Activists Fight Against Female Circumcision. [Burkina Faso] Activists in Burkina Faso are marking the 16th anniversary of their campaign to end the practice of female genital mutilation. Though progress has been made, many young girls still undergo the dangerous operation, which is banned by law. A rap song by the Burkinabe group Sofa tells the story of a young girl who has undergone the practice of female genital mutilation. She suffers. She cries, the song says. It hurts when she makes love. Activists and health officials gathered Monday in the town of Yako for Burkina Faso's national day against female genital mutilation (FGM).The practice involves the cutting away of young girls external genitalia. Risks include bleeding to death, infection, stunted growth, and complications during childbirth. In 1996, Burkina Faso passed a law banning female genital mutilation. An anonymous hot line was set up to report incidents and hundreds of practitioners have been successfully prosecuted. Burkina Faso's first lady, Chantal Compaore, says much progress against FGM has been made in her country. We have arrived at a stage where we can actually carry out surgery to repair some of the harmful effects of the FGM, she says. This is something we must encourage.

UNIFEM to Join African Union Committee of Inquiry on Allegations of Sexual Misconduct by Forces. [Darfir] The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) will participate in the African Union's (AU) newly established Committee of Inquiry, following recent reports in the news media of alleged sexual violence, including rape and child abuse, by AU forces in Darfur. Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, Head of the AU Mission in Sudan and Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, said that setting up the Committee was an immediate response to the news reports, which first aired in a British Television Channel Four documentary. According to Kingibe, the Committee will examine the contents of the documentary and establish its veracity or otherwise, identify those responsible for the violations and make recommendations on appropriate sanctions, in conformity with the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women, which came into force in 2005. The Committee of Inquiry is headed by Winnie Byanyima, Director for Women, Gender and Development of the AU Commission, the secretariat and executive body of the 53 African member state grouping. h

Obstruction, Violence Worsening Crisis. [Darfur] Obstruction by the Sudanese government and increased violence from both rebels and Khartoum forces are worsening the humanitarian situation in the western region of Darfur, the U.N's Jan Egeland said on Friday. Access for aid workers in Darfur is at its worst level for two years, the United Nations' top humanitarian official said in an article sent to media organisations on Friday. "I first spoke to the U.N. Security Council on Darfur two years ago, calling it ethnic cleansing of the worst kind. Today, I could simply hit the rewind button on much of that earlier briefing," he wrote. Egeland's comments came as Khartoum and the main Darfur rebel faction accepted a peace agreement to try to put an end to three years of fighting in Sudan's vast west. But two other rebel factions rejected the deal, casting doubt on whether it would end the bloodshed. Egeland said aid workers in the remote region have made huge strides since 2004, reducing death rates by two-thirds among Darfur's 2 million displaced. "Today, however, these lifesaving achievements are being swept away by increased violence by all sides, and increased obstructionism by the government of Sudan," Egeland said. In northern and western Darfur, aid workers could reach only 40 percent of civilians in need of help due to mounting insecurity, he said, adding that better access hinged on cooperation with the Sudanese government and rebels. "Unfortunately, we have encountered only the opposite," he said. Last month Khartoum blocked Egeland from visiting Darfur, which he says was to stop him seeing the conditions for himself. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour was allowed to visit Darfur this week. She described the situation as "poor, bad and very alarming" and said sexual violence against women was on the rise.

Female U-20 Survives Nigeria Onslaught. [Liberia] The Liberia National Female U-20 on Saturday survived the onslaught of their more illustrious Nigerian counterpart when they snatched draw from the Nigeria's anticipated victory. The intriguing battle, which was played at a packed Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS), was the first leg of the third and final round of the FIFA Women qualifiers to see who books one of the two African tickets to the U-20 Women World Cup in Russia in August 2006. Liberia's Decontee Syon's own goal after 67 minutes sent the visitors in a buoyant mood. But Christina Myers soon silenced them when she turned the sorrow of many Liberians in to joy; thanks to a terrific volley against the run of play two minutes later. But due credit for host's draw must go to their eccentric goalie Mamie Karmara, who stood between the Nigerians and total disgrace. The promising goalie made more than twelve nerve wrecking saves to deny the adventurous Nigerians, in a virtually one sided contest the visitors enjoyed a lion share of possession with most part of the game being played in the half of the female Lone Star. 

