Johannesburg, Africa is generally not a safe place to have a same-sex relationship, you can be shunned by society,. beaten up, thrown in jail, or worse. In Malawi you can get 14 years in prison with hard labor. In a bold move, Malawi's Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) and South Africa's Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) have collected the stories of 12 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) women and men and published them in a book, Queer Malawi. Two of the 12 writers recall that their first sexual experience was with a family member.
Fear is a theme that runs through the stories in Queer Malawi - fear of not being accepted by family and community, of violence and arrest. Human rights activists noted that the trial heightened anxiety in Malawai's underground LGBT community and compromised HIV prevention efforts among men who have sex with men (MSM). Many African countries, including Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi, have banned same sex relationships, with the legislation sometimes being interpreted so as to leave individuals without adequate protection by the law and open to beatings and arrests. In the case of lesbians, such legislation has sometimes led to "corrective rape", in which men rape lesbians in the violently mistaken belief that this will "turn them strainght:.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201105111062.html
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Mozambique: Renamo Walks Out of Parliament
Paliamentary deputies of Mozambique's main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, boycotted the country's parliament, rather than listen to a report from the ad-hoc-committee set up to consider amendments to the constitution. The commission was set up last year, but Renamo refused to appoint the three members to which it is entitled. Currently, the commission consists of 16 deputies from the majority Frelimo Party, and one from the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM).
Renamo protested enough that Frelimo has not indicated which parts of the constitution it wishes to amend. It also complained at the budget for the commission of 2 million meicais, saying it could be better spent on other tasks. Thus when the commission chairperson, Eduardo Mulembue, began delivering his report Renamo deputies present walked out of the chamber, thus ensuring that onlyu Frelimo and the MDM would take part in the brief debate.
Last year fears were expressed that Frelimo wanted to amend the current constitutional restriction on presidential terms of office. The constitution states that no citizen may hold more than two consecutive terms as President of the Republic. Frelimo has insisted that it is not attempting to secure a third term for the current President, Armando Guebuza, and Guebuza himself has repeatedly stated that he is not interested in a third term. Frelimo has also said that it merely wishes to improve the constitution along its current lines, and does not intend to make radical changes.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201105170906.html
Renamo protested enough that Frelimo has not indicated which parts of the constitution it wishes to amend. It also complained at the budget for the commission of 2 million meicais, saying it could be better spent on other tasks. Thus when the commission chairperson, Eduardo Mulembue, began delivering his report Renamo deputies present walked out of the chamber, thus ensuring that onlyu Frelimo and the MDM would take part in the brief debate.
Last year fears were expressed that Frelimo wanted to amend the current constitutional restriction on presidential terms of office. The constitution states that no citizen may hold more than two consecutive terms as President of the Republic. Frelimo has insisted that it is not attempting to secure a third term for the current President, Armando Guebuza, and Guebuza himself has repeatedly stated that he is not interested in a third term. Frelimo has also said that it merely wishes to improve the constitution along its current lines, and does not intend to make radical changes.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201105170906.html
Zimbabwe: Ian Mutonhori Speaks Out On Father's Murder
The 17-year old son of Strover Mutonhori has spoken exclusively to SW Radio Africa about the 1999 murder of his father - a high profile case in which co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi was implicated.
Mutonhori (senior), an emploee of the Lutheran World Federation, disappeared from the Omadu Hotel in Kezi and his remains were later found in Mzingwane outside Bulawayo. Allegations at the time were that he had had an affair with Mohadi's wife Tambudzani and the then Deputy Minister of locan Government ordered a hit on him.
Ian says that since the murder of his father the family has been struggling to make ends meet. Mutonhori left behind a wife and three children, ian is 17 and two girls now aged 20 and 26. An added challenge to finding work is that they keep having to move houses, because Mohadi allegedly keeps track of where they are staying and they are afraid of being in one place for too long.
