Executive summary

Reproductive choice and women’s empowerment

31 Oct 2011 17:29 Source: Alertnet // George Esunge Fominyen

By George Esunge Fominyen

DAKAR (AlertNet) – Thousands of women and girls who have been abducted by armed groups, enslaved and repeatedly raped during conflicts across Africa are left without support when the war ends, experts say.

After the bullets have stopped flying, peacekeepers and governments focus on disarming fighters – who are usually men and boys - and helping them to return home and reintegrate into their communities.

FLORENCE-BOSTON, 9 March 2010 - The systematic use and abuse of children in conflicts across the world has continued, unabated, over the past 20 years, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said today. Grave violations which persist against girls and boys include murder, rape, assault, sexual slavery and forced recruitment.

Speaking at the launch of the UNICEF-Harvard University publication, Children and Transitional Justice: Truth-Telling, Accountability and Reconciliation, the Nobel Laureate said that "the

Summary

In its resolution 2009/20, the Economic and Social Council requested the Secretary-General to submit a report on the social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), to be presented for consideration during the forty-eighth session of the Commission for Social Development, while also taking into consideration

Concerns

Children are frequently the most at risk when they and their families are displaced by conflict or natural disaster. In conflict settings, children have become easy targets for recruitment

The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 58/127 of 19 December 2003 and focuses on progress achieved from mid-August 2003 to mid-August 2004 in implementing the 6 strategic goals and 48 objectives of the revised United Nations mine action strategy for 2001-2005 (A/58/260 and Add.1).

Progress has been made in the following areas:

(a) Improving the assessment of situations in mine affected countries. Assessment missions were carried out in Liberia, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda;

(b) Improving capacity to respond to

Lack of security, law and order in many parts of Liberia is still hampering humanitarian operations in the country. Despite these constraints, UNHCR and its partners continue to work where we can. Following last week's huge displacement along the Totota