06/02/2017
Female genital mutilation denies women and girls their dignity and causes needless pain and suffering, with consequences that endure for a lifetime and can even be fatal, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has said, stressing that the UN Sustainable Development Agenda promises an end to this practice by 2030.
Women from Samburu, Kenya, gather for a public discussions where they publicly say no to female genital mutilation. Photo: UNICEF/Samuel Leadismo
“On this Day of Zero Tolerance, let us build on positive momentum and commit to intensifying global action against this heinous human rights violation for the sake of all affected women and girls, their communities and our common future,” the Secretary-General on 6 February 2017 said in a message on the International Day.
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29/09/2016
By Robert J. Burrowes*
DAYLESFORD, Australia, 29 September, 2016 – As most of the world ignores or hypocritically celebrates the 147th birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on the International Day of Nonviolence on 2 October, some of us will quietly acknowledge his life by continuing to build the world that he envisioned.
Robert J. Burrowes
When asked for his message for the world, Gandhi responded with the now famous line ‘My life is my message’ reflecting his lifelong struggle against violence.
Gandhi’s life was dotted with many memorable quotes but one that is less well known is this: ‘You may never know what results come of your actions but if you do nothing there will be no results’.
Fortunately, there are many committed people who have identified the importance of taking action to end the violence in our world – whether it occurs in the home or on the street, in wars, as a result of economic exploitation or ecological destruction – and this includes the courageous people below.
These people have identified themselves as part of the worldwide network, now with participants in 96 countries, committed to ending violence in all of its forms. I would like to share their inspirational stories and invite you to join them.
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08/08/2016
ROME, 8 August 2016 (IPS) – Can African farmers feed the world?. Apparently the answer is “yes.” Bold as it may sound, this statement is based on specific facts: Africa is home to 60-65 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land and 10 per cent of renewable freshwater resources, and it has registered a 160 per cent increase in agricultural output over the past 30 years.
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate. Photo: FAO
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Posted in Africa, Climate Crisis, Market Lords, Middle East, Mother Earth, Others-USA-Europe-etc., The Peoples |
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25/03/2016
24 March 2016 – When Betty was asked to participate in a multimedia exhibition about violence against women and disability, at first she did not think her story was worthy enough.*
Transparent.
Photo: Belinda Mason, Silent Tears | Source: UN News Centre
“Because it was just depression,” the 42-year-old Australian mother of four explained. “But now I’m coming to terms that no, this is real, and people need to know that depression is a disability and it’s not just something you can get over.”
Like for many of the 21 other women in the project – which is expanding as more choose to break their silence – Silent Tears has been an integral part of Betty’s healing.
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05/03/2016
With a “triple peril” of environmental degradation, poverty and insecurity facing the Sahel, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 4 March 2016 said during a visit to Mauritania that improving the situation in the region is a top priority for the United Nations.
**The Sahel region: a belt up to 1,000 km (620 mi) wide that spans the 5,400 km (3,360 mi) in Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea | Author: Munion | Source: Natural Earth Data –> ArcMap –> Illustrator & Photoshop | Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. | Wikimedia Commons
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09/02/2016
Marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), dozens of women, girls, experts, and United Nations officials on 8 February 2016 gathered at a special event at UN Headquarters to discuss ways of eliminating the harmful practice by 2030 and to celebrate the increased mobilization against it.
Malian singer Inna Modja performs during a special event, Mobilizing to Achieve the Global Goals through the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by 2030. Having been subjected to FGM as a small girl, Ms. Modja advocates for the rights of women and girls. UN Photo/Manuel Elias
“I am proud to be among so many champions in the cause of eliminating female genital mutilation,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said during his keynote address, highlighting that the event is also “a celebration of women’s empowerment.”
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07/02/2016
Addis Ababa, 5 February 2016 (African Union)* – Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been recognized as a human rights violation, torture and an extreme form of violence against women and girls.
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Image: African Union
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It is an excruciatingly painful practice that denies girls their basic human rights.
Its impact on young girls and women is multi-faceted and touches various aspects of their lives, including their physical, psychological and social well-being, with scars lingering on for the rest of their lives.
The African Union has adopted legally binding instruments that promote the prohibition of traditional practices that are prejudicial to the health and welfare of young girls and women.
Among others, Article 21 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child obliges States Parties to eliminate harmful social and cultural practices, such as FGM, that affect the welfare, dignity, normal growth and development of the child.
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07/02/2016
UN Women* – With 6 February marking International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), UN Women unveils the story of Assétou Touré, a survivor of FGM from Mali who is working to eradicate the harmful practice in her country. Touré’s story is part of our new series “From where I stand”, which captures the unique and powerful experiences of women across the globe.
From where I stand: Assétou Touré, Mali
Assétou Touré is a 49-year-old woman from Mali and a survivor of FGM. Photo: UN Women/Coumba Bah
“I was 6-years-old when I was cut. For me, the most traumatic experience was seeing what my older sister went through. She wasn’t as lucky as me. She suffered terrible injuries and almost died. The scars will remain with us for life. Where we live, more than 80 per cent of girls go under the knife.
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07/02/2016
5 February 2016 – The most senior United Nations officials are urging the world to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2030, calling it a “violent practice” that scars girls for life, endangering their health, depriving them of their rights, and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.
Women chat together in the village of Halajay Gawra, northern Iraq, one of the villages UNICEF is working with to become “FGM-free.” © UNICEF/UN09330/Mackenzie
“Never before has it been more urgent – or more possible – to end the practice of female genital mutilation, preventing immeasurable human suffering and boosting the power of women and girls to have a positive impact on our world,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation marked annually on 6 February.
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20/01/2016
19 January 2016 (openDemocracy) – ‘Traumatised into feminism,’ Mona Eltahawy speaks of her decision to unveil and understanding that ‘Muslim women’s bodies are the medium upon which culture is engraved, be it through headscarves or cutting.’
Mona Eltahawy, the author of ‘Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution’. | Source: openDemocracy
She is fast. She is furious. She is a runaway train. But she is not off her rails.
That is what I tweeted after hearing Mona talk about her new book, Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution at an event organised by the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University.
Whether she was talking about her decision to veil and then, not to veil, her condemnation of sexual assaults on women in Egypt, or Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim racism in the wake of the San Bernadino killings she was articulate and angry with a breathtaking skill for crafting a clever soundbite.
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HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 