UN to investigate deadly incident at civilian site in South Sudan

A full-investigation is due to be held into a deadly incident last month at a UN compound sheltering civilians, in Malakal, South Sudan. At least 18 were killed and dozens injured following inter-communal violence at the protection of civilians site run by the UN mission in the country, UNMISS. The site is one of six UN bases in South Sudan which are housing some 200,000 people who have been displaced by more than two years of conflict in the world’s youngest nation. UNMISS chief Ellen Margarethe Løj travelled this week to Malakal where she met with affected communities and local leaders. She talked to Luka William Athiel about her visit, which coincided with International Women’s Day on 8 March.

Algerian mothers raising sons to help curb violence against women: UN

Algerian mothers are being empowered to raise their sons to reject the use of any violence against women. That’s just one of the bold initiatives being taken by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) inside the north African country, ahead of International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8. Nearly a third of parliamentary seats are held by women in Algeria, and the country’s made great strides in passing laws to safeguard women’s rights.But according to Mariam Khan, UNFPA Representative in Algeria, there is still much work to be done on gender equality issues. May Yaacoub asked her to outline how UNFPA was working to advance women’s issues across Algeria.

Banking on women-owned businesses in Tanzania

A programme that supports banks in Tanzania which loan money to women business owners “works very well” for all sides. That’s the assessment of Beng'i Issa, Executive Secretary at the National Economic Empowerment Council in the East African country. Her organization recently set aside one billion Shillings, or more than US$450,000, as a guarantee to banks that provide loans to groups of women entrepreneurs known as Village Community Banks, or VICOBA. Stella Vuzo caught up with Ms Issa in Dar es Salaam, to mark International Women’s Day.

Presenter: Matthew Wells

Production Assistant: Sandra Guy

Duration: 10'00″