IDN-InDepthNews

Africa2016-03-102023-07-10

European Parliament Adopts a Historic Resolution on Eritrea

By Klara Smits and Florence Tornincasa

STRASBOURG (IDN) – The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on Eritrea, which sends a strong signal to the European Commission, the EU Council, member states and the Eritrean government that human rights violations in the country need to be addressed.

The resolution approved on March 10 clearly identifies that Eritrean refugees are fleeing serious human rights violations and an indefinite national service which constitutes slavery.

The resolution also addresses the systematic extortion of refugees, a concern expressed earlier in resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

Africa2016-03-102023-07-10

A 5-Million-Dollar Prize Fails to Tempt Wealthy African Leaders

NEW YORK (INPS | GIN) – Philanthropist Mo Ibrahim is finding it hard to reward a democratically elected African leader who serves his or her constitutionally mandated term (without last minute changes) and demonstrates exceptional leadership.

The five-million-dollar prize is just too small for such a commitment.

Money held by some of Africa’s richest leaders outsizes the modest reward by factors of 10 to 1000. Presidential wealth was the focus of a recent piece in the online magazine “African Spotlight” and the sums in their bank accounts were stratospheric.

To name a few of the wealthiest: Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe) $10 million, Idris Deby (Chad) $50 million, King Mswati (Swaziland) $100 million, Paul Biya (Cameroon) $200 million, Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya) $500 million, Teodoro Obiang (Equatorial Guinea) $600 million and Jose Eduardo dos Santos, (Angola) $20 billion.

Africa2016-03-102023-07-10

A Hotelier Sets Sights on Wangari Maathai’s Prized Forest

NAIROBI (INPS | GIN) – A unique urban forest, beloved by Nobel Laureate and founder of the Green Belt Movement (GBM), Wangari Maathai, is reportedly in the sights of a hotel developer.

“Wangari is dead but not resting in peace,” said Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, adding: “The proposed hotel in Karura Forest must be disturbing her spirit.”

According to Maathai’s Green Belt group, Ibis Hospitality Ltd, Nairobi-based, is hoping to build a five-star hotel on a 25-acre piece of forest. A spokesman for the group denies the group’s claim.

UN INSIDER2016-03-092023-07-10

UNIDO and CTBTO Express Support for 2030 Gender Equality Target

BERLIN | VIENNA (IDN) – The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) are determined to undertake necessary steps to make “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”, the theme of the International Women’s Day 2016, a reality.

Director General, LI Yong, said: “UNIDO recognizes that investing in the economic empowerment of women sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication and inclusive industrial development.”

He added: “Women make an enormous economic contribution, whether in businesses, as entrepreneurs, as employers or as employees, or by doing care work at home. But they also remain disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation.”

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2016-03-092023-07-12

UNIDO and CTBTO Express Support for 2030 Gender Equality Target

By Rita Joshi | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

UN INSIDER2016-03-092023-07-10

UN Vows to End Child Marriage by 2030

NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations has launched a new multi-country initiative to speed up action to end child marriage by 2030 and protect the rights of millions of the most vulnerable girls around the world.

Announcing the joint initiative on the International Women’s Day March 8, the UN Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said the Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage will involve families, communities, governments and young people.

The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage is being supported by Canada, the European Union, Italy, Netherlands, and the UK.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2016-03-082023-07-12

UN Vows to End Child Marriage by 2030

By J. Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Report

The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage is being supported by Canada, the European Union, Italy, Netherlands, and the UK.

Gender Equality2016-03-082023-07-10

OECD Countries to Improve Gender Equality in Public Leadership

PARIS (INPS | OECD) – The 34 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have strengthened their determination to work towards greater gender equality in public life – including in governments, parliaments and judiciaries – with concrete measures to improve women’s access to leadership and decision-making roles and integrate more of a gender perspective into public policies.

The OECD Recommendation on Gender Equality in Public Life, launched on International Women’s Day and in the spirit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, calls on member countries to ensure fair pay and equal opportunities for women and men at all levels of government, in parliaments, judiciaries and other public bodies, enacting pay equality laws where necessary.

Gender Equality2016-03-082023-07-10

Rome UN Agencies Vow to Achieve Gender Equality Worldwide

ROME – Leaders of international organizations based in Rome gathered on March 8 to highlight the achievements and the real prospects for achieving gender equality. The speakers all agreed accelerating the empowerment of women everywhere is fundamental to achieving a zero hunger world and reaching the world’s new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The dialogue, ‘Planet 50:50: Step It Up for Gender Equality & Zero Hunger’, was jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO).

Individual Journalists, SYNDICATION2016-03-082023-07-12

Is the Koran with ISIS and Al Qaeda?

LUND, Sweden (IDN | INPS) – Is Islam violent? ISIS in Syria and Iraq. In Pakistan, there is Lashkar-e-Taiba and the attempted murderer of the schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai. Immigrant Moroccan men roughly pushing women and fondling them in the crowd in Cologne. Murderous bombs in Paris. Ayan Hirsi Ali, a Somali female author who was raised a Muslim, writes, “Violence is inherent in Islam- it’s a destructive, nihilistic cult of death. It legitimates murder.”