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UN and Africa: award-winning UN peacekeeper in Sudan, South Sudanese girls, and a report on poverty in the African countryside

UN and Africa: award-winning UN peacekeeper in Sudan, South Sudanese girls, and a report on poverty in the African countryside

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Legal vacuum “an obstacle to advancing gender equality”: UN Peacekeeper

An absence of laws is an “obstacle to advancing gender equality” because it doesn’t give women the support they need to report cases of gender based violence. That was the reality confronting Assistant Inspector of Police Annah Chota when she got to Abyei, Sudan, to take up her post. In response, she helped to start a new network that would allow women to speak out. Through training workshops and campaigns, she helped to change the way communities there deal with rape, domestic violence and child marriage. Today more women are reporting gender-based violence in Abyei, and rape within marriage has been recognized as a criminal offence.  Ms Chota recently received the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award for her service and achievements in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). She spoke with Ana Carmo about her passion for gender equality.

Small scale farmers preparing trenches and fertilizing a grape production project. Photo: FAO/IFAD/WFP/Eliza Deacon

African urbanization creates opportunity for rural farmers: FAO

Rapid urbanization in Africa is creating opportunities to strengthen rural economies, as demand for food rises in cities and towns. That’s according to a major new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), published on Monday, which argues that a “sweeping transformation” is needed to unlock the potential of the countryside and stop the depopulation of rural areas. The State of Food and Agriculture 2017 report says that with the number of young people aged 15-24 due to rise by around 100 million to 2030—almost all in sub-Saharan Africa—rural areas need support to grow more food and foster their own industrial growth. Murielle Sarr spoke to Andrea Cattaneo, a senior economist with FAO in Rome.

Nyagoa Nyuon, speaking to Radio Miraya about her Catwalk to Freedom initiative. Photo: Machrine Birungi/Radio Miraya (UNMISS)

Catwalk to Freedom initiative: South Sudanese girls model full potential

If girls are given the opportunity to explore their “full potential”, there would be many fewer child marriages across South Sudan. That’s the firm stance of Nyagoa Nyuon, who grew up in South Sudan and is the founder & Creative Director of the fashion label, House of Bany, based in Kenya. She is spearheading the Catwalk to Freedom initiative, which aims to reduce child marriages by empowering girls themselves, through modeling and photography. The goal is to sell “dignified” fashion photos of the girls, using the money to pay for their education, where opportunities to learn are scarce. Nyagoa told Sebit William and Irene Lasu, of the UN Mission in South Sudan’s broadcasting network, Radio Miraya, how education can help girls determine their own destiny.

Presenter: Matt Wells

Production Assistant: Ana Carmo

Duration: 10'00″

Audio Duration
10'
Photo Credit
UNPOL/UNISFA/Mthokozisi Makeka