There have been some significant gains in the fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan since the 2001 fall of the Taliban government, and advocates now fear women’s rights will be sacrificed as part of negotiations between the government of Hamid Karzai and the Taliban. While Afghanistan’s constitution guarantees equal rights, advocates fear negotiations will not include minimum standards and an eventual deal to end hostilities will leave parts of the country under Taliban control.
Food shortages are rooted in crisis around the world
Prolonged crises stemming from war, natural disasters and unresponsive government have resulted in chronic shortages of food that render undernourished some 166 million people in 22 countries, a UN report says. The crises that cause food deficits are so entrenched that traditional means of assistance, such as deliveries of food aid and greater access to markets, are ineffective, according to the Food and Agriculture Operation and the World Food Programme.
Children are dying near illegal Nigerian mines
More than 400 children in Nigeria have died from lead poisoning over the past six months, according to an aid agency. A UN report says the deaths are only “the tip of the iceberg” regarding the health effects of illegal gold mining in Zamfara state, where runoff poisoned the soil and water with lead.
Funding gaps threaten progress against malaria
Efforts to control the spread of malaria face significant challenges due to a massive 60% shortfall in available funding, African and British researchers warn in a study published in the Lancet. Only 21 out of 93 African countries have received enough funds to implement or maintain malaria-control programs, and the shortfall threatens to erode gains made against malaria’s spread in recent years, the researchers said.
Angola’s polio woes are an international concern
Angola needs to increase efforts to address a three-year-long polio outbreak that has already crossed the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo and is threatening the country’s other neighbors, the World Health Organization says. The WHO has planned two countrywide vaccination campaigns for October and is urging authorities to express their support.
80% of world is in drinking water jeopardy
Trillions of dollars of investment in dams, canals, aqueducts and pipelines still cannot guarantee safe drinking water for some 80% of the world’s population, according to a study. While such infrastructure is engineered in the best interests of people, the study says it often is detrimental to the environment; developing countries, therefore, should also invest in “natural” options such as protecting watersheds, wetlands and flood plains.
China re-examines one-child policy
China is considering easing the country’s unpopular one-child policy in some districts as a reward for provinces that have successfully controlled population growth, Chinese authorities said Sunday as the country marked the policy’s 30th anniversary. Authorities say the policy has protected China from upheavals related to rapid population growth. Critics charge enforcement has led to abuses such as forced abortions and sterilizations, and left a widening gender gap that will hamper Chinese society in the decades to come.
Malawian chief takes on battle against maternal mortality
The concentrated efforts of a Malawian chief to raise awareness and challenge societal traditions have helped slash the maternal mortality rates in the 89 villages under his control. Chief Kwataine’s maternal-health campaign has directly disputed the local tradition of a woman’s first child being born at home and banned traditional birth attendants to compel families to seek out hospital treatment. The chief hopes successes in his area will convince the government, which is struggling to find a comprehensive strategy to address maternal-mortality rates, to help fund other communities’ efforts.