Sunday, 12 October 2014
Only God knows! A woman with disability speaks to unidentified person with her child at the back of the tricycle
A woman with disability speaks to unidentified
person with her child at the back of the tricycle as captured along
Agrey Street at Kariakoo in Dar es Salaam Tanzania . (Photo by Mohamed Mambo) This is how our mothers cared us no matter what you have to love your mother and your fellows mother.
Aga Khan hospital hosts free breast cancer screening in Dar
Aga Khan hospital hosts free breast cancer screening in Dar
By Henry Mwangonde ,The Citizen Correspondent
In Summary
According to World Health Organization, there are
about 1.3 million new cancer cases and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer
each year.
The camp saw more than 200 individuals get
screened for breast cancer as well as receive counseling and it is part
of the of the hospital’s ‘don’t wait for October’ campaign aimed at
encouraging the public to act on their health now rather wait for a
specific time of the year.
Dr Amyn Alidina a breast cancer specialist at the hospital reiterated the importance of regular health checkups for good health.
“Most Tanzanians wait too long to care for their
health when it is either too late or when to regain functionality costly
treatment are needed” he said.
He said early detection of cancer can go a long way in curbing the spread and effects of breast cancer.
“It is very important to seek immediate treatment,
as soon as you see any symptoms of breast cancer, do not wait until you
are in a critical condition to go to the hospital because one you are
diagnosed early it can be treated effectively” he said.
According to World Health Organization, there are
about 1.3 million new cancer cases and 458,000 deaths from breast cancer
each year.
The majority of deaths 269,000 occur in low-and
middle-income countries where most women with breast cancer are
diagnosed in the late stages due mainly to lack of awareness on early
detection and barriers to health services.
Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in
women worldwide both in the developed and developing countries and the
incidences has been increasing steadily in the last years due to
increase in life expectancy, increase urbanization and adoption of
western lifestyles.
World cancer awareness month is held in the countries across the world every October attention and support for the campaign.
Students to march for rhinos, elephants
Students to march for rhinos, elephants
By Patty Magubira,The Citizen Reporter
In Summary
“We have to educate these grassroots decision makers
on the human-wildlife conflict which is equally a major threat to the
natural resource treasure trove,” he said.
Organisers of the annual demonstrations believe
the event would have impact as it coincides with Nyerere Day observed
every October 14.
Arusha regional commissioner Magessa Mulongo will
grace the march which is globally observed on October 4, to bring to
light the impending extinction of jumbos and rhinos.
“The demonstration is aimed at instilling
conservation culture among our students,” Tanzania Association of Tour
Operators (Tato) chairman Willy Chambullo said.
He said the future conservationists need to know
the value and threats facing wild animals and help conserve the legacy
of Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
“Mwalimu Nyerere said the survival of our wildlife
is a matter of great concern to all of us,” recalled the Tato chairman,
explaining that about 50 traditional elders from the ecosystem in
question would also take part in the march.
“We have to educate these grassroots decision
makers on the human-wildlife conflict which is equally a major threat to
the natural resource treasure trove,” he said.
The match is held on October 14, instead of
October 4, in honour of Father of the Nation’s immense contribution to
conservation in the country.
Addressing a symposium on the Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources just before independence in Arusha, Mwalimu
Nyerere said wild creatures amid the wild places they inhabited were
not only a source of wonder and inspiration, but also determined the
future livelihood and well-being of the people.
Arusha hosted a number of activities last month
to, among other things, take stock of the contribution of the emerging
tourism industry to communities and chart out way forward in line with
the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day observed globally on
September 27.
Cyclone Hudhud pounds India's Andhra Pradesh and Orissa
Cyclone Hudhud pounds India's Andhra Pradesh and Orissa
The BBC's Sameer Hashmi reports from Mumbai
Cyclone
Hudhud is pounding the eastern Indian coast, causing extensive damage
and prompting the evacuation of some 350,000 people.
At least three people have been killed in Andhra Pradesh and three in Orissa.The cyclone, classed "very severe", brought winds of 205km/h (127mph), as it passed over the coast near the city of Visakhapatnam.
The winds and heavy rains have brought down trees and power lines, and damaged crops and buildings in both states.
It is feared a storm surge of up to two metres could inundate low-lying areas and hundreds of relief centres have been opened in the two states. Disaster relief teams have also been sent.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababa Naidu said it was too early to assess the damage fully.
