Tag Archives: News Bursts

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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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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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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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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A Challenge to Marrying Off Schoolgirls, Innovative Girls’ Ed Ad & More

TAMWA challenges rural communities on girls’ education
The Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) has reached out to rural communities in their country to encourage them to end the practice of marrying off young girls. Read more here.

Haiti Prime Minister Resigns
Haiti’s Gary Conille has decided to step down from his position of Prime Minister. Conille officially resigned after rumors of a power struggle within between the parliament, president and prime minister. A replacement has not yet been named. Read the whole story here.

Fighting in Mali Leaves Thousands Displaced
Since mid-January, government forces in Mali have been fighting with Tuareg rebels. The clashes have displaced nearly 130,000. Basic supplies for the displaced are in great demand, especially since many have been living in a region heavily affected by a food shortage. Read more here.

Ugandan Women Tricked into Prostitution in Malaysia
Ugandan officials say a highly organized operation has tricked more than 600 Ugandan women into working in a Malaysian sex ring. Girls arrive in Malaysia expecting a well-paying job, but instead find themselves trapped as sex slaves and forced into prostitution. Officials say many of the girls are college educated, but have struggled to find jobs in Uganda. Read the story here.

Half a Million Afghans Homeless
A recent Amnesty International report says nearly half a million Afghans are now homeless and in search of safe places to live. As many as 30,000 people are living in make-shift tents on the outskirts of Kabul. Read it here.

“Because I Am A Girl” Creates Ad Only Women Can See
In London, the girls’ education campaign “Because I Am A Girl” created an ad fitted with facial-recognition technology, only allowing women to view it. The idea is that men will get a small taste of what it’s like to have basic choices taken away, and raise awareness about the plight of girls’ education worldwide. Read more here.

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Education Means Independence for Rwandan Refugee & More

No Justice for Somali Girls and Women?
The famine and mass displacement that has taken over Somalia has opened up a new terror for girls and women: mass rape and an increase in sexual violence. The Shabab militant group, which presents itself as a morally righteous rebel force and the defender of pure Islam, is gang-raping and abusing girls and women at alarming rates. But it isn’t just the Shabab; reports from the area say there has been a free-for-all of armed men, even government soldiers, preying on young girls and women displaced by the famine and desperate for food. In addition, more and more forced marriages are happening as Shabab soldiers raid villages in search of young wives. Unfortunately, very little is being done to protect the girls and women of this country, most of whom are illiterate and relegated to their homes. Read it for yourself here.

Education Provides Independence, Says Rwandan Refugee
Have you ever visited the UNHCR’s YouTube channel? It’s a great place to hear stories of strength, hope, and survival from refugees around the world. One story in particular shows Shadia Mbabazi, 22, who was born in Rwanda but fled with her family after the genocide in 1994. They eventually settled at a refugee camp in Botswana, where Shadia dedicated herself to her studies and, with the help of a scholarship, was able to complete her degree in Community Development. In the video Shadia explains why her education is so important to her, saying,  “I don’t like depending on people, so I felt with my education I can be able to provide for myself and for my family without asking or begging from people.” Watch her video here and watch more at “storytellingunhcr” on YouTube.

Deadly Attack Mars Elections in Manipur
The north-eastern Indian region of Manipur is the first of five states to hold local elections, which will serve as a test for India’s governing Congress party. At least four people are dead after suspected rebels, thought to be members of the National Socialists Council of Nagaland, attacked a polling station in Manipur. Elections will continue in neighboring throughout the next several weeks. Read more here.

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Rwanda Shows Improvements in Girls Ed, Micro-Credit in Zambia & More

Efforts to Support Girls’ Education Paying Off in Rwanda
The 2011 final examination results were recently released in Rwanda and show that girls’ school performance is improving. Results show that five out of the ten best students countrywide are girls, which proves that the country’s efforts to support girls’ education are paying off. The results also show that girls’ secondary schools are performing exceptionally well, while rural schools are still posting better results than those located in urban areas. Although the examination results look promising, there is still a lot of work to be done for girls and women in Rwanda. Read it all here.

