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World: UN Women calls on countries to accelerate progress in women assuming decision- making roles

World/05-02-2021/Author: Beth Nyaga/Source: www.kbc.co.ke

New analysis from UN Women shows that despite women’s increased engagement in public life, equality remains far off. For example, women serve as Heads of State or Government in only 21 countries and 119 countries have never had a woman leader; at the current rate, parity will not be reached for another 130 years.

Additionally, just 14 countries have achieved 50 per cent or more women in Cabinets.

The data, prepared for a UN Secretary-General’s report in advance of the upcoming UN Commission on the Status of Women, demonstrates global trends, persistent barriers and opportunities for women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life.

“These data really brings home the handicap so many countries are struggling with when they don’t have a balanced decision-making process. We’ve seen all too clearly how the lack of women in the public sector leaves governments desperately ill-equipped to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” said UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka.

When more women are elected and appointed to office, policymaking is better able to meet the needs of society as a whole.

Underrepresented groups such as rural women, women with disabilities and indigenous women are also better served when they are in decision making positions.

According to Mlambo-Ngcuka, transforming the balance of power is essential for solving the urgent challenges of our age, from deepening inequalities and polarization, poverty, the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, violence against women in public life is being used as a deterrent to keep more women from gaining access to power.

Cyber violence is increasingly common and is being used to silence women in government, as well as women rights defenders and members of feminist groups.

More than 80 per cent of women parliamentarians surveyed globally experienced on-the-job psychological violence; 1 in 3 economic violence; 1 in 4 physical violence; and 1 in 5 sexual violence.

Women parliamentarians recently reported experiencing nearly twice as much exposure to ill-treatment and acts of violence compared to men, with the COVID-19 pandemic potentially exacerbating violent threats.

The analysis and the recommendations for action in the report are part of UN Women’s commitment to responding to the complex problems of gender equality.

 

This also includes the Generation Equality Forum that aims to accelerate gender equality actions and enable the participation of all groups of women, especially young women.

The Generation Equality Forum is hosted by UN Women, along with the governments of Mexico and France, and in partnership with civil society.

Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/un-women-calls-on-countries-to-accelerate-progress-in-women-assuming-decision-making-roles/

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Sexual violence blamed for new HIV infections, unwanted pregnancies

Africa/Kenya/26-07-2020/Author: Christine Muchira/Judith Akolo/Source: www.kbc.co.ke

New HIV infections and unwanted pregnancies are some of the issues that have emerged as a result of violence witnessed across the country.

Speaking during the daily COVID-19 press briefings, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Mercy Mwangangi noted that over 5000 recoveries have been recorded that resulted from Gender Based Violence meted out on victims during the pandemic period.

The Country has witnessed a 7% increase in the number of all forms of violence incidents, from March to June compared to a similar period last year.

CAS Mwangangi said, “Close to 5,000 rape survivors have received medical treatment in health facilities during this period of the Pandemic. Children below 18 years bear the greatest burden, as they comprise 70% of these survivors with 5% of these survivors being male.”

The CAS said that the inception of the measure that included the dawn to dusk curfew as well as partial lockdown of some counties could have resulted into the violence and had an impact on the mental health of the victims.

“We have noted with concern that some counties, particularly Wajir, Turkana, Kisii, Nandir Lamur Homabay and Kisumu, have recorded a 30% increase in cases of violence, since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Dr Mwangangi.

She noted that during the confinement measures put in place by the government, many cases of rape, have been recorded that resulted into transmission of HIV and resulted into pregnancies leaving a trail of suffering among the vulnerable members of the society especially women and children.

The CAS appealed to those affected by gender based violence were not seeking treatment at medical facilities due to unfounded fears that they could be infected with COVID-19.

She said that the Ministry of Health is establishing a toll free line to enable those affected to be able to report any form of violence or abuse and ensure that vulnerable members of the community are protected.

“The National Prevention and Response Plan on Violence Against Children 2019-2023, launched last week by the State Department of Social Protection, is quite timely.” Said Mwangangi.

Adding that: “The document addresses issues related to violence against children, including strengthening the toll free reporting line 116. Psycho-social support and counselling is available using the toll free number 1190.”

Dr. Mwangangi urged the communities to re-establish their social networks including religious institutions to intervene to be able to prevent the escalation of gender based violence.

This comes even as the country records 796 new COVID -19 infections in the last 24 hours bringing the total number of cases to 15,601.

Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/sexual-violence-hiv-pregnancies/#

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New Zealand: Sexual violence, racism and exploitation, the sad state of student housing

Oceania/ New Zealand/ 07.07.2020/ Source: www.stuff.co.nz.

Sexual violence, racism and exploitation are all prevalent in the halls of residence at Victoria University, according to the university’s student association.

Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) has released its submission to the inquiry into student accommodation with students detailing horror stories they have faced while living in halls of residence.

It is part of a national discussion on New Zealand’s under-regulated student accommodation sector.

One student living at Stafford House in 2019, said their bond was withheld because a flatmate left soap and a few food packets in the flat.

The students had a flat inspection before leaving, but one person was allowed to stay on an extra week, and left the items behind.