"We are unable to ascertain the situation; 70% of communication has totally collapsed," he said.
"We are asking people not to come out of their houses. We are mobilising men and materiel immediately."
Flooding fears The three deaths in Andhra Pradesh occurred in separate incidents in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts, Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao said.
Anil Shekhawat, from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), told the BBC: "The cyclone has landed... The NDRF is there - we have sent around 42 teams, comprising more than 2,000 rescuers."
The streets of Visakhapatnam, one of the largest cities in south-east India and home to a major naval base, remain largely deserted.
N Yuvaraj, a senior district official in Visakhapatnam, told the BBC: "We had this cyclone hitting us at around 10:25 Indian Standard Time (04:55 GMT). And at that point we had a wind speed of more than 205km/h."
A view from the Park Hotel in Visakhapatnam as the cyclone passed over
He added: "The situation is very severe. The national highway in the region has been shut."
Local journalist Hridayesh Joshi told the BBC from Visakhapatnam: "The situation is becoming increasingly bad. There is very strong wind and rain right now - objects are flying and smashing things.
"We are relatively safe in the centre of town, but the danger is for those in open areas. We are hoping it won't get much worse."
An elderly woman is carried to a relief camp in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, amid warnings over Hudhud
The effects of the strong winds are felt on Sunday on a beach in Gopalpur in Orissa
It also warned that a storm surge of up to two metres would "inundate low-lying areas of Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam".
Peter Gibbs has the latest on this powerful storm as it hits India
The director of the Bhubaneswar centre of the IMD, Sarat Sahu,
told the BBC that Hudhud was "likely to trigger heavy rains in most
parts of south Orissa and the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and
Telengana", raising fears of heavy flooding.India's eastern coast and Bangladesh are routinely hit by cyclonic storms between April and November which cause deaths and widespread damage to property.
A super-cyclone in 1999 killed more than 10,000 people in Orissa.
Last October as many as 500,000 people in India were evacuated when a severe cyclone called Phailin swept through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states.
Do you live in areas expected to be hit by Cyclone Hudhud? Send us your experiences by emailing to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Church donates special bed for women in labour
Church donates special bed for women in labour
By Saumu Mwalimu ,The Citizen Reporter
In Summary
“We are seeing an increase number of people in our
wards that do not correspond to the level of the centre, the bed is now
giving us a breath from that nightmare we were facing many times
especially when we have more than two mothers in labour,” said Dr Mbao
whose dispensary is in charge with serves more than 40000 in and
outpatients every year.
The bed which will be an additional to one that
was available at the centre will serve 4 expectant mothers in labour who
were earlier forced to deliver on the normal beds.
Speaking after receiving a donation from Calvary
Assemblies of God (CAG) of Majohe Kichangani, the doctor in charge Dr
Elias Mbao said that the bed will solve a challenge that was facing the
hospital for the past 38 years.
“We are seeing an increase number of people in our
wards that do not correspond to the level of the centre, the bed is now
giving us a breath from that nightmare we were facing many times
especially when we have more than two mothers in labour,” said Dr Mbao
whose dispensary is in charge with serves more than 40000 in and
outpatients every year.
On his side, the CAG Pastor Amos Lilai said that
the church has been touched by the government efforts in reducing the
maternal death and urges other institutions to continue with that
effort.
“We are almost reaching the 2015 Millenium
Development Goal that among other things aims at reducing birth related
deaths, so by giving the small we have in the government effort we not
only help the government but saving many lives of our mothers and
children,” he said whose church has donated also donated some hospital
bed sheets, the brob-babies weighing scale among other things.
Rebuilding Gaza: Donors pledge $5.4bn at Cairo summit
Rebuilding Gaza: Donors pledge $5.4bn at Cairo summit
The war in Gaza destroyed an estimated 18,000 homes and more than 100 schools
International donors have pledged $5.4bn (£3.4bn) to help rebuild Gaza at a conference in Cairo.
The total, announced by the Norwegian Foreign Minister,
Boerge Brende, exceeded the $4bn (£2.5bn) the Palestinian Authority had
asked for.Qatar alone promised $1bn (£622m).
At least 100,000 Gazans lost their homes in the 50-day conflict between Israel and Hamas, and much of the territory's infrastructure was damaged.
Earlier the Palestinian and Egyptian presidents called on Israel to commit to a long-term peace initiative.
