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Technical Innovations Improve Education in Africa & More

Technical Innovations Improve Education in Africa
The first high-speed Internet link between national research networks in Sub-Saharan Africa was launched last month when Zambia was linked up to South Africa by a cable passing through Zimbabwe. The link is expected to bring a wide variety of advantages and will be especially beneficial for the education sector and researchers in neighboring countries, who will now be able to link up to the network and participate in global e-learning opportunities. Read it here.

Boycotting Students Close University in Swaziland
Students protesting at Swaziland’s only state university have forced the university to close just eight days after the start of the semester. The boycott began over a dispute regarding scholarships the Swazi government was supposed to grant to students this year. Reports claim 700 people were granted places to study at Uniswa and other colleges in Swaziland but were denied scholarships. Read more here.

Senegal Makes Headway on Gender Equality
Senegal has been working through a historic shift of power that began last March, when the country’s 86-year-old president, Abdoulaye Wade, ceded electoral defeat to his popular rival Macky Sall. Not only has the country transitioned into a new president and new government, but now more women than ever are claiming their spot in public office. In fact, 64 of the 150 new representatives in the national assembly are women, a landmark step towards gender equality. Hawa Ba, Senegal officer at the Dakar-based Open Society Initiative for West Africa, says, “Having this record number of female parliamentarians is excellent not only for women in Senegal but in the entire sub-region.” Read more here.

Higher Education Rates Decline in Cuba
University enrollment in Cuba is down over 25 percent from last year, which has some officials worried. Many attribute the steep decline to the fact that Cuba is in the process of reforming their higher education system. The changes include tougher university entrance exams, encouragement for students to major in the agricultural and technical sciences, fewer enrollment places in the humanities, and more training outside of universities for technicians and skilled workers. Read it all here.

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Free Education in Namibia, Dangers in South Sudan & More

Young Girls at Risk in South Sudan
South Sudan has quickly become an incredibly dangerous place for young girls and women, who face rape and domestic violence on a daily basis. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, recently visited the region and learned about the extreme lack of rights for women, especially those in rural areas. Pillay also learned about the tyranny that is created by the dowry system and how it encourages families to marry off their girls as young as 14–despite the fact that the new country’s constitution sets the minimum marrying age at 18.  Many are looking to President Salva Kiir to take a stand for women’s rights and help the young nation move in the right direction. President Kiir has a lot to overcome as just 37 percent of girls attend primary school in South Sudan. Read it all here.

Namibia Welcomes Free Education
Namibia’s Ministry of Education has taken a giant step towards improving the state of education in the country by deciding to provide free and compulsory education at the primary level. As a result of this change, the country’s national budget will be largely spent on education starting next year. Although many applaud this historic move, some are still concerned families will keep their children home because purchasing supplemental materials carries a heavy financial burden. Read more here.

More Girls Graduating from University in Uganda
At Uganda’s Makerere University the number of female graduates is reaching unprecedented levels. In fact, the number has increased from 779 graduates in 1996 to 6,495 in 2011. The gender gap has also shown progress, as 48 percent of the total graduates are female. During the 2012 graduation, girls also outnumbered the boys in courses such as law, medicine and surgery, and nursing. Read it all here.

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Women’s Independence in South Sudan, Olympic Firsts & More


AU Selects First Female Leader
The African Union has chosen Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as its first-ever female leader. Dlamini-Zuma, who currently serves as South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, won the spot over Jean Ping of Gabon. The close contest was won in the third round of voting when Dlamini-Zuma received votes from 37 of the 54 members. Read it all here.

Nigeria Swears in First Female Chief of Justice
Nigeria makes history this week as President Goodluck Jonathan swears in the country’s first female Chief of Justice, Aloma Mariam Mukhtar. Mukhtar has a long history of being the first. In fact, she was the first female from Northern Nigeria to become a lawyer and also the first woman to be appointed a justice in the Court of Appeals.  Even more, she was the first female justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Read more here.

Saudi Arabian Women First to Compete in Olympics
Last month Saudi authorities lifted a long time ban on women competing in the Olympic Games. Despite having a limited amount of time to qualify, there are now officially two female athletes heading to London later this month to represent Saudi Arabia for the first time in history. Sarah Attar will compete in the 800m and Wodjan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in the judo competition. Read more here.

Women Await Independence from Poverty in South Sudan
This month marked one year since South Sudan celebrated its independence and became the world’s newest nation. Now the country’s women are saying they have not experienced the positive social, economic, and political changes they were hoping for. One particular area that desperately needs attention is maternal health. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the country recorded 2,054 out of every 100,000 women died during childbirth in 2011 and there has been little to no improvement since. Another area greatly in need of attention is education: Only one percent of girls complete primary school and 88 percent of women are illiterate. Read it all here.