Education for Women is Paramount, says Kristof
Nicholas Kristof, one of our favorite advocates for girls’ education, recently spoke at Stanford University on the profound importance of educating girls and women. The New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner argued that education, particularly for girls and young women, is the key to enacting change in impoverished and developing countries. He went on to say that educating a girl has the power to inspire dramatic change around the world. Kristof ended his discussion by saying, “We, sitting here, have truly won the lottery of life, but with it comes responsibility,” he said. “What will you do with your responsibility?” Read more here.

Micro-Credit Model Helps Empower Zambian Women
The United Nations Development Program is supporting a Bangladeshi micro-credit program that provides loans to female entrepreneurs in Zambia. The loans, which are exclusively given to the most under-privileged women, ranging from $50 to $400. One woman, Elizabeth Sakala-Banda, used a $100 loan to stock her grocery shop with a wide variety of products. Within six months, she had paid off her loan, and made a profit of US$315. Since then, she has taken a second loan to purchase maize and fertilizer, enabling her to participate in her local farmer’s co-operative, and opening up a whole new income-generating activity for her family. Like most women in the program, the added income they earn is used to pay for their children’s education. “The extra money I make helps me buy school uniforms, books and other items for my children,” Elizabeth says. Read more about the program here.

 

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Sirleaf Inaugurated, New Guatemalan President & More

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Inauguarated for Second Term
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was inaugurated today for her second term as president of Liberia, promising continued work on reconciliation in the war-torn country. Read more here.

Guatemala Elects New President
The new president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, was recently sworn into office after his election victory in November. Molina, a former army general, has promised to bring profound change to Guatemala, including big efforts to restore security, reduce poverty and improve on child malnutrition. Read more here.

First Graduates at Oprah’s South African Girls’ School
In a region where most girls don’t graduate from high school, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls is thrilled to celebrate its first graduation with 72 girls, all of which come from poor and disadvantaged families. All of the girls are headed on to university with hopes of changing the world. “When you invest in the leadership of girls you invest in a nation,” said Winfrey. Read it all here.

Maternal Health Challenges in Somalia
According to the World Health Organization, Somalia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. The recent famine has only made matters worse for expecting mothers, many of which are malnourished and living in resettlement camps. A lack of equipment and inadequate facilities have also made it extremely difficult for women to get the proper care they need throughout pregnancy and delivery. Read more here.

Indian Computer Tablet Could Shake Up Education
A new low-cost tablet selling for as little as £35 should allow Indians in rural areas to access the Internet on a regular basis. Read more here.

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Q & A with Melinda Gates & Nick Kristof, Progress in Haiti & More

Q & A with Nick Kristof and Melinda Gates
Ever wish you could sit down with Melinda Gates and pick her brain about development issues facing the world? Or what would you ask Nick Kristof if given the opportunity? Check out this recent article to read up on the pair’s answers to readers’ questions on everything from women’s issues, vaccines, and education in the developing world and how someone without a lot of financial resources can help women in need.

Progress for Children in Haiti Two Years after Earthquake
UNICEF released a report showing that recent progress has been made for Haitian children in the areas of education, health, nutrition, and child protection. This news comes two years after a massive earthquake devastated the region and left an entire country in ruins. In total, UNICEF has helped more than 750,000 children attend school, 80,00o of which are now attending school in earthquake-resistant schools. Read more here.

UNHCR Appeals for Massive Humanitarian Support in South Sudan
UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres recently called on the international community to provide “massive” humanitarian support for South Sudan, which has seen a big increase in fighting near Sudan’s Blue Nile state between the Sudan armed forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. Over 28,000 people have already fled to refugee camps and many more are expected. Read it all here.