Mahmoud Abbas and Abdul Fattah al-Sisi urged Israel to give up land seized in the 1967 Middle East war and accept a fair solution for Palestinian refugees in exchange for full recognition.
The seven-week Gaza conflict, which ended in a truce on 26 August, killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, the UN says, along with 67 Israeli soldiers and six civilians in Israel.
'Major breakthrough' Speaking at a news conference, Mr Brende said half of the $5.4bn promised would be dedicated to reconstruction, and the assistance would be distributed in response to the daily needs of Palestinians.
"This is a major breakthrough, a very important signal of solidarity to the Palestinian people in general and not at least to the people that are suffering so badly in Gaza," he said.
Envoys from dozens of countries attended the Cairo conference, which was hosted by Egypt's President Sisi.
The US pledged $212m (£132m) in new aid, while the United Arab Emirates and Turkey both committed $200m (£124m).
The Palestinian Authority says it needs $4bn for reconstruction efforts in Gaza
Cycle of conflict Earlier US Secretary of State John Kerry said that with winter approaching, the thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes needed urgent help.
"The people of Gaza do need our help desperately, not tomorrow, not next week, but they need it now" he said at the conference.
He added that anything other than a long-term commitment to peace would be a "band-aid fix".
Rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel during the recent conflict. The two sides have fought three wars in six years
"We should turn this moment into a real starting point to achieve a peace that secures stability and flourishing and renders the dream of coexistence a reality," he said.
Correspondents say some neighbourhoods in Gaza resembled earthquake zones following intense bombardment from Israel during the war. The Israeli air strikes had sought to halt rocket-fire from Gaza.
The two sides have fought three wars in six years.
Contentious issue Israel was not invited to the conference but Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman earlier said any rebuilding efforts would need his government's consent.
"You can't reconstruct Gaza without Israeli participation and without Israeli co-operation," he told news website Ynet ahead of the meeting on Sunday.
"In any case, we will try to be positive about the civil infrastructure and the rehabilitation of civilians."
Middle East envoy Tony Blair: Gaza needs "prospect of stability for the future"
This is a contentious issue because Hamas has used cement to build tunnels into Israeli territory in the past, our correspondent adds.
Hour of need Announcing the UK's $32m donation in Cairo, International Development Minister Desmond Swayne said the international community could not continue to pick up the pieces of the conflict indefinitely.
"It is critical that reconstruction efforts now form part of a process of meaningful political change," he said.
The Gaza Strip, sandwiched between Israel and Egypt, has been a recurring flashpoint in the Israel-Palestinian conflict for years.
Israel occupied Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and pulled its troops and settlers out in 2005.
Israel considered this the end of the occupation, though the UN continues to regard Gaza as part of Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory.
Israel exercises control over most of Gaza's borders, waters and airspace, while Egypt controls Gaza's southern border.
Rooney scores 43rd international goal and every thing about this match are avairable here.
- Rooney scores 43rd international goal
- England top Group E with three wins from three
- England face Slovenia in next match in November
England laboured to victory over Estonia in Tallinn as Wayne
Rooney's late free-kick made it three wins out of three in their Euro
2016 qualifying campaign.
Rooney curled his shot in from just outside the area 17
minutes from the end of a mediocre encounter to give England's captain
his 43rd goal for his country - six behind all-time record holder Sir
Bobby Charlton.
It rescued England as they struggled to break down the stubborn Estonians, who stood firm even after captain Ragnar Klavan had been sent off for a second yellow card three minutes into the second half.
And it spared manager Roy Hodgson some awkward questions over the omission of Raheem Sterling after Liverpool's teenager admitted he was tired following the 5-0 win against San Marino at Wembley.
England monopolised possession but the lack of end product was alarming against opponents who were dogged but hardly an upgrade into the European elite after the stroll against San Marino on Thursday.
Rooney's winner, a rare touch of class, also lifted his own performance after the 28-year-old struggled to apply his usual high standards. Indeed he was in danger of being replaced by Rickie Lambert just before his decisive contribution.
Hodgson was buoyant after his side maintained their 100% record against San Marino on Thursday
Hodgson used the diamond formation, as he had in the opening 2-0 win against Switzerland in Basel, but whereas there - with Sterling at its point - it looked effective, here it left England lacking in pace, creation and width. It was only when Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Liverpool youngster were introduced that England looked like getting behind the hosts.