Although police have in the past interviewed Mohadi in connection with Mutonhori's murder, he was later promoted to Home Affairs Minister in 2002. Ian said, "ever since Mohadi was made Home Affairs Minister, nothing has moved," in terms of the investigatino and a possible prosecution.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201105190097.html
Mutonhori (senior), an emploee of the Lutheran World Federation, disappeared from the Omadu Hotel in Kezi and his remains were later found in Mzingwane outside Bulawayo. Allegations at the time were that he had had an affair with Mohadi's wife Tambudzani and the then Deputy Minister of locan Government ordered a hit on him.
Ian says that since the murder of his father the family has been struggling to make ends meet. Mutonhori left behind a wife and three children, ian is 17 and two girls now aged 20 and 26. An added challenge to finding work is that they keep having to move houses, because Mohadi allegedly keeps track of where they are staying and they are afraid of being in one place for too long.
Although police have in the past interviewed Mohadi in connection with Mutonhori's murder, he was later promoted to Home Affairs Minister in 2002. Ian said, "ever since Mohadi was made Home Affairs Minister, nothing has moved," in terms of the investigatino and a possible prosecution.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201105190097.html
Southern Africa: SADC "Sabotaged" Tribunal
The southern African Development Community (SADC) has been described as "sabotage:. The summit that ended on Friday decided that a process aimedat the relevant SADC legal instruments pertaining to the Tribunal be considered in August. In the meantime, members of the Tribunal whose term of office expired in August 2010 should not be reappointed, and that there will be no freplacement of those whose term of office will expire on October 31, 2011. The summit further place a moratorium on receiving any new cases or hearings of any cases by the Tribunal until the SADC Protocol on the Tribunal has been received and approved.
The director of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), Nicole Fritz, says "by sabataging the Tribunal, SADC leaders have shown exactly where their loyalities lie. Protecting theuir friend, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, from the consequence his regime's illegal activities rather than defending the rights of the SADC's 200 million citizens. SALC said the suspension of the Tribunal for a further 12 months could spell a fatal blow to the rule of law within the region.
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/201105231144.html
The director of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), Nicole Fritz, says "by sabataging the Tribunal, SADC leaders have shown exactly where their loyalities lie. Protecting theuir friend, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, from the consequence his regime's illegal activities rather than defending the rights of the SADC's 200 million citizens. SALC said the suspension of the Tribunal for a further 12 months could spell a fatal blow to the rule of law within the region.
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/201105231144.html
Monday, May 23, 2011
Liberia: CDC Intellectuals Wants Weah Quit 2011 Election
A group of Congress for Democratic Change CDC partisans under the banner of CDC Free, Conscious, Independent and Objective Thinkers are calling on their party’s political leader and 2005 election standard bearer, Amb. George M. Weah to consider his decision of contest the 2011 election.
A release quoting the CDC Intellectual group as saying that their calls for the CDC Standard bearer to allow go the forth coming national election is based on the inactiveness of the members across the country.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetA" );
CDC –FCIOT release under the signature of its chairman, Morris A.S. Swen, Jr. said CDC only existed on papers and in some communities in Monrovia and not rural Liberia as being widely believed among the party leadership.
The group further said in the release that it welcomed recent comment by Amb. Weah that there will be no free ride by partisans to contest any legislative seat on the expense of the party terming it to be in the right direction of the party and the country.
The CDC- FCIOT also maintained that with the high level of development being carry out in the country by Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, it was not possible for the CDC to win the forth coming elections in Liberia. Meanwhile the group has express appreciation for the far sightedness of House Deputy Speaker and CDC Stewart, Hon Tokpa Mulbah to have recognized the development al initiatives being implemented and achieved by the Liberian government through President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
A release quoting the CDC Intellectual group as saying that their calls for the CDC Standard bearer to allow go the forth coming national election is based on the inactiveness of the members across the country.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetA" );
CDC –FCIOT release under the signature of its chairman, Morris A.S. Swen, Jr. said CDC only existed on papers and in some communities in Monrovia and not rural Liberia as being widely believed among the party leadership.
The group further said in the release that it welcomed recent comment by Amb. Weah that there will be no free ride by partisans to contest any legislative seat on the expense of the party terming it to be in the right direction of the party and the country.