Young Girl Becomes Village Head in India
At just 18 years old, Afsana Badi, a Muslim girl from Kankot village in Gujarat, a village in the Rajkot district, has become the youngest sarpanch (village head) in the country. Although new to politics, Afsana intends to focus on improving education for girls and has already pledged to build more schools and classrooms for girls in her village.  Read it here.

Growing Number of Bolivian Women Elected to Office
In a country where women have traditionally been held to domestic roles, a growing number of indigenous women in Bolivia are getting involved in politics and running for office. This movement is largely due to the country’s 2009 constitution that states women must occupy 50 percent of all elected government positions. At present, 43 percent of the mayors and councilpersons in Bolivia’s 327 local governments are women, and 96 percent of them are holding public office for the first time. Read more.

Women’s Development Key to Economic Growth in Nigeria
Speaking at the African Women Economic Summit, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala–Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy–delivered her keynote address ‘Sustaining the African Women Economy: A 20 Million-Dollar Opportunity’. In her speech she stressed the importance of empowering women through education and specialized banks that catered specifically to female entrepreneurs looking to establish small and medium sized ventures. She went on to say one of the key ingredients to economic growth is gender equality. Read it all here.

 

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Poison Mystery for Afghanistan School Girls, Pregnancy Policy in Libera & More

With Girls’ Education a Priority, Women Flourish in Bangladesh
Throughout the past 30 years, women of Bangladesh have made incredible strides in social, economic and political fields. In fact, women are responsible for bringing in $23 million–roughly 80 percent–of the country’s total export earnings. Additionally, women now comprise nearly 60 percent of the primary teachers in the country. Much of the country’s success is due to its commitment to educating and empowering girls and women. Read it here.

No Policy for Pregnant Schoolgirls in Liberia
Schoolgirls in Liberia are being expelled for being pregnant, while the nation’s education policy is silent on the matter. Despite the work of the country’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, issues like poverty, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy and rape are limiting girls’ access to quality education–and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Patricia Kollie, a pregnant student at St. Mark Lutheran High School in the city of Gbarnga, Bong County, was recently expelled despite having paid program fees. Kollie will have to re-enroll after delivering her baby and begin the year over. Read more here.

Who is Poisoning Afghanistan’s Girls?
The debate rages on about who is responsible for poisoning Afghanistan’s schoolgirls. Over the past few months, several incidents have taken place: On April 17, 150 girls reported feelings of dizziness, nausea, and headaches. They were transported from their school in the Afghan province of Takhar to a hospital–some fainted, and some were vomiting when they arrived. In the same province a month later, 120 more girls and 3 teachers complained of the same symptoms and were again taken in. The next week, 160 girls in Taluquan, the capital of Takhar province, reported being ill. While the Afghan government is convinced the Taliban is to blame, the World Health Organization is now saying all samples turned up negative for poisoning. The organization is now blaming Mass Psychological Illness for the symptoms, saying that many of the girls were likely suffering from trauma cased by years of conflict. However, many Afghans don’t believe mass hysteria is the cause and are demanding the government take action against the Taliban. Read all the details here.

Ugandan Women Fight Against Cervical Cancer
The UN World Health Organization reports that 3,577 Ugandan women die of cervical cancer every year, making it the most common form of cancer affecting women in the country. With little information available to the public and limited government funds to fight the disease, many worry the number of cases will continue to increase. Read more here.

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Afghanistan’s Future & Women, Strike in Swaziland & More

 


 

 

Swazi Students Suffer as Teacher Strike Escalates

Swaziland’s largest teacher’s union recently called a strike in response to the government’s refusal to offer a salary increase and improve school facilities.  The conflict has spread across the country and government spokesman Percy Simelane says all teachers who taking part in the strike will be fired. Teachers claim the students are the real victims, who have inadequate learning environments. Although principals have been ordered by the government to keep school doors open, many students are joining their teachers in the strike.  Read more here.

Madagascar Launches Online Research Network
Earlier this month Madagascar launched an online research network that promotes discussion among worldwide researchers, students and policymakers. The project will provide new opportunities for Madagascar’s six state universities and three higher institutes of technology to connect and share knowledge as well as improve learning and research activities. Read it here.

Kenya Government Determines Funds for Sanitary Towels
The Kenya Treasury allocated Sh300 million for the 2012/2013 financial year that will help girls from poor families have access to free sanitary towels–but the towels will only benefit those in primary school. Read it here.