They can justifiably point to a job done, and nine points out of nine, but this largely uninspired fare did little to warm fans who turned out in plummeting temperatures in Tallinn.
There should be few obstacles in England's way on the route to Euro 2016 - the possibility of 10 wins remains a strong one - but it is to be hoped the level of excitement is greater than that witnessed here in a group not exactly sprinkled with stardust.
After a minor scare in the opening seconds, England dominated the first period to such an extent that one point they enjoyed an 82% share of possession - the more telling statistic was that they did not muster a shot on target until the dying moments of the half.
This had much to do with Rooney's failure to accept chances, volleying over from Jack Wilshere's pass and showing an uncharacteristic lack of control and sharpness in the area when given other opportunities.
The visitors were looking for any advantage they could get and one arrived three minutes into the second half when Klavan departed after a cynical barge on Fabian Delph.
Hodgson made two changes in quick succession just after the hour as Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sterling replaced Delph and Jordan Henderson.
And Sterling was involved as England finally broke Estonia down after 73 minutes. He was fouled on the angle of the penalty area and Rooney weighed his options up carefully before curling in a low, right-foot effort from the set-piece.
England fans congregate at Tallinn's A Le Coq Arena
England and Estonia line up for the national anthems
Wayne Rooney goes close for England in the first half with a volley
Estonia are reduced to 10 men when full-back Ragnar Klavan (centre) is shown a second yellow card
Wayne Rooney grabs the winner with 17 minutes remaining and should have scored a second in stoppage time
Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (6)
Estonia
- 01 Pareiko
- 17 Jääger
- 04 Morozov
- 15 Klavan Dismissed after an earlier booking
- 19 Pikk
- 18 Mets
- 16 Antonov
- 14 Vassiljev (Lindpere - 45' )
- 13 Vunk (Kruglov - 83' )
- 10 Zenjov (Ojamaa - 80' )
- 08 Anier
Substitutes
- 02 Lindpere
- 03 Bärengrub
- 05 Kruglov
- 06 Dmitrijev
- 07 Saag
- 09 Hunt
- 11 Ojamaa
- 12 Aksalu
- 20 Kams
- 21 Artjunin
- 22 Londak
- 23 Teniste
England
- 01 Hart
- 02 Chambers
- 05 Cahill
- 06 Jagielka
- 03 Baines Booked
- 07 Wilshere Booked
- 04 Henderson Booked (Sterling - 64' )
- 08 Delph (Oxlade-Chamberlain - 61' )
- 11 Lallana
- 09 Welbeck (Lambert - 80' )
- 10 Rooney
Substitutes
- 12 Clyne
- 13 Foster
- 14 Gibbs
- 15 Shelvey
- 16 Milner
- 17 Oxlade-Chamberlain
- 18 Townsend
- 19 Sterling
- 20 Lambert
- 21 Forster
Ref: Marijo Strahonja
Live Text Commentary
Full time
90:00 +2:43 Jack Wilshere (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90:00 +2:43 Foul by Igor Morozov (Estonia).
90:00 +2:07 Attempt saved. Wayne Rooney (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Wilshere with a through ball.
89:18 Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
88:57 Attempt missed. Wayne Rooney (England) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a cross.
87:56 Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (England) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Calum Chambers.
86:50 Attempt saved. Dmitri Kruglov (Estonia) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
86:03 Booking
85:59 Ilja Antonov (Estonia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
82:58 Raheem Sterling (England) wins a free kick on the right wing.
82:58 Foul by Dmitri Kruglov (Estonia).
82:44 Substitution
80:54 Karol Mets (Estonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
79:47 Hand ball by Henri Anier (Estonia).
79:27 Substitution
Full Time Match ends, Estonia 0, England 1.
90:00 +4:02 Full time
Full Time Second Half ends, Estonia 0, England 1.
90:00 +3:39 Attempt missed. Wayne Rooney (England) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick. 90:00 +2:43 Jack Wilshere (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
90:00 +2:43 Foul by Igor Morozov (Estonia).
90:00 +2:07 Attempt saved. Wayne Rooney (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Wilshere with a through ball.
89:18 Attempt blocked. Raheem Sterling (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
88:57 Attempt missed. Wayne Rooney (England) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a cross.
87:56 Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (England) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Calum Chambers.
