WINKER

Features print email to a friend Saturday 27 November 2010 Zambia: Gender-Based Violence Continues Unabated Women continue to suffer in silence as they face physical and sexual violence. By Lilian Museka LUSAKA---Tina* is an editor at one of the leading radio stations in Zambia. She reports to work very early in the morning and leaves very late. She has been leaving in harmony with her husband and children for the last 10 years. However, last month, things changed. Her husband started questioning her coming late to the house, despite him being aware of the job she does. “You will have to choose between your marriage or your job,” Tina narrated how the husband had demanded that she stops working. The man beat and threw her out of the house asking her to go spend the night at “work”. “It is not the first time he’s beating me. I have had to seek for medical attention. In fact right now I’m staying at my parents’ place and at my age with big children, it’s against out customs,” she said a...

Features print email to a friend Thursday 25 November 2010 Developed Nations Failing to Keep Climate Summit promises Financial Promises made last year at Copenhagen have yet to reach beneficiaries in developing countries. By Lilian Museka Developed nations are failing to keep the promise they made last year to provide adequate finance to help the world’s poorest countries adapt to the impacts of climate change. Research published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) shows in the last December’s climate summit in Copenhagen, the developed countries committed to provide developing nations with US$30 billion between 2010 and 2012, with the money balanced between funding for mitigation and adaptation projects but has not been fulfilled. “Our research shows that the developed countries have failed to meet their responsibility to help poorer nations,” Says Achala Chandani of IIED. The research published includes a five-point plan to enable developed nat...

Tina* is an editor at one of the leading radio station in Zambia. She reports to work very early in the morning and leaves very late. She has been leaving in harmony with her husband and children for the last 10 years. However, last month, things changed. Her husband started questioning her coming late to the house, despite him being aware of the job he does. “You will have to choose between your marriage or your job,” Tina narrated how the husband had demanded that she stops working. The man beat and threw her out of the house asking her to go spend the night at “work”. “It is not the first time he’s beating me. I have had to seek for medical attention. In fact right now am staying at my parents’ place and at my age with big children, its against out customs,” she said amid sobs. She was however adamant that she would not stop working. “I have been doing this job for the last 8 years and for someone to beat me up and demand that I stop working is unrealistic, I am however not sure ho...

category: Health, Rights and Society, Zambia Study roots for enhancing proper use of ground Water 0 Nov18 Research published this month by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) shows that hundreds of millions of urban people in such countries already depend on this hidden resource. “Water taken directly from wells rather than being piped to users from surface-water supplies such as rivers and reservoirs is rarely taken into account, and it is therefore being used invisibly. This might mean that it is being used unsustainably but it might also mean that groundwater has even greater potential to supply poor communities than is currently thought,” the research says. The study titled Groundwater, self supply and poor urban dwellers: A review with case studies of Bangalore and Lusaka, is based on a paper presented from a review of literature sub-substantiated by two case studies of Bangalore, India, and Lusaka, Zambia, carried out by Dr. Jenny Grönwall, a freela...

Features Wednesday 17 November 2010 Study Roots For Enhancing Proper Use of Ground Water A key water resource that will grow in importance as climate change takes hold is currently going largely unmeasured — with big implications for poor communities in developing nations. By Lilian Museka Research published this month by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) shows that hundreds of millions of urban people in such countries already depend on this hidden resource. “Water taken directly from wells rather than being piped to users from surface-water supplies such as rivers and reservoirs is rarely taken into account, and it is therefore being used invisibly. This might mean that it is being used unsustainably but it might also mean that groundwater has even greater potential to supply poor communities than is currently thought,” the research says. The study titled Groundwater, self supply and poor urban dwellers: A review with case studies of Bangalore and L...

Features * print * email to a friend Thursday 18 November 2010 Zambia: Boys Fight Sexual Violence Against Girls A group of boys drawn from both primary and high schools is fighting against sexual abuse of young girls in homes. By Lilian Museka LUSAKA---Jane* , 15, is a house help in this particular house. The man of the house returns from work and finds out from her whether his wife and children. “No, am just alone,” she says. The man then sends her for sweets at the nearby ntemba (Shop). When she comes back, the man asks her to go into the bedroom. She declines and starts crying but the man forces his way, defiles and warns her not to tell anyone, failure to which he would send her back to the village with no living provisions. Jane later reports the matter to the police and the man is arrested. He tries to bribe the police with no success and he is taken to court and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour. This is an artistic demonstration that was performed by...

Jane* 15 is a house help in this particular house. The man of the house finds out from her whether his wife and children, “No, am just alone,” she says. The man then sends her for sweets at the nearby ntemba (Shop). When she comes back, the man asks her to go into the bedroom. She declines and stars tarts crying but the man forces his way, defiles and warns her not to tell anyone, failure to which he would send her back to the village with no living provisions. Jane later reports the matter to the police and the man is arrested. He tries to bribe the police with no success and he is taken to court and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour. This is an artistic demonstration that was performed by a group of boys during a workshop organized for a group of school boys by the name The Boys Network which falls under Zambia National Women’s Lobby in Lusaka’s outcasts. The play depicts the struggles a young girl goes through at the expense of working at home with an abusive man...