Afghanistan’s Future Depends on Women
As foreign troops leave Afghanistan, the future of the country is uncertain. However, their success or failure will largely depend on whether or not Afghans, especially women, are given their basic needs. In order to tackle big problems–such as one of the highest female illiteracy rates in the world–civilian protection must be a top priority for the government. Read all the details here.

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Girls’ Education a Major Challenge in Pakistan & More

 

Girls’ Education a State of Emergency in Rural Pakistan
Girls’ education in rural Pakistan has seen very modest improvements over the past several years. Access to quality education varies significantly throughout the country. with rural areas being particularly bad due to the high demands and restrictions on girls. They’re expected to marry young and have many children. Most girls are raised to serve their families and then go on to serve their husbands. To make matters worse, cultural norms prevent girls from studying alongside boys. According to the World Bank, only 22 percent of girls in rural areas have completed primary school. Even more, just 34 percent of females in rural areas are literate. One woman, Geytee Ara, has made it her mission in life to help educate girls in Pakistan. She opened a school that serves over 60 students, with equal numbers of boys and girls. Read more details here.

Learning Circles in Rwanda Discuss Challenges for Girls
A two-day training was recently held in Rwanda to discuss the efforts needed to tackle the challenges girls are facing in the Nyamagabe and Huye Districts of the Southern Province of Rwanda. The training, referred to as learning circles, was an opportunity for 20 people from a variety of NGOs to come together to share their experiences and find solutions to existing problems. Read more here.

First Saudi Women Will Compete in Olympics
For the first time in history, Saudi women will be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games. Before this landmark decision Saudi Arabia was the only major nation to ban female athletes from its national Olympic team. This marks a rare advancement for women in Saudi Arabia, who are not even allowed to hold a driver’s license. Fortunately one woman, show-jumper Dalma Rushdi Malhas, is trained and ready to compete. Read it here.

Female Entrepreneurs Propel Growth in Emerging Countries
Women entrepreneurs and small-business owners are being recognized as one of the main drivers of growth in emerging countries. In fact, by the end of 2010 there were 187 million women worldwide who launched and ran businesses. India in particular has seen an incredible amount of economic success over the past several years, much in part to its growing number of female entrepreneurs. To read the stories of three women who started their own business in India go here.

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Educated Girls Mean Better Families in Sierra Leone & More

 

 

 

More Girls in School Means Better Families and Communities in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone’s president Earnest Bai Koroma recently reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to education at the official launching of the first national school census report in Freetown. He said that quality and affordable education is among the top five priorities for his government, especially when it comes to girls. He acknowledged that the dropout rate among girls is a big challenge, but one that must be overcome. “Let us all continue to raise the awareness that more girls in schools mean better families, better communities and a better nation.” Read more here.

Progress Still Needed for the Health of Women and Children

The number of maternal and child deaths in developing countries has declined over the past several years, but a recent report shows much more must be done in order to save lives. Despite the fact that more than 95 percent of child and maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, there are countries in the region that have made progress. Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania have all seen a rate of decline that was on average 5 percent or more each year between 2000 and 2010. Much more work must be done in order to support women’s and children’s health, including greater access to contraceptives, more trained midwives, prevention of infectious diseases and stronger education. Read more here.

China Sends First Woman into Space

China has just launched a rocket into space carrying its first ever female astronaut. Thirty-three year old Liu Yang will join two men as they work toward building a large, permanent space station by 2020. Read all the details here.

Disabled Children Face Education Barriers in Southern Africa

A five nation study on the state of special needs education in southern African shows a grim situation for children with disabilities. The study shows the region is a long way from being able to provide decent education of any sort for most children with special needs. One of the problems centers around the lack of adequately trained teachers, especially those that are trained to deal with the stigma and negative attitude toward children with disabilities. Unfortunately, disabled children are still viewed as a curse on the family and community in many places, so many are denied an education. Read more about this here.

 

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Higher Ed Numbers Increase for Women in Pakistan & More

Lack of Female Teachers Keeping Girls from School in Afghanistan

Local education officials in Afghanistan’s Takhar province say a lack of female teachers is one of the many factors preventing families from sending their daughters to school. Abdul Ghafar Saripuli, head of the education department in Takhar, says that social and cultural beliefs cause parents to keep their daughters home from school as male teachers are teaching the majority of classes. Read it here.

Higher Education Numbers Up for Women in Pakistan

The future looks bright for girls and women in Pakistan as the number of females in higher education continues to rise. In fact, the total number of women in universities for the 2009-2010 school year was 391,000, up from just 96,000 in 2004. This increase is in part thanks to the growing number of women universities throughout Pakistan–there are currently seven. Even more impressive, girls are even outnumbering boys at major coed universities such as the University of Karachi. Read it all here.