The CDC- FCIOT also maintained that with the high level of development being carry out in the country by Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, it was not possible for the CDC to win the forth coming elections in Liberia. Meanwhile the group has express appreciation for the far sightedness of House Deputy Speaker and CDC Stewart, Hon Tokpa Mulbah to have recognized the development al initiatives being implemented and achieved by the Liberian government through President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
US Drug Case Linked Sirleaf Gets 2 Convictions
NEW YORK — A drug investigation initiated by the son of Liberia’s president after a drug organization tried to corrupt the country’s officials resulted in two convictions and two acquittals Thursday after a monthlong trial.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201105030410.html
Robert B. Zoellick the President of the World Bank Group and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the President of Liberia, who is also the incoming Chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), which comprises African Heads of State and Government working to end malaria-related deaths in Africa, in a joint statement outline the state of play in the ongoing battle against the scourge of malaria...
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetA" );
We have encouraging news out of Africa this week of World Malaria Day, as we take stock of the illnesses and deaths caused by this longtime scourge.
Eleven countries in Africa had slashed the number of confirmed malaria cases, malaria-related hospital admissions or deaths by more than 50 percent by end 2009. When 2010 data becomes available we expect it to show that even more countries have shown similar progress. In a region that has borne a heavy malarial burden of death and debilitating illness, part of the good news stems from the fact that approximately three-quarters of the people at risk of contracting malaria were using insecticide-treated mosquito nets by the end of 2010. With a decisive push, the goal of protecting Africa's population with bed-nets and effectively preventing the fevers and crushing headaches that are the dreaded symptoms of malaria appears within Africa's reach.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetB" );
Even as we mark what may be a turning point, we know that malaria is an ancient foe we can never underestimate. Although global deaths from malaria have fallen from nearly a million a year in 2000, the disease continues to exact a great toll, killing 781,000 people across the world in 2009. More than 90 percent of these deaths occurred in Africa, where the disease accounted for about one in six child deaths.
The collective success is substantial, but is also fragile and must be sustained. The consequences of losing the focus on malaria would be deadly.
Mosquito bed-nets last about three years and a failure to replace the over 300 million nets blanketing Africa over the coming three years could lead to resurgent malaria illness and deaths. Just this past year, Zambia faced a resurgence of malaria in a few provinces when mosquito nets were not replaced in time. Deaths and illness increased within months. Rapid action to address this increase has since been taken by the Zambian government, together with the World Bank, UN Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Stanbic Bank, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), and the UN Special Envoy's Office.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetC" );
While funding is important, it is really the partnerships that have been built with citizens, governments, and healthcare providers as well as the increasing reliance on and use of science, technology and the body of global knowledge on what works that can accelerate progress in this area.
For instance, beyond the wide distribution of mosquito nets, ending malaria deaths will require making sure that effective diagnosis and timely treatment become available to every patient. Health authorities need to keep better track of where malaria still exists and which drugs produce the best health outcomes.
We want funding to be effective, not simply throwing money at the problem.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetD" );
In the wake of the financial crisis, we face difficult choices with limited resources. In Liberia, the priority is to end deaths from malaria above many other pressing needs, for both health and economic reasons. As a result, Liberia is on track to protect its entire population by year's end. Liberia is not alone. Thirty-nine African countries have united against the disease under ALMA, chaired by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. We have determined that the only way we can overcome the disease is through working together. No country is an island when it comes to malaria; mosquitoes do not respect borders.
In mobilizing the money, the bed nets, and the treatment, and in strengthening supply chains for lifesaving medicines, our bedrock guiding principle must be stronger accountability. ALMA's flagship accountability initiative is a simple tool, commonly employed in the private sector: a scorecard. Currently under development with our partners in the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the scorecard will track progress, identify what is working, what is not, and highlight where intervention is required. We will further expand the use of new technology platforms, such as SMS and Twitter, to reach hundreds of millions of people to create positive pressure at all levels, and to encourage demand for transparency, accountability and results by citizens.
Relevant Links
Malaria
Health
Africa's partners, including the World Bank, are committed to ending deaths from malaria. Last year the Bank pledged US$200 million to anti-malaria efforts in Africa, largely to provide bed-nets to families in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Zambia. This helped to close emergency gaps. Consistent with the priorities of African countries, we expect new financing mobilized from the latest replenishment of the International Development Association, the Bank's fund for the poorest countries, to be committed to the fight against malaria, including through our work on helping African countries build stronger health systems.
