Africa: Essential Women's Health Services at Risk Amid Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is setting back important progress on women's health across Africa. There are many reasons for this, including lockdown restrictions which are keeping women… Read more »

Kenya: Denying Education to Pregnant Teens and Young Mothers Harms Girls and Reduces Nation's Potential

"I didn't go back to school, because I didn't have anyone to give me advice," "Harriet" told me. "I wish someone would've come to talk to me about school and encourage me." We were… Read more »

South Africa: Organisation Against Gender-Based Violence Calls for AU Action on Mukwege Threats

South Africa Women Fight Back (SAWFB), an organisation aimed at keeping all women safe from gender based violence, has sent a letter to the President of the Republic of South… Read more »

West Africa: How Covid-19 Affects the Reproductive Health of Young People

The reproductive health of adolescents in West Africa, like so many regions, is being negatively impacted by Covid-19 with maternal mortality being the second cause of death among… Read more »

Africa: The African Women Leaders Network – A Movement for the Transformation of Africa

The year 2020 began on a high note for the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN). As the world was preparing to mark 25 years since the Fourth World Conference on Women, AWLN sought… Read more »

Africa: Progress for Women and Girls Is Essential Amid Covid-19 – Dr. Senait Fisseha

Women and girls are hardest hit by social and economic circumstances stemming from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19, according to analyses by multiple international… Read more »

Africa: Breastmilk for Premature Babies Encourages Economic Revival

This week is World Breastfeeding Week, a flagship campaign of the International Confederation of Midwives. Read more »

Ghana: Gender Ministry Must Provide Roadmap For Shutting 'Witch Camps, Healing Centres'

The practice of magical skills, spells, and abilities is deeply ingrained in the Ghanaian culture - witches and wizards are believed to hold powers for fortunes or mishaps, hence… Read more »

Africa: 'There Can Be No Empowerment Without Peace; and No Peace Without Gender Equality'

The women and young peacebuilders' agenda cannot be siloed from the gender equality agenda. Read more »

Africa: COVID-19 Jeopardises Gains Made Towards Protecting Women and Girls from Violence

The passing of laws to end child marriage resulted in blocking thousands of child marriages and enabling second chance education for girls. However, these gains made over the years… Read more »

Africa: Unprecedented Crisis Presents Unique Opportunities for Unprecedented Action - Machel, Okonjo-Iweala, Songwe, Ramos

COVID 19 has unearthed massive inequalities within our societies and brought to glaring light the unique burdens which women carry the world over. As we respond to the impacts of… Read more »

Africa: Women and Children Will Pay For This Pandemic – Unless We Act

Wherever COVID-19 strikes, it magnifies unfairness and inequality. In every nation and every community touched by the virus, hard-won progress for women, newborns and young people… Read more »

Africa: What Ending Gender-Based Violence Means for Sustainable Development in Africa

As 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence nears, it has been revealed that 35% of women in the world and 45% in Africa have experienced gender-based violence in their… Read more »

Africa: Will Men Respond to COVID-19's Health Call?

The   latest data from New York tells us that the novel coronavirus is killing men at twice the rate of women. Death rates are higher around the world, including China,… Read more »

Africa: Triple Threat - Conflict, Gender-Based Violence and COVID-19

The new coronavirus, officially called SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than three million people worldwide – 31,000 in Africa by 26 April – with Egypt, South Africa,… Read more »

Sierra Leone: 'Radical Inclusion' Approach to Education an Extraordinary Victory for Pregnant Girls

Mariatu Sesay was still a schoolgirl in Sierra Leone when she fell pregnant. Had it not been for her principal and class teacher, she would not have been able to finish her… Read more »

Africa: We Can Make Our World Better - Mark Suzman of Gates Foundation

AllAfrica's Juanita Williams talked with Mark Suzman, the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's largest philanthropy. He assumed the position this month. In… Read more »

Africa: Why Ending FGM Is 'Actually Not Hard', Says Activist Jaha Dukureh

Jaha Dukureh and her organisation Safe Hands for Girls have set themselves a date to end a war that has been going on for 15 years - ending female genital mutilation (FGM).… Read more »

Africa: When Climate Crisis, Food Insecurity and Conflict Shakes Foundation of Peace in Africa

Former UK foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, linked climate change to the growing conflicts in Africa, during his five-day visit to the continent. Hunt stopped in Nigeria and raised… Read more »

Africa: Let's Celebrate Quality, Not Just Quantity of Women-Owned Businesses

On the face of it, the progress is impressive: four out of the top 10 countries with high women business owner percentages are in Africa. Read more »

Africa: 'Conflict is Like a Cough, If You Don't Treat the Root Cause, It Comes Back'

With the ongoing conflicts in Cameroon, Somalia, Nigeria, the Sahel and Mozambique, peace on the continent may seem elusive, but Nigerian-based Joy Ada Onyesoh, president of the… Read more »

Africa: Why Banks Must See African Women Entrepreneurs As Game Changers - Angelique Kidjo

AllAfrica's Juanita Williams spoke with musician and activist Angelique Kidjo about her latest role in an African Development Bank and G7 collaboration, Affirmative Finance Action… Read more »

Africa: 16 Days of Activism is Over, But What's Changed for Women and Children?

The 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children - an international campaign to challenge and bring an end to violence - has just ended, but the work is only… Read more »

Africa: Healthcare for All - New Hope, Commitment Needed

Today, as we mark International Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, I am encouraged by the growing momentum behind the belief that every single person should have access to the… Read more »

Kenya: How Self-Care Interventions are Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health in Kenya

In June 2019 the World Health Organisation published consolidated guidelines on self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health. It defines self-care as the ability of… Read more »