East African Legislative Assembly Gets First Female Speaker

For the first time in history the East African Legislative Assembly has a female speaker. Margaret Nantongo Zziwa, who won the position just last week, is described as a strong-willed and confident woman who has been a strong advocate for education. In addition to her long political career, she holds two master’s degrees. In her new role Zziwa will be a key player in the East African political community and will be consulting closely with the region’s presidents throughout her five year term.  Read more here.

More Participation and Creativity Needed to Educate Girls

In the world today there are still 35 million girls who are not in school. While the benefits of educating girls are well-known–educated women marry later in life, have fewer children, invest in their children’s education, earn more income and are less vulnerable to disease–the task of keeping girls in school remains difficult. In order to create significant change and increase learning opportunities, more active and creative participation is needed on behalf of governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Read more here.

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Gender Equality in Chile, New Vaccine in Rwanda & More

Empowering Women in East Asia Means More than Economic Development

While East Asia has enjoyed a record of economic growth in recent years, the region still lacks in gender equality. A panel discussion at the World Economic Forum concluded that greater economic development alone is not enough to empower women. Instead, cultural changes are needed to help more men understand  the multiplier effect that occurs when women are educated and involved in the community. Read it here.

Gender Equality Still a Challenge in Chile

More than 60 percent of Chileans, both men and women, oppose the idea of gender equality according to a study by the United Nations Development Program. This view is reflected in the small number of Chilean women who get involved in politics, which is largely male dominated. Only 14 percent of Chile’s House of Deputies is female and 13 percent of the country’s Senate is female. The government is considering enacting a quota that would require a certain number of political seats be reserved for women. Read more here.

More Schoolgirls Poisoned in Afghanistan

For the second time in only a week, 160 schoolgirls were poisoned in Afghanistan. Girls at the Aahan Dara School, located in the Takhar province, complained of headaches, dizziness and vomiting before being taken to the hospital. It’s suspected their classrooms were sprayed with toxic material and the Taliban blamed for the incident. Just last week, more than 120 girls and three teachers were admitted to a hospital after drinking poisoned well water at school. Read it all here.

New Vaccine Gives Hope for Mothers in Rwanda

Each year 3,500 Rwandan children die of rotavirus diseases, which account for about 10 percent of all deaths for children under 5 years of age. Fortunately, mothers now have new hope for their children as the country is the latest in a growing number of African nations to receive the rotavirus vaccine, which is expected to help save thousands of lives. Read the details here.

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Free Bikes Keep Indian Girls in School, Water Issues, & More

Free Bicycles Help Keep Indian Girls in School
In an effort to improve literacy and high school graduation rates among girls one of India’s poorest and least developed states, Bihar, is giving free bicycles to students who live long distances from school. The program, which launched in 2007, has seen great success and produced a remarkable increase in the number of girls registered in school. It has been especially helpful for girls living in remote villages who would otherwise have to drop out due to the long distance between home and their high school. In addition to the free bikes, the government of Bihar is also giving out free school uniforms. Authorities require students to maintain a 75 percent attendance record in order to earn the bike and uniform. Read more here.

Niger Children Miss School to Search for Water
Over 80 percent of the population in Niger does not have access to running water. As a result, most school-age children, particularly girls, are given the laborious burden of finding safe drinking water, which is a search that overrides just about everything else including their studies. In Zinder, one of Niger’s largest cities, things are especially bad following a short rainy season. Officials say a third to one-half of students have abandoned their classrooms. “It’s the water that is keeping them out of school,” said Salissou Sahirou, an education official in Baban Tapki. Read more here.

Literacy Program Thrives for Women in Morrocco
An accelerated literacy program targeting girls and women in remote villages throughout Morocco is changing lives. As part of the nation’s literacy campaign, the program requires students to complete 300 hours of basic reading, writing and numeracy classes. The girls are also given lessons in social and civil rights, development, environment and income-generating activities such as weaving, baking and beekeeping. Read more here.

Millions of Girls Still Lack Sanitary Pads in Kenya
More than 3 million girls in Kenya still don’t have access to sanitary pads. Beatrice Muta, the ambassador of the Saidia Dada Network Kenya, says it’s shocking that so many girls and women, especially those in remote villages, are still using old blankets, leaves or whatever is available during their menstrual period. Muta also said this remains one of the major contributing factors to the high drop out rate among girls. Read it all here.