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2012 World Education Goals, Illiteracy in Yemen & More

Universal Primary Education by 2015?
Across the world’s poorest countries, desperately poor parents are struggling to get their kids an education that will help them escape poverty. As part of the millennium development goals, the international community responded to this need and pledged to achieve universal primary education by 2015. Despite their intention, government efforts in some poverty stricken nations have done little to reach this goal. Many are now calling for a global children’s fund for education, which would bring together governments, donors, nonprofit organizations and the private sector. Although supporters insist this may be the solution to the global education crisis, critics claim an effort of this scale would require innovative and unprecedented financing solutions. Read it here.

Microcredit Empowers Female Entrepreneurs in Central African Republic
In Central African Republic, one of Africa’s least developed nations, more than half of the country’s population lives below the income poverty line and more than 50 percent is unable to meet basic food needs. However, since 2008 thousands of women in CAR are starting their own business thanks to a microcredit project implemented by UNDP, the UN Capital Development Fund, and local nonprofit organizations in the area. The small loans are intended to help people, especially women, rebuild after years of conflict. Today there are nearly 50,000 people receiving loans and financial services through the program. Read more here.

Instead of Work, More Young Women Head Back to School
Economists say large numbers of workers are dropping out the labor force and most of them are women. For the first time in three decades, there are more women in school than the work force. Many are choosing to pursue graduate degrees in hopes of increasing their job opportunities and growth enrollment for women is significantly higher than men. Read the article here.

Girls and Women Expected to See Progress in 2012
The past quarter century has been full of both challenges and success for girls and women across the world. While the pace of change has been astonishing in some areas, progress toward gender equality has been limited—even in developed countries. The World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report: Gender Equality and Development was recently released and says that progress for the next generation of girls is expected to be seen greatly in the areas of education and healthcare. Download the full report here.

Mexico to Focus on Education in 2012
A recent UNICEF press release shows that Mexico’s 2012 federal budget will focus heavily on providing quality education to children and adolescents, particularly those living in indigenous communities who are often the most marginalized. While Mexico is home to several developed and prosperous regions, there are still those that closely resemble areas in sub-Saharan Africa. The plan proves to be a critical step in improving equity for children in these areas. Read more here.

UNDP Chief Says Social Services Must Reach Girls & Women in South Sudan
While the world’s newest nation has made progress since declaring their independence earlier this year, South Sudan has a tough road ahead. In a recent report, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark says that, “South Sudan has some of the lowest levels of human development in the world.” She went on to say that in order for South Sudan to become a vibrant economy with healthy and educated people, social services must do all they can to reach girls and women. “Only 13 percent of the population has access to basic healthcare, and the ratio of primary school pupils to qualified teachers is a staggering 111 to 1. The maternal mortality rate is three times higher than the average for Sub-Saharan Africa,” she said. “It is imperative that South Sudan is supported now.” Read it here.

Seventy Percent of Yemeni Women are Illiterate
Yemen is the Arab world’s poorest country, with rates of malnutrition at the third highest in the world, higher than anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Many are surviving without basic needs such as food, clean water, and clothing. Amongst this imminent humanitarian crisis, girls and women seem to be enduring the greatest hardship as 70 percent of Yemeni women are illiterate. In a country that has consistently ranked lowest in the Global Gender Gap, young girls are desperate for an education. Read it for yourself here.

 

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Girls’ Ed Bill in South Sudan, Maternal Health Stats & More

Girls’ Education Bill Drafted in South Sudan
The government of Western Equatoria, one of the states in South Sudan, has recently drafted a bill that intends to promote girls’ and women’s enrollment in school. Supporters of the bill say education must be made a priority for girls and women, which is especially important now as South Sudan develops as an independent nation. Western Equitoria State has the highest number of girls dropping out of school. Under the stipulations of the bill, anyone who prevents a girl from going to school will be sentenced to seven years in prison. Read more about it here.

Maternal Death Risk Higher in Developing Countries
One in seven girls living in a developing nation is out of school and married by the time she is fifteen years old, which is just one of the reasons why ninety-nine percent of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Read about some of the risk factors and statistics here on maternal health here.

