More addiction treatment is needed for Afghan women, children
Aid workers are struggling to help Afghan women and children overcome drug addiction, adapting Western-style treatment programs to reflect local realities. An estimated 1.5 million Afghans suffer from addiction, but most of the country’s 40 treatment facilities are geared toward men.
HRW presses Iraqi Kurds to ban female circumcision
A report issued by the group on Wednesday said the practice was widespread in Iraqi Kurdistan, and was having a harmful effect on the physical and emotional health of many women. It called on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to enact legislation to ban the practice on young girls or unconsenting adult women. It also called on the KRG to launch a public awareness campaign on its damaging and dangerous consequences.
Somali government is mobilizing child soldiers
Somali human-rights groups and UN officials report that the Somali government is recruiting hundreds of child soldiers to fight on the front lines of its ongoing conflict with radical Islamic insurgent forces. The UN has named the Somali government as one of the most persistent recruiters of child soldiers — some as young as 9 — a charge that Somali government officials attribute to improper vetting. The beleaguered Somali government has not yet taken action on UN plans to remove child soldiers and has refused to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child — as has the U.S.
Advocates challenge laws, traditions for African women’s rights
A team of international human-rights lawyers and advocates are looking to change the mores around sexual assault and women’s rights in Africa, beginning with Kenya, Malawi and Ghana. All three countries are reviewing laws related to marital rape, but additional efforts will be needed to address the norms of customary law that equate women with property.
South Africa youth league takes on AIDS stigma
Triad Trust, a U.S. organization working to reduce the number of deaths caused by AIDS, is working with a South African youth soccer league in an effort to eliminate the misinformation and stigma surrounding the disease, which is more prevalent in South Africa than anywhere else. By testing and educating sports players who serve as role models for younger children, the organization hopes to demonstrate that HIV is preventable, testing is available and living with AIDS is a possibility through medicine.
U.S. medical association debates genital mutilation
The American Academy of Pediatrics sparked outrage by considering publicly an endorsement of a “ritual cut” in clitoral skin in place of the practice of female circumcision, a notion of appeasement proposed in recognition of the widespread nature of the dangerous practice. The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 140 million women — spread mostly across African countries — have been subjected to genital mutilation. Christian, Muslim and animist faiths in Africa have endorsed the practice.
Pope asks forgiveness at St. Peter’s over abuse scandal
Pope Benedict XVI asked for forgiveness in front of thousands of priests and worshippers in St. Peter’s Square, marking the Catholic Church’s fullest admission yet of wrongdoing regarding the sexual abuse scandal. But the pope rejected calls from some that the Church re-examine its policy regarding celibacy. While the pope said that they would take new efforts to ensure the well-being of children, he reaffirmed his support for the policy of celibacy in response to a question posed by another priest.
Researchers find some genetic links for autism
A set of rare genetic variations may leave individuals susceptible to disorders in the autism spectrum, according to a report from the Autism Genome Project Consortium. Researchers say they hope the discovery will help advance testing, identification and treatment options for families.
