CSIS calls on the United States to improve support to Women Peace Builders and Peacekeepers during the COVID 19 Pandemic
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies(CSIS) released a report exploring the role of women peace builders in various countries. The research explored the role of women peacebuilders and peacekeepers in educating local communities on how to respond and recover from the COVID 19 Pandemic. With case studies from Ethiopia and Tanzania, the report demonstrated that women Peace Builders are beneficial to communities as they are often able to reach all parts of the communities. The report also provided recommendations including advocating for an increase in funding for women leadership in WPS within traditional structures.
Further Details Available Here:https://www.csis.org/analysis/elevating-women-peacebuilders-amidst-covid-19
Central African Republic seeks to provide Justice for Rural Women in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic
To address the increasing incidences of rape in the Central African Republic(CAR), the Minister for Women recently announced efforts to provide magistrates to rural areas to help provide justice to victims of sexual abuse in the country. There was a 70% increase in reported injuries to women and children as well as a 27% increase in reported rape cases since the early incidences of the COVID-19 infections in April. Though the government has tried to support women who have been victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence through medical and psychosocial support, justice for these women have not been actualised as the legal system has not been able to fully function due to the conflict. The government is now setting up special criminal court to provide justice to victims despite the challenges.
Further Details Available Here:https://news.trust.org/item/20200910140137-acnjh/
New Analysis Recommends increasing advocacy for political will in light of Beijing +25
A new analysis by MS Magazine explored the impact of the Beijing Conference 25 years later. The analysis reported that there have been considerable gains since the Beijing platform. The analysis noted an increase in legal status for women, increase in political participations as well as improvement in education opportunities and healthcare. However, the analysis recognises that there still remains challenges related to legal, cultural and structural barriers hampering opportunities for empowerment for women. The report concludes that more than anything; change is only possible with positive political will. Advocacy efforts should therefore seek to improve political will to challenge these barriers.
Further Details Available Here
Report Exposes High Rates of Sexual Harassment in Media
A new report from City, University of London explored the rates of sexual harassment in media workplaces in South Africa and Nigeria. The report found that about 58% of women in South Africa and 38% of Women in Nigeria reported experiencing sexual harassment in newsrooms. The report also showed that 90% of women victim endured offensive sexual advances in the media industry without reporting it out of fear of retaliation attacks. This report stated that these cases of abuse come from senior management and among other things, affects the careers and mental health of women
Further Details Available Here:https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/female-journos-in-sa-and-nigerian-suffer-sexual-harassment-in-newsrooms-but-dont-report-it-says-new-study–50185b28-02d9-4438-a7b5-262188026b93
Nigeria begins airlifting aid to IDPs Northeast past of the country
The Insurgency in Northeast Nigeria has left 35000 people dead and 2 million people internally displaced from 2009 till date. The United Nations has estimated that about 7 million people need some form of aid. Aid workers have often not been able to reach the most vulnerable in these areas as some of the areas are not accessible by road and due to constraints from COVID-19. The Nigerian Government is exploring airlifting humanitarian support to the least accessible areas in the Northeast of the country to ease the hurdles experienced while delivery aid.
Further Details Available Here: Nigeria to deliver aid by air in conflict-hit northeast