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Rebuilding Education in South Sudan, Banda on Equality, & More

Pakistani Woman Receives International Women of Courage Award
At the age of 23, Ghulam Sughra Solangi found herself divorced with two children in Pakistan. As the first to be divorced in her village she was treated as an outcast, yet she persevered to slowly rebuild her life over the next several years. She soon became the first female high school graduate at Pakistan’s Girls Government School—only the beginning of a long list of accomplishments. Most recently Sughra, along with nine other women, was awarded the International Women of Courage Award 2011 by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama. The award recognizes her work toward improving the social status of women and poor families in rural Sindh. Read her full story here.

Malawi to Overturn Ban on Homosexuals
In her first State of the Union address, Malawi’s first female president Joyce Banda says she is determined to overturn the nation’s ban on homosexual acts. If successful, Malawi (which is considered a conservative country) would be the first African nation to reverse the ban since 1994. Read more here.

Israeli Court Rules to Help Fight Gender Pay Gap
In a historic ruling, Israel’s high court ruled that employers must pay men and women equally. Government figures show that women earned just 66 percent of men’s wages in 2010, which is far below most Western countries. This new policy removes the burden on females to prove a claim of pay discrimination. Read it here.

Rebuilding Education After War in South Sudan
Given years of brutal conflict and violence, South Sudan’s youth are eager to get back in the classroom where they belong. While attendance rates are still catching up amid continued interruptions due to conflict with the north, students remain passionate about learning. Nineteen-year-old Dhoal Thuol Khan says that education is the key to progress and peace in South Sudan. “Education means you can feel free,” he says. “No one can dominate you. You can get whatever you need when you are educated.” Read more here.

 

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Solutions to Overpopulation, LRA Commander Captured & More

Are Girls the Solution to Overpopulation?
Experts estimate that the Earth has the capacity to support approximately 4 billion people, however we’ve already surpassed that number and likely to reach over 9 billion by 2040. Resources are growing scarce and the cycle of poverty only continues. Perhaps one of the best solutions to overpopulation can be found in young girls. If provided with a safe environment and an education, girls truly do have the power to change the world. Research shows that girls who stay in school are more likely to marry later in life and have fewer children. Even more, educated mothers are more likely to send their own children to school, which helps break the cycle of poverty even further. Read more here.

Britain Pulls Funding for Girls Education Program in South Sudan
South Sudan is perhaps the worst place to be a female. Not only does the new country have the highest maternal mortality rate, but it also have the lowest female literacy rates. Girls in South Sudan are therefore more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than complete primary education. While conflict has plagued the region for years, which limits educational and economical opportunities for women, many countries have contributed funds to help the nation rebuild. However, Britain recently pulled back development funding in response to South Sudan’s halt of oil production. The withdrawal will limit funding to Britain’s program to educate girls. Meanwhile the United States is moving forward with their development plan. Read the whole story here.

Africa’s First Female Presidents Determined to Help Women
The first two female presidents in Africa are joining forces in an effort to make life better for girls and women on the continent. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Malawian President Joyce Banda recently pledged to work together to accelerate their efforts to empower girls and women. Both women govern countries with significant development issues, yet they’re confident about the future. Read it all here.

LRA Commander Captured
Ceasar Achellam, a senior commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army, was recently captured by the Ugandan army in the Central African Republic. Joseph Kony, the group’s leader, is still wanted by the International Criminal Court for rape and murder thousands of civilians. See it here.

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First Female Pilot in Nigeria, Girls’ Sports in Saudi Arabia & More

Education Main Tool for a Poverty-Free Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently spoke about the results of the 2012 Secondary School Certificate examinations and said the main tool for building a poverty-free Bangladesh is education. She discussed a variety of government measures that will help build an illiteracy free country by 2014, including distribution of free textbooks among students up to the secondary level and providing scholarship to female students up to the higher secondary level. In addition, she encouraged students to pay close attention to their studies while working towards an enlightened and dignified Bangladesh. Read it here.

Saudi Arabian Girls’ School Defies Religious Ban
A state-run girls’ school in Saudi Arabia has become the first in the country to openly allow students to play sports. While Islamic law prevents women from playing sports, the school has defied the religious ban and put up basketball hoops for female students to use during activity classes. Saudi Arabia recently set up a ministerial committee to consider allowing women’s sports clubs. Read the rest here.

Qatar’s First Female Olympians Head to London
Qatar is one of only three countries that has never sent women to the Olympic Games. However, that is all changing in just a few short months as the country will send its first female athletes to London for the summer games. Bahiya Al-Hamad, who was awarded a wild card to compete in the 10-meter rifle shooting competition, says this historical event is an accomplishment for every Qatari woman. Read it here.

