Dr Sylvia Tamale, the first woman Dean at The Faculty of Law at Makerere University, Uganda, will be honored on Thursday 2nd December by the women's movement in Uganda for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of women's rights in Africa. 'We want to pay tribute to her courage and commitment, and for her unstinting refusal to shy away from controversial rights issues' said Jessica Nkuuhe of Isis-WICCE one of the co organisers of the event. Dr Tamale, has recently been subjected to a hateful media campaign in Uganda for her outspoken support for the rights of sexual minorities and in particular the gay and lesbian communities.

'Her message is very simple,' says Stella Mukasa, Chair of Akina Mama wa Afrika, 'Those of us who promote human rights, should promote the human rights of all. We cannot pick and choose who amongst us has rights and who does not. This principled stand is what has sparked this ugly media and public backlash. Well, now is the time for us to come out in support of Dr Tamale and for the work that she does.'

Dr Tamale is a human rights defender and activist, academic, writer and grassroots mobiliser who has influenced critical thinking at national and international levels. She is one of Africa's leading feminist scholars. Her book 'When hens Begin To Crow; Gender and Parliamentary Politics in Uganda' published in 1999 has been recognised internationally as a landmark piece. Her keen and sharp analysis, puts her at the cutting edge of human rights discourse.. In July 2003, Dr Tamale was awarded the University of Minnesota Distinguished Leadership award for Internationals.

'Dr Tamale is the source of inspiration for so many young women and men. We had an idea of the contribution she has made. But nothing prepared us for the number of people who have come forward and want to be a part of this event, all as a direct result of Sylvia's influence on their lives. It has been truly an honor for us to organise this.' Commented Solome Nakaweesi-Kimbugwe of The Uganda Women's Network.

Messages of goodwill have been sent from around the world from friends, colleagues and well wishers.

We salute this wonderful daughter of the African soil.

Sarah Mukasa Akina Mama wa Afrika

Messages of congratulations

Equality Now

It is with a deep sense of pride and appreciation that we at Equality Now write to salute you on this day. Congratulations and thanks Sylvia, for the tremendous and courageous work you have done to promote the rights of women and other marginalized groups. It has been a great honor to be associated with you over the years. Your insight and analysis has greatly contributed to the work of Equality Now.

We wish you every success in your post as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Makerere University. We look forward to working with you in future. Yours in sisterhood and solidarity

Faiza Mohammed and all at Equality Now

African Women's Development Fund Sylvia,

Thank you for being the brave, courageous, beautiful, powerful role model you are. With women like you on the African continent, we know there is hope for our generation. On behalf of the African Women's Development Fund, I send you best wishes on this special occasion. In a personal capacity, I am proud to call you my sister, my friend and colleague. At AWDF, we often talk about the women who quietly toil away to ensure that women craft and live new identities. They do this through community organising, advocacy or creating knowledge and sharing it with others. Most of this work is done away from the glare of publicity and public acclaim. We call them `Women of Substance'. Sylvia Tamale, you are indeed a Woman of Substance. We are proud of you and we celebrate with you.

Fond regards always

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi Executive Director, African Women's Development Fund

African Women's Development Fund, Ghana, and President, Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID). Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi Executive Director African Women's Development Fund Aviation House, Aviation Road PMB CT 89 Cantonments, Accra, Ghana Tel: + 23321 780476 Fax: + 23321 782502 Email: [email protected] Website: www.awdf.org

African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a pan- African network working towards African Women's development, equality and other human rights, would like to join the Ugandan women's movement in celebrating the achievement of one of our most dynamic and fearless feminist intellectual activists and theorists---the appointment of Dr Sylvia Tamale as the new Dean of the Faculty of Law at Makerere University. We salute Dr Tamale for her work in the service of African women's autonomy, choice and freedom. We salute her too for the rigour with which she approaches this work----making her the first woman Dean of the Faculty of Law in Makerere University's history. We are sure she will take the faculty and the students it serves, both male and female----in new and positive directions. We wish her strength in her new role. And we assure her of our solidarity and support, always.

Warm Regards Lynn Muthoni Wanyeki, Director

Fahamu and the Pambazuka News Team

We take great pride in being able to include these messages of congratulations and to pay tribute to the courage and commitment to the fight for the emancipation of women

Firoze Manji, Fahamu

"I am 22 years old. I have one baby boy, who is 6 years old. Some people don't understand what life really is, but I understand it clearly. Life is about what you know and what you want and what you want to do to get the things you want. In life you experience many things, including painful things. And if you experience painful things you mostly gain and learn a lot. I feel so sorry for people who haven't experienced any pain, because they get hurt easily and by small things." This is part of a life story published on the website of the Centre for Civil Society at the University of Natal to mark the 16 Days of Activism against violence against women and children and World AIDS Day. Read the full story by clicking on the link provided.

The Center for Domestic Violence Prevention (CEODVIP) in Uganda has a full schedule of events for 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women. Email [email protected] for a detailed programme.