“As a result of this, the staff decided this meant our rooms were not spotless and thus they refused to give my sister and I our bonds back.”.

They emailed Stafford House in February this year but it was not until June they were told they would receive their bonds back, and as of June 29 were still waiting for their money.

Stafford House is managed by accommodation provider UniLodge, on behalf of more than 80 apartment owners.

Another student told of being sexually assaulted while living in a hall of residence.

“Myself and other girls were sexually assaulted in the hall and … after over three months of going through Vic Uni complaint process, I lost.

“He moved out on his own accord, but he has faced no repercussions.”

VUWSA’s submission claimed there was a lack of clarity for students when disclosing experiences of sexual violence, and limited support for victims, which fell to friends or residential assistants (RAs), who were typically older students.

One RA recalled having to deal with the brunt of sexual assault complaints along with two female colleagues, as the senior management team were all men.

The submission also claims staff in student accommodation struggled to handle issues of racism and other forms of discrimination.

Victoria University vice-chancellor Grant Guilford speaks at the May 5 Epidemic Response Committee meeting.

One student recalled being told to apologise when calling out other students for making fun of their culture.

VUWSA was calling for legislation to mandate a standard of care in student accommodation.

However, a University spokeswoman said there were inaccuracies and misinformation in VUWSA’s submission which was «very disappointing”.

The inaccuracies included things such as how the university educated students about consent, bystander intervention and their options when disclosing sexual harmful behaviour, she said.

The university provided “extensive” training to hall staff and RAs on these problems, and how to recognise and respond to students in distress.

The spokeswoman also said there were inaccuracies over the communication of information to students in halls of residence, the level of pastoral care given to those students, the role of RAs and the support provided to them and the University’s response to requests for information from VUWSA and its response to Covid-19.

“Universities New Zealand has contributed a submission to the inquiry into student accommodation, on behalf of all New Zealand universities.”

What is the student accommodation inquiry

The inquiry into student accommodation was called after the Covid-19 lockdown exposed the sector as being under-regulated and unfit for purpose.

It follows Interim Pastoral Care Code for domestic students, which Parliament passed in 2019 after the death of University of Canterbury student Mason Pendrous.

The Residential Tenancies Act does not apply to student accommodation, meaning students have fewer consumer protections than other renters.

The inquiry is being heard by the Education and Workforce Select Committee.

Source of the news: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/122048279/sexual-violence-racism-and-exploitation-the-sad-state-of-student-housing-in-new-zealand

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Kenya: Over 100 vulnerable children are sexually abused annually

Africa/Kenya/08-03-2020/Author: KNA/Source: www.kbc.co.ke

At least 150 children living with disability are sexually abused in Trans Nzoia County every year, according to research carried out by a local NGO, Human Inclusion International organization.

The report says children with mental impairment are worst affected.

Human Inclusion International project officer Janet Nyangweso sexual violence is three times more among vulnerable children.

She notes that Tuwan slums in Trans Nzoia West, Endebess sub-county and Trans Nzoia East sub-county lead in defilement cases.

Under the Ubuntu care programme the organization she says offers protection for vulnerable children but notes the challenge in apprehending and prosecution of offenders.

She called for cooperation between local administrators including chiefs, the police and the judiciary in delivering justice for the innocent children.

Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/100-vulnerable-children-sexually-abused/

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African Union Shouldn’t Tolerate Banning Pregnant Girls from School

Africa/14.08.18/Source: www.hrw.org.

In June, Burundi joined a small group of African countries that ban pregnant girls from continuing with formal education in government schools. Burundi’s Education Ministry  banned the boys who get the girls pregnant as well as the girls themselves from going to public or private school.Burundi’s ban is contrary to the country’s constitution and many domestic laws, and undermines the state’s education goals. Indeed, Burundi’s law against gender discrimination protects girls’ right to go back to school and clarifies school officials’ obligation to respect this right and protect teenage mothers from stigma and social exclusion. Burundi also has an international legal obligation to provide all children with an education, without discrimination.

Human Rights Watch recently reported that thousands of pregnant girls and teenage mothers across Africa are excluded from school. Burundi was then still among 26 African countries with supportive laws or policies protecting girls’ right to education regardless of pregnancy, or their marital status or motherhood.

So, this new policy is a backward step, joining Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Togo in applying a punitive and discriminatory school policy against pregnant girls and teenage mothers. These policies effectively deny these girls an education.

In these countries, officials and lawmakers have insisted on punitive measures for girls they accuse of being “moral failures.” Yet Burundi’s government also points out that these girls are “victims” of pregnancy or child marriage. The government is right in that respect so it would seem that these girls need support, not punishment. Although statistics are hard to come by, child rights activists say many girls in Burundi have unwanted and forced pregnancies, often as a result of sexual violence.

Despite this harmful move by the Burundian government, there is broad support among African countries for keeping pregnant girls and teenage mothers in school. Some governments facing high pregnancy rates among students have adopted very pragmatic policies to support the girls’ education, while tackling the root causes of teenage pregnancies.

