Child soldiers and children orphaned by violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being given the opportunity to heal and learn in UNICEF-backed schools. United Nations officials estimate there are tens of thousands of children caught up in the country’s conflict.
Cholera strikes rural Haiti
A deadly outbreak of cholera is responsible for the deaths of more than 138 people in rural Haiti some 10 months after the earthquake that devastated much of the country. The outbreak is centered in the rural Artibonite region, where thousands of refugees have gathered since the January quake. This is the first reported epidemic of cholera in Haiti since the 1960s.
UN charts progress on gender gaps
Around the world, the gender gap between women and men is closing in areas such as health and education, but increased efforts are needed to address gaps in public life and gender-based violence, the United Nations says in a new report, the World’s Women 2010. Primary school education is now even for boys and girls, and women now make up the majority of those seeking higher education, the report found, even though the majority of females still earn less than their male counterparts.
Malaria deaths in India exceed estimates
New research shows that deaths in India from malaria outpace World Health Organization estimates by at least 13 times. Field workers, who placed the figure at 200,000 deaths annually, interviewed families at their homes because most deaths in India occur at home, without medical supervision.
Tibetans protest against language curbs in Chinese schools
Students demonstrate against reforms which order all subjects, except Tibetan language and English, to be taught in Chinese
UN: Increase effort on gender-based violence
Efforts to protect women and girls from wartime abuses and neglect have grown since the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling on combatants to protect against gender-based violence, but more needs to be done to ensure long-term recovery for victims, the UN Population Fund says in a new report. Governments around the world have increased trainings on prevention and treatment, and increased support for victims of abuse, but sexual violence remains a powerful weapon in conflict zones, according to the report.