The Free Roy Bennett website provides downloadable factsheets; petitions; emailing facilities to easily enable people to contact their friends with information about Roy; collected articles about what Roy, his family and employees have endured for the past few years; and images which record some of those events. The website has been designed to give people as much opportunity as possible to participate in the campaign to free Roy; in particular, by helping to spread the word and by collecting petition signatures.

The MDG Campaign Manager will be responsible for all staff, interns and volunteers who are part of the MDG Department, as well as the management of external consultants and services. The incumbent will be required to operate to tight deadlines using independent judgement within clear parameters and to develop and implement department work plans and objectives.

Moving Ideas and Amnesty International USA teamed up to host an online chat on domestic violence in the lead up to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. Visit this web page to read the transcript and find out more about fighting gender violence.

The cyber dialogues are one of several initiatives to raise awareness and change behaviour as part of the Sixteen Days of Activism on Gender Violence using new information and communication technologies. Visit the website and have your say.

Visit the Women's Net website for a listing of events taking place around the country over the period of the 16 days. The contact details of the institutions hosting the events are included and there are also contact details for you to have your event listed.

Christian Aid seeks an exceptional and experienced Africanist policy researcher who will continue and develop its strong reputation for effective policy and advocacy strategies on corporate and Africa programme priorities (currently livelihoods, accountable governance, economic justice and HIV/AIDS. This is a key senior post in the Africa Division.

DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda...This comprehensive calendar will tell you exactly what’s going on in your country during the 16 days of activism. There's no excuse not to join in!

The Coalition on Violence against Women- COVAW (K) is a women's human rights organization that is committed to the eradication of all forms of violence against women and the promotion of women's human rights. She is a registered non-governmental organization that does not make profit and is non-partisan. The coalition works in close collaboration with other like-minded Non-Governmental Organization, Community Based Organizations, Government and Donors.

COVAW (K) has locally spearheaded the Annual Sixteen Days of Activism Against Violence against women Global Campaign, which has been instrumental in placing violence against women in the public and political domain.

For the full calendar of activities taking place in Kenya over the 16 days, please contact [email protected]

Thousands of children’s lives could be saved each year simply by washing their hands, the government, the UN and other aid organisations said on Saturday. The organisations are aiming to bring about a massive behavioural change to cut sickness and death in the country by raising awareness about hygiene and water sanitation.

The Open Society Justice Initiative has published a handbook to aid civil society groups in tracking election campaign finances and exposing corruption. Monitoring Election Campaign Finance: A Handbook for NGOs is the most systematic effort to date to bring together and digest the range of campaign finance monitoring experience gained in recent years. Corrupt electoral campaign financing - whether by private donors or government incumbents commandeering state resources - is damaging not only to the electoral process, but to democracy itself. Political finance regulations, intended to create a level playing field for electoral competition, are often inadequate.

The August-October 2004 World Movement for Democracy theme is Using Advocacy to Achieve Democratic Reform. This instalment highlights projects and organizations around the world whose work demonstrates how groups can advocate and interact with government to achieve institutional reform.

Half way through campaigning for the national election on 1-2 December, the process has been largely calm, reports the Mozambique Political Process Bulletin. The two main parties, Frelimo and Renamo, have been present throughout the country. Of the smaller parties, Raul Domingos and his Party for Peace, Development and Democracy (PDD) have had an unexpectedly strong presence in the campaign.

Labourers from the fertile farms of South Africa's northernmost province regularly bring their grievances to a modest office in Musina's Nancefield township, just south of the Zimbabwe border. John Mashaba and Dorah Ncupe, officials in the Legal Advice Centre, listen to workers' accounts - in the hope of eventually mediating solutions with employers. Most labourers tell of abuse by farm owners - from physical violence to illegal evictions. But behind every laborer's dispute is a single issue: land.

On November 6 2004, local officials of Mozambique's former rebel movement Resistencia Nacional de Mozambique (Renamo), banned a film crew of the public television, TVM, from filming the Renamo election campaign in two northern towns, Mozambique Island and Nacala, despite the movement’s consistent complaints that TVM does not give it sufficient coverage. Both towns are regarded as Renamo strongholds.

Recent years have seen growing international debate about the ethics of conducting medical research in developing countries. With resources often-limited within developing countries, there can often be an increased risk of exploitation of the more vulnerable parties. Earlier this year, the Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net) launched an essay competition to tap into new thinking about the ethical issues surrounding clinical trials in the developing world. Following a number of excellent entries giving refreshing perspectives on this often controversial area, SciDev.Net is pleased to announce Robyna I. Khan from Pakistan as the winner.

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and other educational partners, has launched a girls education enrolment Drive in Bomi, Bong and Cape Mount County. Tom Shafer, UNICEF Project Officer for Education, said enrolling the girl child is not only the fulfilment of her birthright, but gives the world the hope for the future of girls so that they will take their rightful places in school and in greater society.

The dawn of the twenty first century has been accompanied by an upsurge of anti-capitalist campaigning , challenging the very basis of the New World Economic order. This book sets out to explore the lessons from these experiences of social mobilisation. How can non-governmental organisations, community based organisations and the labour and trade union movement develop effective campaigning alliances - without becoming institutionalised and incorporated themselves?