It is Not Possible to Have Female President. [Nigeria] I don’t believe we are ripe for woman president. I don’t want to sound like a chauvinist, but I must tell you that what happened in Liberia is not likely to happen in Nigeria in the nearest future because Nigerian men are egocentric, self-centred and sometimes, we are African people to the core. We are talking of African culture whereby the husband is regarded as head of the house. Even in a situation where the woman is economically empowered, she still remains subservient to the husband. Even if she has all the money in the world, she remains subservient to the husband. To that extent, I don’t think Nigerian men will allow such a situation to happen in the country.

Bodies of Three Women Found in Mamelodi. [South Africa] Bodies of three women were found dumped behind a shopping complex in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria on Monday, police reported. Spokesperson Brenda Kgafela said all three were possibly raped before being killed and dumped there as they had only tops on. They were estimated to be between 17 and 20. "One of the women had her hands and legs tied behind her back and the others had only their hands tied," said Kgafela. She said the bodies were found at 8.30am behind the Phela-ke-phele shopping complex at C5 Block L, by passers-by, who alerted the police. The bodies were apparently dumped there during the night as they have not decomposed, said Kgafela. A white substance was coming out of the mouth of one of the women.

The 'She Asked For It' Defense Wins. [South Africa] The judge in the rape case ruled that the sex was consensual between Zuma, who is 64, and the 31-year-old daughter of one of his former comrades. But during the trial he admitted to behavior so irresponsible that his future political activity deserves to be limited to voting. Where do we begin? Zuma said that his accuser indicated that she wanted sex by the way she sat while wearing a knee-length skirt - an idea he repeated Tuesday - and that it was his duty as a man to accommodate her. He said he had not used a condom to have sex with the woman even though he knew she was HIV-positive because he thought the risk of catching the AIDS virus was low. He said he had chosen instead to shower after sex to minimize the risk of infection. Mind you, this is the man who once led the country's National AIDS Council. Unfortunately, Zuma's views and conduct are not rare in South Africa. Health officials say a sense of male entitlement to sex is a major contributor to the country's high rape rates. The first sexual experience is coerced for one in four women. Rape often occurs within families, and there is tremendous family pressure on girls not to report it. In addition, students report that many teachers demand sex for good grades. Male sexual attitudes also fuel South Africa's AIDS epidemic. Zuma's shower comment, which he justified Tuesday, lighted up the phone banks at AIDS hot lines with callers hopeful that post-coital showering could prevent HIV infections.

SACP Attacks Mbeki Over Female Successor Issue. [South Africa] In a direct attack on President Thabo Mbeki, the South African Communist Party (SACP) says it is premature to discuss a female successor, as it could be seen as attempt to an exclude other possible candidates. "The atmosphere is poison, no matter how genuine the call about a woman as president. It's interpreted in a particular way that you are trying to block a particular candidate. The question relating to the deputy president has caused stress in the organization,” says Blade Nzimande, the SACP general secretary. The SACP criticised the presidency, saying it is too powerful and centralised, emasculating Parliament.

'Carpet Grades' Are Target of Bias Policy. [Uganda] The miniskirts worn by undergraduates at Makerere University have been blamed for everything from AIDS to the disintegration of the African family. That's one reason why eyebrows were raised when a handful of activists suggested that young female college students were more often victims, thanks to their sexuality, than the other way around.The practice of male lecturers at Makerere demanding sex from female students in exchange for diplomas and "carpet" grades--indicating where the transaction takes place--is well known. But recently, some administrators and women's advocates at the university quietly drafted a sexual harassment policy to address the problem. If it is approved--which could happen as soon as May--it would be among the first of its kind in an African institution of higher learning. Karuhanga attributes the problem to Uganda's deeply patriarchal culture, which still teaches that men are superior and allowed to demand what they want. In the tradition of the Baganda, Uganda's largest tribe, young girls learn about sex from sengas, or aunts. Today, professional sengas go door to door in the dormitories at Makerere, selling advice, love potions and charms. They also teach that a proper wife is submissive to her husband. Tradition discourages women from speaking out against ill treatment by men.