Corruption Threatens Education System in Mozambique
An in-depth study in Mozambique found that widespread corruption and impunity in the education sector is putting the country’s future at risk. Despite accomplishments such as raising the literacy rate by 50 percent and pushing the net school enrollment up by a third, the public perception of the education sector remains negative. The study calls on the Mozambique government to put anti-corruption laws in place to strengthen oversight and ensure resources are properly managed. Read more here.

First Female Military Pilot in Nigeria
Blessing Liman made history in Nigeria as she was made the country’s first female military pilot. At just 28-years-old, the young officer earned her wings after joining the Nigerian Air Force in July 2011 and excelling in her training. Read it here.

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Malawi’s President Fights for Women’s Rights & (lots) More

[Ed. Note: We're making up for missing these last week by giving you an extra-long version today. Enjoy!]

Malawi’s President Fights for Rights of Girls and Women
The first female president in southern Africa, Joyce Banda, is using her role as president to fight for the rights of girls and women in Malawi. As a long time advocate for female empowerment, she recently spoke out in an interview about the increasing number of women in politics . “Africa is changing in that regard and I hope you know that we are doing better than most countries. America is still struggling to put a woman in the White House but we have two, so we’re doing fine. This is what people did not expect us to achieve but we have.” Read the rest here.

South Sudan Receives Loan for Development
China has agreed to fund major development projects in South Sudan through an $8 billion dollar loan.  The funds will be used to build roads, bridges, telecom networks, and develop agricultural and hydro-electric power.  All projects will be conducted by Chinese firms. Read it here.

Women See Worrisome Shift in Turkey
Domestic violence has seen a big increase in Turkey over the past year.  In 2010, there were about 190,000 cases of deliberate injuries against women across the country. Last year, that number was up to 207,000 cases. A recent United Nations report showed that 39 percent of women in Turkey suffer from physical violence at some point in their lives, compared to 22 percent in the United States. Despite legislation that seeks to protect women, implementation has proved difficult as the mentality of men does not change.  Read more here.

 

Cultural Obstacles Keep Girls Out of School in Kenya Refugee Camp
At the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, only 1 in 20 girls aged 14 to 17 are in school. For those younger, aged 5 to 13, just one third are attending school. For the most part, the barriers to girls’ education start at home. One woman living in the camp, Hawa Ahmed,  says she keeps her two daughters home to learn the lessons of the house, while her sons go off to school. The girls continue learning how to cook and clean until they’re married off, which normally happens at a young age. Once a girl is married, her chances of attending school are driven even lower. In an effort to get more girls in school, the UN World Food Program provides tokens for half a kilogram of sugar for girls attending 80% of classes a month. Other organizations are also providing sanitary pads to adolescent girls in order minimize drop-out rates during menstruation. To read more go here.

Future of Nigeria Depends on Empowerment of Women
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, recently spoke at an event where he said that poverty can only be eradicated when women are empowered. He urged the Kano State government, located in northwest Nigeria, to support women to be more productive and send their children to school. Read it here.

Report Shows Impact of Illiteracy
A recent report released at the World Literacy Summit in Oxford shows that globally over one in five people can’t read or write and more than 100 million children don’t go to school everyday. The report discusses the costs of illiteracy, which include poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, crime and longterm illness. Even more, illiteracy increased the likelihood of high-risk sexual behavior and inadequate use of contraception. Education is the best means of overcoming poverty caused by illiteracy. According to the report, families need to be encouraged to place a higher value on education and illiterate adults should be involved in literacy programs. Read it all here.

Afghan Woman Campaigns to be Country’s First Female President
Afghanistan will be electing a new president in 2014 when Hamid Karzai’s term is up and Fawzia Koofi is hoping to take the over the role. Although her campaign is just beginning, she is already facing criticism from those believe women don’t belong in politics. Koofi, who is just 36-years-old, was the country’s first female deputy speaker. As a member of parliament, she has been a strong advocate for girls’ education and women’s rights.  In fact, she was the first female in her family to get an education. Since then she has been blazing her own path and passionately fighting for the rights of the oppressed. Read more about her here.

Youth Advocates Help Out-of-School Children in Pakistan
A recent program in Pakistan is using the power of youth to encourage families in the community to send their children to school. The effort, known as Young Champions, is a program of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI). It trains adolescents to become change-makers in their community, rising as advocates for education who insist that all children should be in school. Not only are they increasing school enrollment rates, but also helping to make sure that the children they enroll do not drop out. Read more here.

Afghan School Girls Poisoned
More than 100 girls were poisoned by opponents of education for girls in Afghanistan. The girls reportedly got sick after drinking water from their high school in the northeastern province of Takhar. The investigation into the incident is still underway. Read more here.

