News Update!
Conflict management/ security
1. At least 60 civilians were killed in Burkina Faso last year in military drone strikes, watchdog says
The first drone strike, on Aug. 3, hit a weekly market in the village of Bouro said to be controlled by al-Qaida-linked extremists, HRW said. It quoted three survivors as saying that jihadi fighters were seen entering the market at the time of the strike. One of those interviewed said it was “full of civilians when the drone hit.” Read more here At least 60 civilians were killed in Burkina Faso last year in military drone strikes, watchdog says | AP News
2.ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — A high court in Ghana has sentenced to death six people, including three soldiers, after convicting them of plotting to carry out a coup against the country’s government in 2019.The sentencing renewed calls from rights activists on Thursday for the death penalty to be abolished. Read more here https://apnews.com/article/ghana-coup-death-penalty-treason-8dc63802ffe0cbf72195e1b97881e0ce
3. Algeria gears up for election year with aging president, opposition that is yet to offer challenger. The Rally for Culture and Democracy, among the rare opposition parties maintaining a notable public presence in President Abdelmajid Tebboune ‘s Algeria, this week called on the government to “put in place political conditions for a debate to find a way out of crisis.” https://apnews.com/article/algeria-tebboune-election-85f399bd6fa7abc4911a176a99d47b99
Gender
- Period poverty: How air pollution in Kenya could make periods heavier, more painful and more expensive. Mercy was sent home from school after her period caught her by surprise. And she regularly stays home if she doesn’t have pads, to avoid embarrassment.”She has heavy menses. During her periods, it stains her clothes,” Shikuku explains.This is what period poverty looks like, and it’s a shared experience for millions across Kenya. Read more here https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/05/africa/period-poverty-air-pollution-kenya-as-equals-intl-cmd/index.html
- Away from threat of Islamist violence or floods, health risks for pregnant women in Nigeria’s refugee camps remain high. In 2013, Aliyu fled her home in the village of Wala in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State to its capital, Maiduguri. She said her village was attacked and much of it burned down by armed Islamist group, Boko Haram. Two years later, the militant group attacked Maiduguri, forcing Aliyu to again migrate, this time travelling over 856km south to Abuja with her husband and five children. Read more here https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/29/africa/nigeria-women-health-risks-as-equals-intl-cmda/index.html
- African Women on the Frontline of Peacekeeping. These women are seen as a beacon of hope and protection for millions of civilians, many of them women and girls, who are struggling to keep safe while helping to rebuild their lives and communities after wars. Read more here https://www.globalissues.org/news/2024/01/24/35818
Capacity Building
Regional and Global Events that Will Shape the Growth of the African Space Industry. The space industry hosts conferences and workshops that allow it to utilise and understand some of the latest technology trends, policies, and sustainable community practices. The African space industry stakeholders are committed to creating platforms through conferences and workshops for its space ecosystem to flourish. This article will explore relevant space conferences and events shaping the industry in 2024. Read more here; https://africanews.space/regional-and-global-events-that-will-shape-the-growth-of-the-african-space-industry/
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