Goal 5 - SDGs for All

ICPD25 Outlines Pathway for Attaining the Rights of Women and Girls

By Justus Wanzala

NAIRBI (IDN) – ICPD25, held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi from November 12-14 and marking the 25th anniversary of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt, ended with bold commitments towards attainment of the rights of women and girls.

The conference, attended by more than 6,000 world leaders, scholars, rights advocates and faith leaders saw partners announce commitments to end all maternal deaths, satisfy unmet need for family planning and tackle gender-based violence and harmful practices against women and girls by 2030.

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 17 November 2019

Bring Women at the Peace Table, Build from the Grassroots to the Tree Tops

“Some people change when they see the light; others when they feel the heat”. – Caroline Schoeder, former U.S. Congress member

Viewpoint by Rene Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens

GENEVA (IDN) – The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of 2000 is a commitment to work resolutely toward greater protection of women and girls in conflict zones, to appoint more women in UN peacekeeping operations and ensuring that women would increasingly become more active participants in decision-making processes, especially at “peace table” negotiations.

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 30 October 2019

Photo: Ambassador Chowdhury speaking on 2 October 2019 at the Soka University of America (SUA). Credit: Courtesy of SUA photographers.

The Culture of Peace Begins with Each One of Us

Viewpoint by Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury *

The writer is the founder of The Global Movement for The Culture of Peace (GMCoP), former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations.

ALISO VIEJO, California, USA (IDN-INPS) – My life’s experience has taught me to value peace and equality as the essential components of our existence. They unleash the positive forces of good that are so needed for human progress. Peace is integral to human existence — in everything we do, in everything we say, and in every thought, we have, there is a place for peace. We should not isolate peace as something separate. It is important to realize that the absence of peace takes away the opportunities that we need to better ourselves, to prepare ourselves, to empower ourselves to face the challenges of our lives, individually and collectively.

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 4; 10 October 2019

Photo: Women empowerment training. Credit: High Atlas Foundation.

Empowerment A Solution for Inequality in Rural Morocco

By Victoria Burns and Lailah Said

MARRAKECH (IDN) – The practice of empowerment has the potential to be the key to reducing the negative impacts of alienation and inequality among women in rural regions of Morocco.

High Atlas Foundation trainer Ibtissam Niri facilitates an IMAGINE empowerment workshop among girls and women in the Agerzrane village.

“We do not speak in front of others because we are ignorant and uneducated.”

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 02 October 2019

Photo: Team in blue shirts: Girl`s team from Naryn during Female Leage in Bishkek; Team in white shirts: pupils of the youth team of Naryn football department during friendly matches; Gulbara Osmonovna, Kyrgyz National Female team’s coach. Crediit: Bagymdat Atabaeva | IDN-INPS

Female Football A Gender Equalizer in Kyrgyzstan

By Bagymdat Atabaeva

BISHKEK (IDN) – In this predominantly Islamic country, one may expect to see women playing a subordinate role to men in many spheres of life. But, women in Kyrgyzstan are breaking this stereotype image and football is shaping up as a great gender equalizer.

“I have been coaching girls for over 40 years now. I started when I was 23 and at the time there was a very sensitive lack of financial support.

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 15 September 2019

Photo: An unidentified fisherman. Credit: Juma Mtanda.

Sex Bait Threatens Women’s Lives in Much of Africa

By Kizito Makoye

LUDEWA, Tanzania (IDN) – It’s almost midday in Nsisi – a fishing village nestled on the shore of Lake Nyasa – and Lucy Gwamaka is busy unfurling a canvas to dry her sardines in the sun.

For the 33-year-old mother of three, life is a daily struggle. Her wrinkled face and sun-parched skin makes her look older than her age.

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 05 September 2019

Women and Girls Severely Impacted by Crises

Many Work in Some of the Most Dangerous Corners of the Globe

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – An unprecedented number of people are living through humanitarian crises today. Armed conflict, natural disaster, disease and violent persecution have forced more than 70 million people from their homes, notes UN Women.

While women and girls are often severely impacted by crises, they are also leaders in recovery and resilience. This year, World Humanitarian Day (19 August) is honouring the women humanitarian workers who work on the front lines in their communities to help people in need.

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 17 August 2019

Uganda Detains Feminist for ‘Cyberharassment’ of President

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – A prominent university lecturer, poet and gender rights activist has been ordered to serve nine more months in prison for the 'crime' of criticizing President Yoweri Museveni on Facebook.

The sentence outraged rights activists. Joan Nyanyuki, director for East Africa at Amnesty International said: “This verdict flies in the face of Uganda’s obligations to uphold the right to freedom of expression. It demonstrates the depths of the government’s intolerance of criticism.”

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 06 August 2019

Photo: Artwork from the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2018, UNODC.

Human Trafficking Is A Crime, Deserves Zero Tolerance

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – "On this World Day against Trafficking in Persons, let us reaffirm our commitment to stop criminals from ruthlessly exploiting people for profit and to help victims rebuild their lives," UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message for the July 30 World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

“Armed conflict, displacement, climate change, natural disasters and poverty exacerbate the vulnerabilities and desperation that enable trafficking to flourish,” Guterres said, adding: “Human trafficking is a heinous crime that affects every region of the world.”

: IDN-INPS Editor; Goal 5; 30 July 2019

28 Corporations Pledge to Curbing Temperature Rise to 1.5°C

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – In the run-up to the UN Climate Action Summit on September 23, twenty-eight leading companies have responded to a call-to-action campaign and committed themselves to limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels with a view to reaching net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. In doing so, they are contributing to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), endorsed by the international community in September 2015.