The Senegalese parliament has passed a law extending the presidential term to seven years from five, but the ruling will not apply to sitting President Abdoulaye Wade, a Justice Ministry official said on Tuesday.

Civil society activists in Nigeria are welcoming the World Bank’s acknowledgement of a series of damaging mistakes during the building of the World Bank-financed West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) running from Nigeria through Benin, Togo, and Ghana. But they also say the report does not go far enough in answering crucial questions.

The crisis of social exclusion in South Africa's cities is a key factor in the ferment in grassroots political society, argues Richard Pithouse. It has been central to much popular protest in recent years, to the emergence of well organised grassroots movements to the left of the ANC and, also, the catastrophic pogroms in May.

The collapse of the World Trade Organisation negotiations in Geneva recently lifts the threat of millions more people facing hunger and poverty as a result of trade liberalisation, the charity War on Want has said. Trade ministers had gathered for marathon talks aimed at concluding the seven-year negotiations.

The Global Campaign for Education is looking to recruit someone, to coordinate the development of a large funding proposal for the Education For All Fast Track Initiative. This proposal will be focused on supporting civil society advocacy work on education and creation of national Civil Society Education Funds. It will involve close collaboration with national education coalitions / campaigns across Africa, Asia and Latin America as well as strong partnership with regional education platforms (ASPBAE, ANCEFA and CLADE).Deadline: 3pm GMT 12th August.

Naama Chronicle

The Vigilante Journalist
http://www.vigilantejournalist.com/blog/
Mzati Nkolokosa
http://mzatinkolokosa.blogspot.com/2008/08/who-goes-back-to-lilongwe.html
Neba Fuh
http://sofawarrior.blog.com/3456392/
Constitutionally Speaking

This loose talk about AIDS can kill people - .

It is very dangerous to say without data that bed nets, circumcision, or other AIDS prevention methods don't work. That they might not work in very extreme situations is no reason to spread the false impression that they don't work.

Both DO reduce transmission when backed up by proper health care systems - and most AIDS cases are in peaceful countries like South Africa where prevention saves lives. Yes, work to settle and prevent war.

Yes, strengthen the networks which back up women's rights. Yes, criticize abstinence only strategies. But NO, don't undercut strategies which are saving lives every day.

The thoughts you put forward on Hilary's candidature, , are what I have thought for some time but could not express them as eloquent as you. Thanks for your indepth analysis of the subject.

I do thank God for mothers like this one who takes swift sensible response when and where necessary: see, .

I know some will say it will not bring her daughter's viginity back,but at least it will save other children from falling a prey to such animals! As for the man, he should blame the dog for his misfortune!!!

Thanks for your insight - . These are truly historic times in which we find ourselves. Obama and the constituency will have its hands full working towards the wave of change we still too crucially need in this nation. Obama's revolutionary change is more than skin deep and it will take more than just a victory in Washington. We must all see ourselves in the solution for a new nation to arise from this opportunity.

I enjoyed reading the article, as it exemplified empowerment for many women who can not fight. As a young African woman, I believe African tradition and culture has for a long time accepted violation and abuse of women through various practices e.g. female genital mutilation.

In addition to some African man believing its their God given right to litre their manhood everywhere i believe its a violation against women. Its very interesting that Africans always seem to have negative conotations about woman in the "West" who are perceived to be individualistic and not submissive. However, Ithink woman in the West are aware of their sexual rights and the law is supportive and prosecutes violent behaviour against women.

I totally advocate for emasculation of man especially if the lives of babies and young children are involved. Castration should be the first penalty.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has repeated his rejection of the ‘Union for the Mediterranean’, launched last month in Paris on the initiative of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Speaking on a visit to Tunis, Gaddafi, - the only leader to stay away of the 44 invited - claimed the project would seperate North Saharan countries from the rest of Africa. "I do not agree to cutting up Africa for hypothetical prospects with Europe" he added, and went on to characterise the Union as a violation of AU resolutions, a threat to Arab unity, and a return to colonialism.

Ironically however, his fears of ‘division’ had already been mirrored by many of France’s EU partners. As a result the original ambitious French plan for a ‘Mediterranean Union’ has been watered down to the point where it is unlikely to be more than a talking shop, equally incapable of fulfilling either Sarkozy’s dreams or Gaddafi’s fears.

Greetings from Betty Makoni Director and Founder of Girl Child Network as well Local Lead focal Point Person for Grassroots Organisations Operating Together In Sisterhood (GROOTS Zimbabwe)

I am now in Mexico and am shocked with the news that the French authorities allegedly deported two grassroots women from Zimbabwe who were on their way to Mexico for the AIDS conference taking place until 9 August 2008

Last week our staff members went to the French embassy and insisted that we needed transit visas for France and the French authorities in Harare told them and insisted that there was no need for transit visas for Zimbabweans and that the two women could leave and would not have problems.South African Airways cleared the two women at the Harare International Airport and the two women were even allowed to travel all the way to France on Air France on Thursday last week only to be deported back to Johannesburg on Friday .