School Attendance Down as Violence Increased in Nigeria
Borno State, located in northern Nigeria, has seen a massive decrease in school attendance since the beginning of the year.  In total, 14 schools have been burnt down in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, which has forced 7,000 children out of an education.  Unfortunately, Borno already has the lowest school attendance rates in Nigeria, so the recent violence is only making a bad situation worse. Most of the schools destroyed taught both Western and Islamic education, making them the target of the Islamic jihadist group Boko Haram. The group recently released a video calling their followers to destroy schools providing Western education. Read it here.

Young Indian Women Twice as Likely to be Illiterate
A recent report says that an estimated 270 million people aged 15 and older are illiterate in India. The Opportunity for Action Report says that women aged 15 to 24 are twice as likely to remain illiterate than men, with factors like caste and class differences impacting education opportunities. Even more, the report says that girls in rural India average three fewer years of education and those from tribes report social exclusion which prevents them from attending school. Read it all here.

 

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First Female President in Southern Africa & More

First Female Head of State in Southern Africa
Joyce Banda has been a strong advocate for women and girls, particularly those in rural communities, throughout her political career. She was even recognized by Forbes Magazine last year when she was named Africa’s third most powerful female politician. Now, as she takes over as Malawi’s president, she is the first female head of state in southern Africa. One of her top priorities has been to get more girls in Malawi in school, a pledge she made years ago after using the proceeds from her garment manufacturing business and bakery to send underprivileged girls to school. Banda takes over the role following the death of the country’s former president Bingu wa Mutharika. Read it here.

Genocide Survivor Has Faith and Hope for Rwanda
This week marks the 18th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. Now, years later, the country’s people want to show the world how they’re moving on and thriving thanks to “the girl effect,” the idea that investing in young women early in their lives will pay off later in curbing poverty, disease, and despair. One success story is 23-year-old Didacienne “Dida” Nibagwire, a young actress who has been in a variety of films and television shows in Rwanda. Dida is a survivor of the genocide and although most of her family was killed in the conflict, she attributes her resilience to an obligation she feels to do something good for her country. Read the rest of Dida’s inspiring story here.

Violence Against Women in Mexico Grows
The war on drugs in Mexico has had serious consequences for women. Not only has violence against women greatly increased since the escalation of the drug cartels, but homicides in Juarez have dramatically gone up in recent years with 306 women killed in 2009, compared to just 23 in 2006. Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1997, says that, “The government’s efforts to improve ‘security’ in the region have directly resulted in insecurity for civilian populations, and most especially, for women.” Read more here.

Saudi Princess Wishes to Overhaul the Country’s Education System
Women’s rights have traditionally been very limited in Saudi Arabia, but Princess Basma Bint Saud Bin Abdulaziz recently spoke out about what she’d like to see change for women in the country. One change she mentions is the country’s constitution, which she says needs to put men and women on equal footing by protecting every citizen’s human rights regardless of sex or status. In regard to the country’s education system, Princess Basma believes the way in which children are taught about women should change, specifically the way women are regarded as inferior beings, whose role is limited to raising her family. To read more about her views on social services, divorce, and women’s requirement to have a Mahrem, or male chaperone when they travel, go here.


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Educating Girls for Peace, Pro-Women Laws in Pakistan & More

Pro-Women Laws Emerge in Pakistan
Women in Pakistan have historically struggled to achieve gender equality, however there have been several breakthroughs over the past few years thanks to the efforts of the government and various advocacy groups. Last year, the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention (Amendment) Bill gave the State guidance on how to punish offenders and support victims of violent gender-based crimes. Most recently, on International Women’s Day last month, the President of Pakistan signed the National Commission on the Status of Women Bill into law, which allows the commission to investigate women’s rights violations. Read more here.

Empowering Girls and Women to Achieve Peace and Prosperity
It has become well known that educating and empowering girls and women leads to a wide variety of benefits, from greater economic growth to healthier children and families. However, the positive effects also extend into making and keeping peace. In fact, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recently released policy guidance on gender instructs embassies and bureaus across the world to implement policies that promote gender equality and advance the status of women and girls in order to foster conflict prevention, as well as relief recovery, in post-conflict situations. To read more go here.

Girls’ Education Top Concern for Afghani Women When US Troops Leave
When the Taliban fell from power in 2001, there were 5,000 girls attending school in Afghanistan. Today there are 2.5 million. A recent nationwide survey shows that a massive majority of women are terrified about the possibility of a return to a Taliban-run government when US troops pull out of the country. One of the main concerns mentioned was their daughter’s education, which many believe will suffer greatly if the Taliban returns.  Not only are young girls fighting for their education, but also an escape from forced marriages and other practices that limit their freedom. Get the rest of the story here.