So, as we take inspiration this World Malaria Day from African countries that now have malaria in retreat, we also need to recommit to finish the job.
Allowing hard-won gains to be reversed cannot be an option.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetA" );
We have encouraging news out of Africa this week of World Malaria Day, as we take stock of the illnesses and deaths caused by this longtime scourge.
Eleven countries in Africa had slashed the number of confirmed malaria cases, malaria-related hospital admissions or deaths by more than 50 percent by end 2009. When 2010 data becomes available we expect it to show that even more countries have shown similar progress. In a region that has borne a heavy malarial burden of death and debilitating illness, part of the good news stems from the fact that approximately three-quarters of the people at risk of contracting malaria were using insecticide-treated mosquito nets by the end of 2010. With a decisive push, the goal of protecting Africa's population with bed-nets and effectively preventing the fevers and crushing headaches that are the dreaded symptoms of malaria appears within Africa's reach.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetB" );
Even as we mark what may be a turning point, we know that malaria is an ancient foe we can never underestimate. Although global deaths from malaria have fallen from nearly a million a year in 2000, the disease continues to exact a great toll, killing 781,000 people across the world in 2009. More than 90 percent of these deaths occurred in Africa, where the disease accounted for about one in six child deaths.
The collective success is substantial, but is also fragile and must be sustained. The consequences of losing the focus on malaria would be deadly.
Mosquito bed-nets last about three years and a failure to replace the over 300 million nets blanketing Africa over the coming three years could lead to resurgent malaria illness and deaths. Just this past year, Zambia faced a resurgence of malaria in a few provinces when mosquito nets were not replaced in time. Deaths and illness increased within months. Rapid action to address this increase has since been taken by the Zambian government, together with the World Bank, UN Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Stanbic Bank, the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), and the UN Special Envoy's Office.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetC" );
While funding is important, it is really the partnerships that have been built with citizens, governments, and healthcare providers as well as the increasing reliance on and use of science, technology and the body of global knowledge on what works that can accelerate progress in this area.
For instance, beyond the wide distribution of mosquito nets, ending malaria deaths will require making sure that effective diagnosis and timely treatment become available to every patient. Health authorities need to keep better track of where malaria still exists and which drugs produce the best health outcomes.
We want funding to be effective, not simply throwing money at the problem.
GA_googleFillSlot( "AllAfrica_Story_InsetD" );
In the wake of the financial crisis, we face difficult choices with limited resources. In Liberia, the priority is to end deaths from malaria above many other pressing needs, for both health and economic reasons. As a result, Liberia is on track to protect its entire population by year's end. Liberia is not alone. Thirty-nine African countries have united against the disease under ALMA, chaired by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. We have determined that the only way we can overcome the disease is through working together. No country is an island when it comes to malaria; mosquitoes do not respect borders.
In mobilizing the money, the bed nets, and the treatment, and in strengthening supply chains for lifesaving medicines, our bedrock guiding principle must be stronger accountability. ALMA's flagship accountability initiative is a simple tool, commonly employed in the private sector: a scorecard. Currently under development with our partners in the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, the scorecard will track progress, identify what is working, what is not, and highlight where intervention is required. We will further expand the use of new technology platforms, such as SMS and Twitter, to reach hundreds of millions of people to create positive pressure at all levels, and to encourage demand for transparency, accountability and results by citizens.
Relevant Links
Malaria
Health
Africa's partners, including the World Bank, are committed to ending deaths from malaria. Last year the Bank pledged US$200 million to anti-malaria efforts in Africa, largely to provide bed-nets to families in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Zambia. This helped to close emergency gaps. Consistent with the priorities of African countries, we expect new financing mobilized from the latest replenishment of the International Development Association, the Bank's fund for the poorest countries, to be committed to the fight against malaria, including through our work on helping African countries build stronger health systems.
So, as we take inspiration this World Malaria Day from African countries that now have malaria in retreat, we also need to recommit to finish the job.
Allowing hard-won gains to be reversed cannot be an option.
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