A civil society organisation has petitioned the Constitutional Court asking it to stop men from participating in the election of women MPs and women councillor elections. Sisimuka Uganda (Reawakening Uganda) founded by Frank Gashumba, a businessman. The noted that MPs representing other special interest groups like the army, workers, People …
Read More »Kenya’s Keitany wins London Marathon in record time
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Kenya’s Mary Keitany set the fastest time in a women-only marathon as she won a third London Marathon on Sunday in an unofficial 2hrs 17min 01sec. The 35-year-old, who also has three New York Marathon victories, beat Ethiopian track great Tirunesh Dibaba by almost …
Read More »Gambia gets female parliament speaker
Banjul, Gambia | AFP | The Gambia’s first female barrister was sworn in Tuesday as National Assembly speaker, days after the African country’s United Democratic Party (UDP) emerged from decades in opposition to win an absolute parliamentary majority. Mariam Jack Denton, the first woman to be called to the Gambian Bar, …
Read More »Court confirms election of Kalungu District woman MP
The Court of Appeal has confirmed NRM’s Aisha Ssekindi as the validly elected woman representative for Kalungu district in the 10th Parliament. Three justices Remmy Kasule, Elizabeth Musoke and Catherine Bamugemereire upheld the judgement of Masaka High Court judge Michael Elubu and dismissed an appeal filed by Aisha Nuluyati Waligo, …
Read More »Ghana’s gender minister warns on short dresses, causes storm
Ghana’s gender minister causes storm over rape comments Accra, Ghana | AFP | Ghana’s new gender minister has warned schoolgirls that what they wear can attract rapists, sparking controversy and debate in a traditional but evolving society. Otiko Djaba told girls at a senior school in eastern Ghana they should …
Read More »Kenya court orders parliament to pass gender quota
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Kenya’s High Court on Wednesday gave parliament 60 days to enact legislation that would make it obligatory to have more female lawmakers, or face dissolution. The 2010 constitution requires that no more than two thirds of lawmakers should be men, a principle hailed at the …
Read More »The leggings Twitter storm
Washington, United States | AFP | United Airlines has run into a social media storm after it barred two teenage girls from boarding a flight in Denver because they were wearing leggings. Another girl who was also wearing leggings was allowed to board the flight from Denver International Airport to …
Read More »Nude-photo scandal prompts US Marines to update social media rules
Washington, United States | AFP | The US Marine Corps has revised its social media guidelines amid a scandal involving the nonconsensual online sharing of nude Marines. The scandal centers upon the revelation this month that pictures of female Marines in various states of undress had been shared in a secret …
Read More »Women’s rights under assault worldwide: UN chief
United Nations, United States | AFP | Women’s rights are under fresh assault worldwide, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Monday as a two-week conference kicked off at the United Nations to take stock of the fight for gender equality. President Donald Trump’s “global gag rule” cutting US funding to groups that …
Read More »US military faces burgeoning nude picture-sharing scandal
Washington, United States | AFP | The Pentagon faced a burgeoning scandal Friday as more pictures of naked female service members apparently shared without their consent by male colleagues have turned up on secret social media sites. US Defense Minister Jim Mattis denounced the practice as “egregious violations of the fundamental …
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