A key water resource that will grow in importance as climate change takes hold is currently going largely unmeasured — with big implications for poor communities in developing nations. Research published this month by The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) shows that hundreds of millions of urban people in such countries already depend on this hidden resource. “Water taken directly from wells rather than being piped to users from surface-water supplies such as rivers and reservoirs is rarely taken into account, and it is therefore being used invisibly. This might mean that it is being used unsustainably but it might also mean that groundwater has even greater potential to supply poor communities than is currently thought,” the research says. The study titled ‘Groundwater, self supply and poor urban dwellers, A review with case studies of Bangalore and Lusaka, is based on a paper presented from a review of literature sub-substantiated by two case studies o...

Zambia: child sexual abuse on the rise 0 Nov 12 LUSAKA - Teachers have been accused of luring young school girls into sexual escapades under the guise of offering them home tuition. In 2006, a girl aged 13 was sexually abused by her teacher at a known school in Lusaka, Zambia. The minor and her guardian sued the teacher, along with the school and the Ministry of Education in Zambia. On June 30th, 2008, the presiding Judge, Philip Musonda delivered a judgment in the High Court of Zambia in which the victim was awarded K45 million (about $13 000) as compensation. In his ruling Judge Musonda, said it was the responsibility of the government to care for all school going children through its agents (teachers and school authorities), when schools are in session. The case was hailed both locally and internationally as one of the landmark judgment ruling by the judge who held the government liable for violating the child’s rights and was asked to pay for the damages. The story generated a lot ...

http://www.newsfromafrica.org/newsfromafrica/articles/art_12098.html Teachers have been accused of luring young school girls into sexual escapades under the guise of offering them home tuition. By Lilian Museka In 2006, a girl aged 13 was sexually abused by her teacher at a known school in Lusaka, Zambia. The minor and her guardian sued the teacher, along with the school and the Ministry of Education in Zambia. On June 30th, 2008, the presiding Judge, Philip Musonda delivered a judgment in the High Court of Zambia in which the victim was awarded K45 million (about $13 000) as compensation. In his ruling Judge Musonda, said it was the responsibility of the government to care for all school going children through its agents (teachers and school authorities), when schools are in session. The case was hailed both locally and internationally as one of the landmark judgment ruling by the judge who held the government liable for violating the child’s rights and was asked to pay for the damage...

In 2006, a girl aged 13 was sexually abused by her teacher at a known school in Lusaka, Zambia. The minor and her guardian sued the teacher, along with the school and the Ministry of Education in Zambia. On June 30th, 2008, the presiding Judge, Philip Musonda delivered a judgment in the High Court of Zambia in which the victim was awarded K45 million Kwacha (about $13 000) as compensation. In his ruling Judge Musonda, said it was the responsibility of the government to care for all school going children through its agents (teachers and school authorities), when schools are in session. The case was hailed both locally and internationally as one of the landmark judgment ruling by the judge who held the government liable for violating the child’s rights and was asked to pay for the damages. The story generated a lot of interests from different international human rights organizations who followed with keen interest in a bid to document violence and discrimination against women. This was g...

http://www.newsfromafrica.org/newsfromafrica/articles/art_12095.html The use of telemedicine is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the advent of mobile technology Simple mobile technology like basic cell phones can be used to save the lives of mothers in childbirth and improve the care of new born and children, reaching underserved populations in remote areas. Mr. David Aylward, who heads mHealth Alliance, a partnership founded by the United Nations Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation says the mobiles can be used to check on patients, keep records, improving diagnosis and treatment in the field, letting community health workers consult general practitioners and specialists for guidance. “Used by midwives in rural, urban slums and isolated areas, cell phones can also be attached to diagnostic devices, including those used for remote fetal monitoring or remote wireless ultrasound. This lets a midwife or health worker know in advance that a mother must...

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) has resolved to mobilize budgetary allocations from African governments to finance the implementation of the recently adopted African Union Declaration on Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa. The resolution, which looks to ensure policy and budget support for maternal, newborn and child health in countries was presented during a session dedicated to Maternal Newborn and Child Health during the Pan African Parliament (PAP) held in South Africa mid this month. Congratulating the PAP for the resolution, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs, Honourable Beince Gawanas said, “The zeal and commitment of parliamentarians on this continent reflects that of all African policy makers. We have heard our heads of states commit strongly to Maternal and Child Health in July 2010, and with the work of PAP we can truly say that African Parliamentarians care that no woman should die giving birth.” PAP President Hon. Idriss Ndele Moussa p...

Simple mobile technology like basic cell phones can be used to save the lives of mothers in childbirth and improve the care of new born and children, reaching underserved populations in remote areas. Mr. David Aylward, who heads mHealth Alliance, a partnership founded by the United Nations Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation says the mobiles can be used to check on patients, keep records, improving diagnosis and treatment in the field, letting community health workers consult general practitioners and specialists for guidance. “Used by midwives in rural, urban slums and isolated areas, cell phones can also be attached to diagnostic devices, including those used for remote fetal monitoring or remote wireless ultrasound. This lets a midwife or health worker know in advance that a mother must get to a clinic. They can also be used for recording births and deaths or assuring that both women and children get the care they need when and where they need it”, he ...