Unemployed young Moroccan graduates hope that once new Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane assembles his government within the next few days, their situation may finally begin to improve. In its electoral platform, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) vowed to reduce unemployment by 2 per cent and to give 100,000 grants to unemployed young people to support them through training courses. The PJD has proposed to introduce jobseekers' allowance and to raise the minimum wage to 3,000 dirhams.

Egyptian clashes entered its fifth day in central Cairo as military leaders struggled to contain a new challenge to its rule, which continues to be dogged by images of savage attacks on protesters. Egyptian health ministry officials announced that 12 people had died and around 500 were injured in the latest round of clashes, which began on Friday when the military - previously seen as custodians of the January revolution - stormed into crowds of demonstrators, swinging clubs and sticks and firing live rounds.

Efforts to integrate and modernise traditional medicines in the country have taken an upward turn with the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) gearing for mass production of its newly-developed remedies. According to NIMR’s director for research coordination and promotion, Dr Julius Massaga, the agency is about to forward its own developed drugs for approval.

'It is very dangerous for the poor to think that the law will provide all the answers to political questions. It is very dangerous for people to think that they can stop struggling because now they have a lawyer. It is very dangerous for people to allow lawyers to decide for them instead of with them. It can also be very dangerous for the legal system and lawyers to think that law on its own can advance all socio-economic rights of the poor without the organised struggle of the working class, the poor, women, people born in other countries, LGBTI people, people living with AIDS and all other oppressed groups. Victories in court are not always victories in reality. It takes sustained mass based organisation to turn a legal victory into a real victory.'

The journal 'Stichproben. Wiener Zeitschrift für kritische Afrikastudien/Vienna Journal of African Studies' is preparing a special issue on human rights in Africa to appear in fall/winter 2012 (Stichproben No 23/2012) and invites anyone interested in contributing an article, a research note, or a book review to submit proposals by 31st of December, 2011 to the editors of the volume.

Africa-UK is a national programme bringing together members of the African diaspora in the UK to work towards the continent's development. It promotes diaspora activism to ignite, debate and drive positive change through events and training sessions. Topic under discussion include:
- The contribution of the African Diaspora to their countries of origin.
- Engagement with UK development policy.
- Remittances.
- Social investment.
- Volunteering.
- Fundraising.
- Health.
To find out more visit the website:

While most nations are dependent to some extent on the world’s 214 million migrants for skills and labour, few ensure these migrants have access to their health systems, something that could have dire public health consequences, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Describing migrants’ lack of access to health services as 'one of the biggest challenges facing global health today', IOM marked International Migrants Day on 18 December by calling for more migrant-inclusive health policies.

In this episode, Africa Today speaks with Carlos Alberto Torres on Puerto Rico and the campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera, who has served more than 30 years in prison. Also Runoko Rashidi, historian, author, and world traveler discusses his upcoming visit to Richmond, California and his new book 'Black Star' which highlights the African presence in Early Europe.

implements a system in Egypt for reporting incidences of sexual harassment via SMS messaging. The tool aims to give women a way to anonymously report incidences of sexual harassment as soon as they happen, using a simple text message from their mobile phone. By mapping these reports online, the entire system is intended to act as an advocacy, prevention, and response tool.

For the last decade the Zimbabwean government has been in default on most of its debt owed to the rest of the world, currently estimated to be around US$7 billion. This debt dates primarily from loans made in the 1980s and 1990s by private lenders such as banks; foreign governments such as France, Germany and the UK; and multilateral institutions like the World Bank, African Development Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). This report from the Zimbabwe Europe Network argues that in order to move towards a just and positive resolution to this crisis the origin of Zimbabwe’s debt must be investigated. The legitimacy of the debt needs to be established by examining whether these loans genuinely benefited the Zimbabwean people.

A coalition of civil society organisations is calling on member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region to implement a 2006 Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region to avert not only post?election violence in member states but also any other form of violence.

In 2009, the Forced Migration Studies Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand (now the African Centre for Migration & Society) undertook an analysis of the costs of policing immigration on the SAPS in the Gauteng Province. Their finding was that it cost the Gauteng SAPS Province some R362.5 million annually to detect, detain and transfer migrants to Lindela Holding Facility. The Forced Migration Studies Programme research demonstrated that the consequence of policing immigration undermines the ability of the police to tackle serious violent and organised crime.

The Arabic Network of Human Rights Information has rejected the ongoing detention of Fatima Al-Zahra and Sally Hassan, journalists from the newspaper Al-Fajr. Agouza Misdemeanor Court sentenced Al-Zahra and Hassan to two months and one month of imprisonment, respectively, on charges of libel, slander, and violation of private life brought forward by Yusuf Al-Badri.

The 'Global Information Society Watch 2011' report investigates how governments and internet and mobile phone companies are trying to restrict freedom online - and how citizens are responding to this using the very same technologies. 'Written by internationally-renowned experts, the report brings its readers easy-to-read and yet comprehensive articles, many with policy proposals, on the most important challenges protecting human rights on the internet is facing today,' says lawyer Matthias C. Kettemann, co-chair of the Internet Rights and Principles Coalition.

Average temperatures across the Sahel have risen by around one degree Celsius over the past 40 years, according to a study identifying potential climate 'hotspots' in the region. The report, published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), analysed historical climate trends across the Sahel, and aimed to identify potential hotspots and the impact on livelihoods in the region. Half of the 17 West African nations mapped experienced a temperature increase of 0.5–1 degree Celsius between 1970 and 2006, while 15 per cent of the region - in far eastern Chad and northern Mali and Mauritania - saw a rise of more than one degree Celsius.

A letter has been sent to shareholders and potential investors of Coal of Africa (CoAL) demanding that they reconsider their plans to support the company and it's project in Limpopo, South Africa.

The faith community is among key stakeholders calling for the establishment of a permanent International People’s Tribunal on Ecological Debt. Such a tribunal would hold environmental violators accountable for the climate change they are causing in local communities, particularly in developing nations. This was the main message that came out of a parallel session held by the Economic Justice Network (EJN), the World Council of Churches, Jubilee South, Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalisation, Accion Ecologica, Oilwatch and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance on 7 December 2011 on the sidelines of COP17. EJN coordinates Councils of Churches from 12 Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member states.

'The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to bring to your attention the mounting press freedom violations in Egypt. Between November 19 and 24, we documented at least 35 cases of journalists who were attacked in Cairo and Alexandria when protesters clashed with the military and police. We are attaching the list here and ask specifically for you to note the deteriorating state of press freedom in your country.'

A corruption scandal in Sierra Leone could damage President Ernest Bai Koroma's chances of re-election next year and undermine his attempts to rebrand the West African state. Last month a television documentary investigating illegal logging alleged bribery in the office of Sierra Leone's Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana, dubbed 'Timbergate' by the press.

Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzuri has said that 20,103 political prisoners had been released since February when a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak, state media reported. He said that 68 political prisoners remained in detention, including 48 who have been sentenced, the official MENA news agency reported.