Adolescent pregnancy and challenges Adolescent pregnancies are a global problem occurring in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. However, adolescent pregnancies are more likely to occur in marginalized communities, commonly driven by poverty and lack of education and employment opportunities In many societies, girls are under pressure to marry and bear children early. In least...
While 2020 will be remembered most for the way COVID-19 changed our lives in nearly every way and in every part of the world, we made some strides for women’s rights and gender equality. From new laws addressing domestic violence and equality to women’s critical leadership during the global pandemic, join us to celebrate some...
UN Women and UNV launch the new Young Women Leaders Initiative to create professional opportunities for leaders of tomorrow and further enhance diversity in UN Women. We invite 10 young women from the Global South to serve as UN Youth Volunteers at UN Women Headquarters in New York starting in April. UN Women, in partnership...
African girls and women are looking to benefit from an initiative promoting gender equality as part of inclusive economic growth across the continent. The African Development Bank’s newly approved Gender Strategy for 2021-25 has the theme “Investing in Africa’s women to accelerate inclusive growth”. The strategy seeks to strengthen the bank’s commitment to the empowerment...
Access and control of farmland can be major problems for women in Ghana, especially in the northern regions, where patriarchy reigns and traditional rulers decide who gets farming plots. In Gusheigu district, Fatimata and other women were unable to farm during the 2020 season because their husbands decided to cultivate instead. Fatimata, who lives in...
What you should know about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) More than 30 different bacteria, viruses and parasites are known to be transmitted through sexual contact. Eight of these pathogens are linked to the greatest incidence of sexually transmitted disease. Of these 8 infections, 4 are currently curable: syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. The other...
The Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), human rights and anti-corruption advocacy media organization has ended this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign with a call on traditional leaders to desist from interfering with the law and shielding persons who sexually abuse young girls in society. Addressing a Summit dubbed “School Girls Summit” with...
Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) has presented some Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to 5 Women’s Rights Organisations, informal economy women groups and persons with disability. The support is to address the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on women and girls. The PPE include boxes of sanitizers and liquid soap, packs of tissues papers, face...
Mrs Patricia Ofosua Tweneboah, the Deputy General Secretary of the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) has urged women to thrive in all fields and remain a force to reckon with. She said women were agents of change and have the capabilities to work and change the fortunes of the organisations they work for. Mrs Tweneboah,...
Cultural and social factors for performing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) The reasons why female genital mutilations are performed vary from one region to another as well as over time, and include a mix of sociocultural factors within families and communities. The most commonly cited reasons are: • Where FGM is a social convention (social norm),...