Young Girls in India Struggle to Stay in School
India’s government has made significant efforts to provide free compulsory education to all children ages 6 to 14 after passing the Right to Education Act in April 2010. Even more, all enrolled students receive 27 essential items such as a uniform and backpack as well as a free hot lunch. Despite these efforts, India’s poorest still struggle to stay in school and it seems to be even worse for girls. Durga Jadav is an 11 year old who lives under a bridge with her family in Mumbai, India. Despite having nothing to eat at home and pressure to help her family by getting a job, Durga perseveres and goes to school. To read more about her story go here.

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Karzai Calls for Girls’ Ed, Saudi Arabia’s Students Protest & More

Saudi Arabia’s Female Students Protest
In a rare display of protest for women in the Islamic kingdom, students at an all-female university in Saudi Arabia boycotted classes when the school canceled campus cleaning services. According to the report, one student said the protests were triggered by “the accumulation of rubbish and the mistreatment of the students.” Read more here.

Women in Angola Hold Leadership Posts by Merit
At a recent discussion held in Angola, “Women in society and their participation in political life,” officials said that women in leadership positions have achieved their role based on their merit and not exclusively because of the state policy on gender. Officials say that while women were looked upon as inferior beings in the past, they are now seen for their intelligence and capabilities. Read it here.

Current Law Highlights Women’s Rights in Lebanon
Current laws in Lebanon prevent women from passing their nationality on to their children. Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has proposed an amendment to the law which will give women that right and the Cabinet is expected to discuss the issue in the near future. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri is also showing his support for the amendment and continues to pledge his commitment to promoting women’s rights. Read more here.

Afghan President Says Education of Girls is Crucial
As the school year begins in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai recently called on tribal and religious leaders to encourage the education of girls, a right which was denied under Taliban rule. Even more, Karzai urged insurgent groups to not attack teachers or school children because education is key if the country is to continue developing. President Karzai said, “To encourage children towards education, particularly the education of girls, is vital and important.” Read it all here.

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Women’s Rights in Nigeria, Business Skills in Egypt & More

Women Refugee Teaches Business Skills in Egypt
Fatma Soleman is an inspiring entrepreneur in Cairo, Egypt. She fled from conflict in Ethiopia when she was 17 years old and has since been running a handicraft business to support herself and family. After partnering with a local NGO, Fatma now works to train other female refugees living in Cairo on business skills and various handicraft techniques. She even teaches her students how to approach stores throughout Cairo and find business opportunities at community bazaars. Read her story here.

Struggle Continues for Girls and Women in Tanzania
A recent four-day event in Arusha, Tanzania highlighted the plight of girls and women in the country, particularly those living in nomadic pastoralist communities. Things are especially difficult for females in the Northern Zone of Tanzania, including the Maasai, Meru, Barbaig, Iraqw (Mbulu) and Chagga communities. In these areas girls do not inherit property or land and their mothers do not have any say in the matter according to traditional laws. Activists joined together to discuss these issues, including violence against girls and women, education, and civil rights. Read it all here.

Iran’s Women Activists Say No to War
Human rights activists in Iran are voicing their concerns for the rights of girls and women in the shadow of war. A joint statement issued by more than 200 women’s rights activists and 15 political organizations, states that Iran is currently in a very dangerous situation with the peace and well-being of Iranians in the balance. The statement goes on to say, “The continuation of this situation, will cast a shadow of war and a militarized atmosphere over our country, exposing our people, women in particular, to further discrimination, various kinds of violence, poverty and adversity.” Read it all here.

Nigerian Lawmakers Split Over Property Rights for Women
Lawmakers in Nigeria’s State House of Assembly recently discussed a proposed bill to ensure women’s inheritance and ownership rights. Members were divided, with some opponents saying the issue is not relevant at this time and the bill should be dropped. Supporters of the bill argued that female children should have the same rights as males and should be able to inherit their parents’ property and wealth. The bill was sent to the Committee on Women Affairs where members will organize public hearings and report back to the House in a few weeks. Read all the details here.

US Department of State Expands Techwomen to Sub-Saharan Africa
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced that TechWomen, an international exchange program that uses technology to empower women and girls around the world, will expand to sub-Saharan Africa for the first time in 2013. The program, which was launched by Secretary Clinton in 2011, will pair up women from Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe with their American counterparts during a four week mentoring program in the United States. The American mentors will then travel to Africa to do follow-up with the women and conduct workshops and training in the technology sector. Read more here.

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