86:50 Attempt saved. Dmitri Kruglov (Estonia) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
86:03 Booking
Booking Jack Wilshere (England) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
85:59 Foul by Jack Wilshere (England). 85:59 Ilja Antonov (Estonia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
82:58 Raheem Sterling (England) wins a free kick on the right wing.
82:58 Foul by Dmitri Kruglov (Estonia).
82:44 Substitution
Substitution Substitution, Estonia. Dmitri Kruglov replaces Martin Vunk.
80:54 Foul by Rickie Lambert (England). 80:54 Karol Mets (Estonia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
79:47 Hand ball by Henri Anier (Estonia).
79:27 Substitution
Substitution Substitution, England. Rickie Lambert replaces Danny Welbeck.
Reese Witherspoon Celebrates Her 'Role Model' Malala Yousafzai
Reese Witherspoon Celebrates Her 'Role Model' Malala Yousafzai
Reese Witherspoon. Inset: Malala Yousafzai
Joe Scarnici/Getty; Sipa USA
Noting that it was her own daughter, Ava, 15, who first brought Yousafzai to her attention, the Oscar winner shared with the audience – which included fellow honorees Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Lopez and Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley – about her experience meeting her "role model."
"This summer, we got to meet Malala … Ava and I," she said Friday at Variety's Power of Women event, which was sponsored by Moroccanoil. "We got to have dinner with her at a friend's house, which was incredible. She sat next to Ava at dinner and they talked about schoolwork and homework and what their life goals were, and Ava was just in awe of this 17-year-old woman."
According to Witherspoon, 38, her daughter's interest in helping other women was first piqued at a young age, when like any other child, she had a day when she didn't want to go to school.
"Instead of saying my usual, 'Mommy's not awake yet. We can talk about it after coffee,' I actually took the opportunity to explain to her that there are a lot of girls all over the world who don't even get the opportunity to even go to school," Witherspoon recalled about her conversation with Ava, then in the third grade.
"My daughter found that astounding, and from that point on, Ava became determined to help others understand the plight of women around the world."
Calling Yousafzai "amazing," the actress marveled at the teen's courage and strength.
"When I was 14, I was worried about learning my lines and impressing casting directors," she said. "When Malala Yousafzai was 14, she was speaking out against an oppressive regime and fighting for the rights for girls to be educated around the world."
Rights lobby, EU fault proposed Katiba over death penalty
Rights lobby, EU fault proposed Katiba over death penalty
European Union (EU) Delegation Head of Cooperation in Tanzania, Mr Eric
Beaume (left), and Plan International Tanzania Country Director Mr
Jorgen Haldorsen display a book entitled: ‘Because I am a Girl’ during
its launch in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, as part of efforts geared to
protect human rights. The EU wants capital punishment be deleted from
Tanzanian law books. PHOTO | EMMANUEL HERMAN
By Katare Mbashiru The Citizen Reporter
In Summary
The EU said, the constitutional review process was
the right opportunity to abolish the death penalty and advised that the
country should consider the issue further in the next steps.
The EU said, the constitutional review process was
the right opportunity to abolish the death penalty and advised that the
country should consider the issue further in the next steps.
“We call on Tanzania to support the Resolution on a
moratorium on the use of death penalty which will be put to vote at the
69th session of the UN General Assembly in December 2014,” said EU head
of Political, Press and Information Section, Ms Luana Reale.
In her statement emailed to The Citizen, Ms Reale
said the EU was happy with the Tanzanian civil society organisations
working towards the abolition of death penalty in Tanzania for their
relentless efforts of awareness raising and campaigning.
“Where death penalty still exists, it was
important to make sure that it is applied only for the most serious
crimes, with guarantees of fair trial and sparing at least the youth and
the mentally disabled,” she said.
The EU welcomed Tanzania’s continued de facto
moratorium since 1995 calling for the abolition of death penalty in
Tanzania. “We also welcome recent steps taken by the African Union
towards the adoption of an Additional Protocol to the African Charter on
Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Abolition of Death Penalty,’’ added Ms
Ruale.
The HLRC yesterday insisted yesterday that Article
33 and 95(1)(c) of the proposed constitution were against the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights that provides for the right to life.
LHRC director of Empowerment and Advocacy, Ms
Imelda Urio said apart from the two articles of the proposed Mother Law,
amendments should also be made in the penal code to protect human
rights.
She was speaking on the World Day against Death
Penalty that is marked every October 10. “Capital punishment does not
provide for security in the society and studies show that it has never
helped in reducing crime worldwide,’’ she said.