Pakistani Leaders Encourage Female Entrepreneurs
Leaders from Pakistan and India joined together to identify steps to empower and encourage women in South Asia in order to eradicate poverty and illiteracy. Pakistan Minister of Social Welfare Nargis Khan said women can play an important role in developing societies when given economic independence and networking platforms. Read more here.

Report Shows Disparities for Women in Vietnam
A recent UNICEF survey shows that disparities for children and women still exist in Vietnam in the areas of health care, wealth, and economics. Read the press release here.

She’s the First is looking for researchers!
We know it’s not exactly international news, but if you’re reading these news bursts, you’d probably be interested in the position. Check out the details here!

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Child Marriage in Yemen, Girls’ Ed in India & More

Child Marriage in Yemen Still Hindering Girls
Yemen is still struggling to reach a cultural turning point where girls under the age of 18 cannot be married off to older men. As girls are pulled from school to be put into marriages, they run the risk of never returning to get a full education and are faced with the rests of reproductive problems as they grow older. Read the story here.

Seats Reserved in Junior College for Girls in India
A recent article from the Times of India reported that thirty percent seats in junior colleges across the state of India are likely to be reserved for girls from the next academic year. This will guarantee girls more job security and admission into college in the future.  Fergusson College principal Ravindrasingh Pardeshi said, “It will encourage more girls to pursue college education. Women get reservation in higher education, and junior college should not be left behind.” Read the story here.

In Order to Learn, First They Must Live
A powerful column written by ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas called “All Those Little Faces,” explores closer the gendercide that is often unexposed in India. Over 50,000 baby girls not given a chance to live each month, Vargas shows us a world where education is a hurdle we can only get to once we’ve given the girls the right to grow up.  Read the column here.

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14-Year-Old Pakistani Girl Advocates for Girls’ Ed & More

Nigerian Community Demands Education for Girls
The Nigerian community of Katagum is demanding the government establish a girls secondary school in the region. A spokesman for the community says families are hoping for a local school so their daughters will no longer have to travel long distances to get an education. Read it here.

Fourteen Year Old Emerges as Role Model for Pakistani Girls
When Malala Yusafzai was eleven years old she started blogging against the Taliban in support of girls’ rights. She has been especially outspoken about girls’ education and wants “all the girls to get a higher education to play their role in the society.” Her blogging earned her a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize. Malala, who is now fourteen, hopes to one day become a  politician and encourage more Pakistani girls to contribute to society. Read Malala’s story here.

Rwanda Fights AIDS with New Education Program
In acknowledgement of World AIDS Day, Rwanda announced that country health officials will fight the spread of AIDS with a new education program. The ambitious plan will implement educational programs into every school in the country over the next three months, promoting abstinence in hopes of preventing HIV/AIDs, warding off unwanted pregnancies and keeping girls in school. Get the story here.

Oprah Winfrey’s South African Girls School See First Graduating Class
Seventy-two girls will be the first to graduate from Oprah Winfrey’s South African secondary school in January. Every member of the class will continue on with their education at universities in either South Africa or the United States. Read more here.

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Girls’ Ed in Pakistan, Shakira Promotes Girls’ Ed & More

Girls’ Education in Pakistan: Not So Easy
In Balochistan, girls face many challenges to receiving basic education, including a lack of teachers and supplies as well as attacks on schools. Read more here.

Is the Ghana Education Service Corrupt?
The Chairperson of the Accra Chapter of the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC), Judith S. Sawyer, has described the Ghana Education Service (GES) as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country. She says the corrupt nature of the Service is preventing donor institutions and development partners from extending financial support to the sector. Read more here.

University Scholarships Offered to Women in Sierra Leone
The southern city of Bo, Sierra Leone is offering a five-year scholarship to girls who remain abstinent until they complete university. Read the story here.

