By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — U.S. counterterrorism officials are stepping up their activities in Africa, addressing the expansion of violent extremism on the continent. Two previously unlisted insurgent groups identified as foreign terrorist organizations operating in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been slapped with sanctions along […]
Tanzanian President Is Suspected Victim of Coronavirus
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Tanzania is missing a president. John Magufuli, a pandemic denier, has not been seen for three weeks according to reports by the opposition which place him in India with Covid. Speaking to the BBC, Tundu Lissu, opposition leader and Member of Parliament, cited unconfirmed sources […]
UN Keen to Achieve Gender Equality Far Ahead of 2150
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — The international community has set the goal of achieving gender equality by 2030. But UN Women, a United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, maintains that “at the current rate of progress, gender equality will not be reached among Heads of Government until […]
Afghan Women’s Voices on Peace Heard with UN Mission’s Backing
By Devinder Kumar NEW DELHI | KUNDUZ (IDN) — While the UN Security Council on March 14 “condemned in the strongest terms” the alarming number of attacks deliberately targeting civilians in Afghanistan, women activists were over several days knocking on doors in Kunduz, posing two questions to their relatives, neighbours and fellow residents of the […]
Rape Allegations Rock the Australian Parliament
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — While International Women’s Day was celebrated around the world on March 8, a debate was gathering momentum in Australia about the “toxic workplace culture” within the corridors of power in the Australian parliament in Canberra, with politicians running for cover as rape allegations against them and their staff surfaced […]
Indian Dilemma Over UNHRC Resolution on Sri Lanka
Viewpoint by Sugeeswara Senadhira COLOMBO (IDN) — New Delhi is in an unenviable situation over the UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) resolution on Sri Lanka as it would not be in India’s long-term interest to pave way for the international body to be provided with an opportunity to directly interfere in an internal affair […]
African Women See No Reason to Hail Int’l Women’s Day
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — March 8 marks the UN’s International Women’s Day — an occasion meant to be a global celebration. But with more and more women suffering each day, there is little to rejoice in Africa, say many women leaders from the continent. “International Women’s Day should celebrate […]
Women Need to Claim their Space in Leadership
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — Women have key contributions to make to leadership across all sectors, communities and societies from politics and corporations to sports and STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), diverse leadership benefits everyone, says UN Women, the global champion for gender equality. “Leaders need to represent the people they serve […]
The Future Is Better with Women in Every Decision-Making
By Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director [Also available in: ar |es | fr | ru | zh] NEW YORK (IDN) — International Women’s Day (March 8) this year comes at a difficult time for the world and for gender equality, but at a perfect moment to fight for transformative action and to salute women […]
Share of Women Parliamentarians Reaches ‘All-Time High’
By Jamshed Baruah GENEVA (IDN) — There is a long way to go to achieve gender parity. But a new report reveals that the share of women parliamentarians worldwide reached more than 25 per cent in 2020 marking a historic step. Women in Parliament report was launched on March 5 ahead of the International Women’s […]