Ms Urio added that death penalty was one of the
forms of violence, inequality and that it was inhuman, causing immense
psychological torture to people who are on death row.
As of December 2013 according to her, 3892 people
had been convicted with murder and put on death row. For more than 19
years now, people who were convicted are still languishing in prisons
waiting to be hanged.
By: The Citizen
By: The Citizen
Let girls be girls, not brides
Let girls be girls, not brides
In Summary
At an age when she should have been in school
learning and dreaming, Tecla became a child bride. She wanted to be like
other children: playing games, listening to stories, and eventually
achieving her goal of being a school teacher. But instead, her dreams
were shattered by a marriage she didn’t choose and by sexual violence.
At an age when she should have been in school
learning and dreaming, Tecla became a child bride. She wanted to be like
other children: playing games, listening to stories, and eventually
achieving her goal of being a school teacher. But instead, her dreams
were shattered by a marriage she didn’t choose and by sexual violence.
Every day, 39,000 girls like Tecla are forced into
child marriage somewhere in the world. That’s 27 girls a minute. And
every year, 16 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 -- 90 per
cent of whom are married -- give birth to children, despite the fact
that many are children themselves.
Child marriage is one of the most violent crimes
against girls. It can rob them of their childhood, deny them of the
chance to finish school and expose them to domestic and sexual violence.
Child marriage can also jeopardize girls’ health, increasing both their
risk of acquiring HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases and their
chances of dying in pregnancy and childbirth due to early pregnancies
and poor access to family planning.
We know that putting an end to child marriage
would have tremendous benefits – not only for the girls themselves, but
also for their communities. When girls aren’t forced to marry, they can
stay in school, will have healthier children and can meaningfully
contribute to their families and economies. In fact, each additional
year of education for a woman reduces infant mortality by up to 10
percent.
And by enrolling just 10 percent more girls in
school, a countries can increase its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by
approximately three percent. It is a virtuous circle and, as we say at
Women Deliver, everybody wins.
It is undeniably difficult to change the cultural
and social traditions and norms that make child marriage a common
practice in parts of the world. But, it is not impossible. Around the
world, passionate advocates, including several of the Women Deliver
Young Leaders, are stepping up to demand change in their communities.
For example, in Zimbabwe, the Rising Birds Project
is bringing young people together to increase community awareness about
the harmful impact child marriage has on girls’ education and health.
The project puts pressure on elders and decision-makers to outlaw
customary child marriage practices, strengthen the enforcement of new
laws and encourage male involvement to bring about change.
Around the world in Bangladesh, Women Deliver
Young Leader S.M. Shaikat is also trying to put an end to child
marriage. S.M.’s project, known as Jagoroni (Bengali for ‘rising’), has
enlisted over 650 young people to help advocate to stop child marriage
and dowry-related violence. Youth-led ‘watchdog’ groups use mobile
phones and online networks to report dowry violence to authorities and
hold local law enforcement agencies accountable.
Young people are also working to ensure that girls
– both married and unmarried – are empowered with youth-friendly sexual
and reproductive health information and services they need to protect
their health and choose when and with whom to have a baby. Among other
things, this includes sexuality education, as well as information about
modern contraceptives and where to access them. For example, Maureen
Odour is using mobile technologies to provide young people with
information about sexual health in Tanzania, and Nargis Shirazi has
created digital platforms to spark dialogues about typically taboo
topics in Uganda.
Projects like these and others are helping to
change the realities of millions of girls around the world. Young people
– including young men – are taking matters into their own hands and
telling their families, community leaders and policymakers that they
will no longer stand for child marriage.
As the world marks International Day of the Girl
Child (11 October), let’s join these young leaders in their calls and
amplify their voices to put an end to this unacceptable form of
violence. Together, we can build a world where 12 year-old girls like
Tecla are preparing for school, not for marriage – and on their 18th
birthdays, are planning for university or for job interviews, not for
another pregnancy.
We cannot stop advocating until every girl, no matter where she
is born, has the right to go to school, to choose who and when she
marries, and to pursue her dreams. Let girls be girls, not brides.
Katja Iversen is the Chief Executive Office of a
global advocacy organisation: Women Deliver. Yemurai Nyoni is the
founder of the Rising Birds Project to combat child marriage in Zimbabwe
and Women Deliver Young Leader.
By: The Citizen
By: The Citizen
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