Shakira Continues to Highlight Need for Improved Education in India
Pop singer Shakira recently visited a group of adolescent females in a residential education program in Udaipur, Rajasthan to tell them the need for education, especially for girls and women. In Udaipur the literacy level is around five percent for women and Shakira acknowledged the need for major improvement, saying that “girls are a precious resource of intellectual and physical ability – a resource that can help to further society. They need the chance to be educated and empowered.” Read more here.

Ghana’s Girls Guide Association Celebrates 90th Anniversary
Ms. Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology in Ghana, recently spoke at the 90th anniversary celebration of the Ghana Guides Association in Accra. Ayittey, a strong advocate for the education and empowerment of girls and women, affirmed the celebrations’ theme, “Together Women Can Change the World” by saying that given needed education and empowerment, women can become agents of change. Check it out.

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Africa’s First Female President Re-Elected, English in South Sudan & More

Africa’s First Female President Re-Elected
Amid violence and low voter turn out, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was confirmed as Liberia’s president after a controversial election in which her opponent, Winston Tubman, pulled out of the race. Tubman urged his supporters to boycott the polls over fears the election was rigged, which caused chaos and violence on the eve of the election. President Sirleaf begins her second term with a divided nation, but promises to work with opposing parties. Read it here.

English for Schools in South Sudan
South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, is home to over 60 indigenous languages. In hopes to unify the nation, the South Sudan Legislative Assemble (SSLA) recently passed the Higher and General Education Bill, which declares that both primary and secondary education will only be taught in English. Furthermore, there will be no subjects taught in Arabic by the end of this year. Get the story here.

Combating Grenades with Balloons in Kenya
Ever have the Monday blues? For artist Yazmany Arboleda the answer to overcoming your gloom is a yellow balloon. The artist recently handed out over 10,000 yellow balloons to commuters in Nairobi in hopes to help combat that negative Monday morning perception. But Arboleda isn’t just about spreading a little cheer, his mission is to counter grenades with balloons. For Kenya, a nation that has been on high alert since the government sent troops to Somalia in pursuit of al-Shabab militants, it’s yet to be seen if Arboleda’s yellow balloons will send a message of peace. Check it out here.

Study Finds Developing World Upbeat and Rich Countries Pessimistic
More than 25,000 people were included in a survey by Globescan that shows those living in developing economies were consistently more upbeat and positive compared to those in “rich” nations. Japan, France and Germany were said to be the most negative, while Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt scored as the happiest. Read more here.

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First Female CEO at IBM, Education for Darfur Refugees

Education a Priority for Darfur Refugees
Refugee camps in Eastern Chad are home to 250,000 Darfuri refugees who fled Western Sudan after brutal violence and genocide in 2003. Although camp life is often difficult, and sometimes dangerous, one grain of hope for displaced families is the power in education. The UNHCR has responded to refugees’ demands for more schooling in camp life by increasing educational efforts and equipping all camps with primary schooling. Read more here.

Women in Latin America Seek Balance in Work and Family
Over the past four decades women throughout Latin America and the Caribbean have made great progress in education, health, and the work force. Girls are now outperforming boys in school and the rate of working women has more than doubled in many countries. Although these remarkable accomplishments have brought new opportunities for women, many are now struggling with the complex decisions regarding their careers and families. With the gender gap rapidly closing, finding a balance is now a priority for these women who no longer view work as just a pathway to income, but a career. Read more here.

IBM Names First Female Chief Executive
Virginia “Ginni” Rometty will become one of the most powerful women in business and technology as she takes over as the first female CEO of IBM. Rometty, who most recently served as senior vice president of global sales, has made incredible strides in a male-dominated industry and will now head the largest U.S. corporation by value come January 1. Read more here.

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New Teachers For South Sudan, Slowing Teen Pregnancy & More

Female Circumcision Rates Lowered in Senegal
Over 92 millions African girls have undergone female circumcision, a dangerous and painful tradition often performed with little to no pain medication. Although this practice is still carried out in many countries, the African nation of Senegal is working to put a stop to cutting. A local group called Tostan has had a major impact in lowering the use of this practice with an education program that seeks to build support on the dangers of cutting. While Tostan is careful not to denounce it as barbaric, they do seek to change social conventions and perceptions of cutting. Read more about Tostan’s efforts here.