What has left us shocked is the unlawful kind of detention of the two women at the Johannesburg airport and the interrogation they have been subjected to by authorities at the French International airport.The two women cannot speak French or English and they have letters from our organisation and AIDS Conference organisers and GROOTS International requesting for assistance and the letters are very clear that they are part of a grassroots women team attending the AIDS conference to share their experiences

What has pained me most is that for one of the women she is handicapped having suffered polio as a child.She cannot walk and she was coming here to join sessions on HIV and AIDS and the handicapped and also she wanted to speak to the world about the struggles of poor rural women and the daily struggles they go through.The world is still waiting to hear from her here in Mexico .For me to understand that the French authorities denied her a transit visa entry for a life time opportunity is the most painful story in my life

Now the other issue is that despite all the required papers the two women have ,they have disappeared and we cannot locate them.The last time some people saw them they were at the Johannesburg airport and my appeal to authorities of France and the two airlines is that there is no need for them to punish the women holding them like semi slaves after denying them a life time opportunity to be at a conference where they could have gained a lot and even taken such opportunities to other women in the world.We plead with all men holding these women to set them free and return them to Zimbabwe .My appeal is that they stop harassing them because they were not going to France but to Mexico and since they have lost so much please set them free because right now they are at the Johannesburg airport

Please can anyone in the world appeal to French authorities in Paris ,we want them to know such treatment of women passing through their borders to important conferences like the AIDS conference taking place in Mexico deserve better treatment especially if the women are handicapped

Please pass on this appeal to anyone you feel will help free the women who have been denied a life time opportunity to be in Mexico .The pain and trauma the women suffered is beyond comprehension.I understand women from Cameroon went through the same and my plea is that HIV and AIDS is no new subject and anyone seeing letters stating women are travelling to do something about HIV and AIDS must be touched and act immediately

Lets all treat women humanely and especially those who are poor,marginalised and handicapped .They cant do much about their situation but honestly we can help!
The two women were denied the right to travel because they are poor and illiterate and many borders have allowed many robbers traffickers etc but for poor harmless women the struggles to travel decently is not allowed

Anyone who can help on this matter please contact me on 52 55 33 0 535 and ask for Limota or Betty Makoni

In response to the reviews of : It is clear that in our society of customs and traditions, the Rulers marginalized ordinary men and women. In such of struggle, Mind Searching becomes automatically, the main stream of thoughts and behaviors for A Nose for money.

As a wellness in our modern societies, is an alternative name for financial success; the naïves believe. It is then not unusual to see that in some people’s mind, a strong wish for more develops to be the most common practice, which can give to one the ability to experience the use of power; although, an overwhelming desire to have more in itself is not a drama, as long as it is honorably deserved and tends to serve a purpose. In a Cameroonian society, where no action is bravely taken against any form of corruption which sparkling all those who have no sense of social integrity, a desire of wholeness becomes the main objective for many, as oppose of any fair portion that each individual deserves. And the fact that humdingers grab hold of the power over others is the consequence of our everlasting suffering. The search for a shelter then supplies two means of support; hypocrisy for some and passivity for others.

In my personal view, Mind Searching and A Nose for Money complement each other, and expose the “cliché” of our societies build on strong believe of human’s inequality. The two evoke the main factors of humans’ moral and physical suffering, and denounce the ability of the upper-class to support the cause of their own irresponsibility. It is then true that a strong revolution is the only alternative to normalize the will, because it is acknowledge that if you heat a strong alloy of iron above a specific temperature, it could be easily shaped.

Great! To the ladies of FIDA-UGANDA, please ensure you give good legal representation to the lady of the moment, and also that the young girl gets all support she can get to get over this ordeal- .

Let us all say no to impunity, especially the one of the rape and beg variety. Let us ensure that justice takes its full course instead of compromising our daughters dignity and virginity for a few coins and goats. And seriously, to whom does all these 'compensation' money and goods go to? - To men, to the fathers, uncles, brothers; the village elders and opinion leaders. Here in Liberia, most rape cases get 'compromised' at the community level and police station.

But we are keeping watch, we are vigilant and we are monitoring all these cases to ensure that they dont get 'compromised' at whatever level. Away with any penis that dares defile our little girls; away with it.

I agree, . If your arm causes you to sin cut it off - isn't it? If they wont cut it off themselves we should help them.

Women cant wait anymore for justice that is too delayed. I salute that woman in, who took the law into her hands in the best way she knew how. She did not need to contemplate over this,it was a crime, committed against her daughter and nothing, nothing even the cutting of the pennis will bring back what was taken away from her daughter, but this will ensure the perpetrator will not do this to any other girl. Aluta continua!

Even though I do not advocate for anarchy and individuals taking the law in their hands, the statement in, is well said: "Feminists are not calling for the castration or emasculation of men. Our position is a lot simpler than that. If men decide to use certain parts of their anatomy as weapons of mass destruction to wage wars on the bodies of women and girls, they will be disarmed and demobilised." I pray to God for His help and forgiveness of the evil doers, help them to return from their evil ways, and put their energy to serve and protect all people.

Also, I say let us support Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, the Executive Director of the African Women's Development Fund. It is important to understand that success breads success and others' success is our success.

In response to :I believe there is nowhere in the holy books that justifies mens' unruly behavior if anything their behavior nowadays is disturbing as compared to other times. An eye for an eye should be the best treatment.

Keep up Angelina even though your daughter will take time to recover but one day she will acknowledge you a hero.

INTRODUCTION

Is the criminal justice system in Kenya well equipped to protect women from gender-based violence? This a critical question because in July this year, the (SOA) is celebrating two years of existence having came into force on 21 July 2006.

It has been lauded as an evolutionally piece of legislation that provides for the prevention and protection of all persons from harmful and unlawful sexual acts. It expanded the definition of rape to comply with jurisprudence that is evolving from the international arena and introduces new crimes that did not exist in the previous legal framework.