Countries such as Gabon, Kenya, and Malawi have school “continuation” or “re-entry” policies. “Re-entry” policies require pregnant girls and young mothers to drop out of school but provide avenues to return, provided that the girls fulfill certain conditions. On the other hand, “continuation” policies allow pregnant girls to remain in school for as long they choose to, and do not prescribe a mandatory absence after giving birth.

But even in these countries, many teenage mothers are not in school because of poor implementation of laws and policies, and weak monitoring of adolescent mothers’ re-entry to education. Our research found that teen mothers may stay out of school due to lack of awareness among girls, teachers, school officials and their communities that girls can and should go back to school. Girls are most often deeply affected by financial barriers, the lack of support from their families or communities, and stigma in communities and schools alike. Punitive and harmful aspects of some re-entry policies – such as long periods of maternity leave and complex re-entry requirements like medical certification, as in Senegal, or letters to various education officials requesting school placement, as in Malawi – can deter adolescent mothers from returning to school or catching up with learning.

Across the African continent, girls face unique challenges in educational attainment due to structural and systematic gender inequalities. The African Union through its Agenda 2063 – a continent-wide economic and social development strategy – has committed to build Africa’s “human capital,” which it terms “its most precious resource,” through sustained investments in education, including “elimination of gender disparities at all levels of education.”

Isolating female students from school just because they are pregnant or married denies them the opportunity to learn and acquire gainful skills to develop their families, countries, and the continent. As one of the poorest countries in the world, Burundi should be enabling its girls, not preventing them from achieving.

The African Union, as well as countries in the region, should urge Burundi to reverse this ban. The African Union should call on Burundi and all AU member countries to end pregnancy-based discrimination in schools and adopt policies to ensure that all pregnant teens and young mothers are supported to stay in school.

Pregnancy and child bearing are significant life-changing events for young girls. Many pregnant teens are stigmatized or rejected, with little to no support from the family or school. They are condemned by government officials, face economic hardship, and sometimes abuse and violence.

Banning them from schools only adds to their unnecessary suffering and should not be tolerated.

Source of the notice: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/07/19/african-union-shouldnt-tolerate-banning-pregnant-girls-school
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Teaching boys in Kenya how to intervene to stop sexual violence

Kenya/09.04.2018 / From: www.bbc.com.

Isaac, a 15-year-old boy, watched as a group of men grabbed a young girl. It was a bustling new year’s eve in Kibera, Kenya’s largest slum, and he knew she was in trouble.

He also knew he didn’t have the strength to fight off those older, larger men. Having been taught to intervene if he sees predatory behaviour, Isaac called over another man to help confront the group.

«Everyone started arguing,» explains Isaac. «The group said the girl was their ‘catch’ and they had to rape her.»

After 20 minutes, they decided to let her go.

«The stories you hear are shocking,» says Anthony Njangiru, a field co-ordinator for the Kenyan non-profit Ujamaa, which trains boys like Isaac to help stop violence against women and girls in the slums of the capital, Nairobi.

«Not everyone is so lucky,» he says.

Changing attitudes

Mr Njangiru teaches a programme called Your Moment of Truth to boys, aged 14 to 18, in secondary school.

He is one of many instructors, and the classes cover everything from sex education, to challenging rape myths, consent, and how to intervene if the boys witness an assault taking place.

Training for girls in how to resist a sexual assaultImage copyrightALEX MCBRIDE
Image captionTraining for girls in how to resist a sexual assault

For younger boys, aged 10 to 13, a programme called Sources of Strength focuses primarily on body changes.

The course takes place over weekly two-hour lessons, for six weeks, and each class is divided into two, with girls taught their own set of skills.

Since the organisation first began, Ujamaa has taught 250,000 children in over 300 schools across Nairobi.

When it comes to the boys, it’s ultimately about changing their perceptions and attitudes towards girls.

«If we, as boys and men, are part of the problem, then we can be part of the solution,» says Mr Njangiru. «We can be the first people to change.»

Confident ‘no’

The programme has been working to stop boys thinking that if a girl said «no» to sex what she actually meant was «yes». Or that it was justifiable to rape a girl if she wore a short skirt.

«They tend to use the girl’s weakness to their own advantage,» says Mr Njangiru. «If she says no, but she doesn’t confidently say no, for them it’s a ‘go zone’ – they just do whatever they want.»

The results are impressive, according to research from Stanford University in the US.

Following the Your Moment of Truth classes, the percentage of boys who intervened when they witnessed a physical and sexual assault rose from 26% to 74%.

Boys were also found to be less likely to endorse myths about sexual assault and the incidence of rape by boyfriends and friends had fallen.

Among female participants in the project, there was a remarkable 51% decrease in the reported incidence of rape.

Violence against women

Sexual harassment has become a worldwide issue and these programmes in Kenya, teaching young people how to recognise and prevent sexual violence, seem to be working.

Violence against women is a huge problem in Kenya.

This worsens once you enter Nairobi’s slums, where research has suggested that almost a quarter of girls will have been victims of sexual assault in the previous year.

From: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-43466365

Image copyrightALEX MCBRIDE. Image captionThe boys are taught about respect, consent and «the journey to manhood».

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