Argentina Lowers Illiteracy Rate
In 2004 Argentina created “Encuentros,” a literacy program dedicated to lowering the country’s illiteracy rate. The program called on civil society volunteers to teach reading and writing in a range of over 50,000 community centers and was heavily focused on lowering the illiteracy rate of women, particularly those over thirty years old. As a result of the program’s success, Argentina’s illiteracy rated has dropped from 2.6 percent in 2001 to 1.9 percent in 2010. Read more about the program here.

Education in Tanzania Critical to Slowing Teenage Pregnancy
In Tanzania’s region of Shinyanga the average woman marries young and gives birth to seven children. Unfortunately for the hundreds of schoolgirls who become pregnant, their education is brought to a halt as the taboo of young mothers returning to school is especially strong. For a country with a soaring population, the answer to slowing growth is increasing education for girls, which leads to lower birth rates and increased economic growth. Read more here.

Uganda to Create Jobs for Teachers in South Sudan
The president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni says his country will send teachers to South Sudan in an effort to help the new nation recover from decades of conflict that have badly affected literacy and the education system. Read more here.

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UN Forum On Gender Inequality, Why Men Matter Too, and More


UN Forum Tackles Issue of Disparity in Education
With evidence showing that disparities in education widen as girls grow, the United Nations today kicked off a two-day meeting in Paris devoted to gender inequality in classroom achievement and on women’s leadership role in education. Read more here.

Why Men Matter, Too
The involvement of men is key to the success of the gender-equality movement, but changing long-held social structures and convincing men of the importance of equal opportunities for women will not happen overnight, experts say. Read more here.

Taliban Proves a Barrier to Girls’ Ed
While most of the Pakistani religious seminaries continue to serve as a primary recruiting and training tool for a variety of Islamic terrorist groups, the fear of the Taliban has also forced most girls in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas into joining these seminaries, says the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in its latest report. Read more here.

As Gangs Move In On Schools In Mexico, Teachers Say “Enough”
Extortion is a booming industry in Mexico, and teachers in Acapulco, who are receiving anonymous threats to either pay up or be killed, are protesting in large numbers. Read more here.

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Northern Uganda Gets New Ambassador for Girls’ Ed, NGOs Promote Girls’ Ed in Ghana

Northern Uganda Gets New Ambassador for Girls’ Ed
Daughter of the Ugandan President, Natasha Museveni Karugire, has been installed as the patron of girls’ education in Nebbi Diocese. Natasha will mentor young women in career and educational goals in provinces that have strong cultural beliefs of women being the weaker sex. She said, “It is time to come out of the shadows and do something. I am ready to support girls’ education in Nebbi and Zombo districts.” Read more on the first daughter’s efforts here.

NGOs Promote Girls Education in Bole District of Ghana
The Bole District Director of Education in Ghana, Mr Alhassan S. Moomen, has said working in partnership with NGOs has helped to improve the education of girls in the district. He credits the dispersement of school uniforms, sandals, bags, and learning materials as a great assistance to the district. Read more here.

Plea for More Government Orphanages for Girls in India
Despite there being nearly 65 private homes for orphaned children in the Coimbatore district of India, there is only one Government-run orphanage. Philanthropists and members of NGOs believe that there is an urgent need to provide homes and also education to the children of the region, especially the girls. Read more here.

Kristof’s Latest Post a Tribute to Microsaving
In his latest column, New York Times reporter Nick Kristof tells the story of Jane Ngoiri, a woman who turned her life around through microsaving. Read the column here.

Denmark Elects Its First Female PM
After all the votes were counted, Helle Thorning-Schmidt is set to become the first female Prime Minister of Denmark. She defeated the incumbent Lars Lokke Rasmussen with her platform of tax raises and increased public spending.  Thorning-Schmidt said of her victory, “We did it… today we’ve written history.” Read more here.

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