By: Julius Bizimungu First Lady Jeannette Kagame and other representatives of governments and international organisations who attended the just concluded Transform Africa Summit have expressed the need for strategic interventions to bridge the gender digital divide. They were speaking during the inaugural Smart Africa Women’s Summit at the three-day Transform Africa Summit which concluded yesterday in Kigali. Mrs. Kagame said that Smart Africa goals cannot be achieved without the involvement of women and girls and that to achieve it concerted efforts of all parties are required. “We, as citizens of the world, are called to leverage our diverse positions to join governmental and non-governmental efforts for the inclusion of women and girls in the heart of the current ICT revolution,” she said. The First Lady congratulated all the participants that made it possible to draft the Smart Africa Women Declaration which is set for implementation, adding that she looked forward…

Nuclear scientist Kára McCullough was crowned Miss USA. The Washington D.C. native also had some words to speak on feminism, including her views on the state of women in science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM). Answering a question about what she thinks of feminism, McCullough surprised more than a few listeners. “As a woman scientist in the government, I’ve liked to lately transpose the word ‘feminism’ to ‘equalism,’” she stated. “I try not to consider myself, like, ‘Oh I don’t really care about men [feminist].’” “But one thing I’m going to say is,” McCullough stressed, “women we are just as equal to men when it comes opportunity in the workplace. And I say first-hand, I have witnessed the impact that women have in leadership in the medical sciences as well as just in the office environment. So, as Miss USA, I would hope to promote that type of leadership responsibility…

By: Zahraa Alkhalisi Saudi Arabia is taking steps to give women more freedom as it seeks to overhaul its economy. King Salman has ordered a review of laws that still make it hard for many women to work, travel, undergo medical procedures and go to university without the permission of a male relative or spouse, human rights organizations said this week. The review could last three months. “The order, if adequately enforced, could end arbitrary guardian consent requirements imposed on women by government officials,” Human Rights Watch said Tuesday. The Saudi government has not yet published an official decree setting out in detail which laws could be eased, and there have been conflicting reports in Saudi media. That likely reflects the very sensitive nature of any such change. Deputy crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman is leading a bold plan to break the kingdom’s reliance on oil, which requires a…

A woman who was arrested on charges of entering the UAE illegally through a border has been languishing in a Dubai jail for three years after two East European countries refused to allow her entry. The Dubai Human Rights is seeking to resolve the issue and has approached the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Brigadier Dr. Mohammed Al Murr, Director of General Department of the Human Rights of Dubai Police, said that the Dubai Human Rights is in touch with a number of consulates of these countries. The UNHCR is also currently in contact with concerned Abu Dhabi authorities to find a solution to the problem. Al Murr said in 2011, the 27-year-old entered the country on a tourist visa, using the passport of an East European country. She did not leave the UAE even after her visa expired, and was arrested and deported. In 2014, she entered…

Details from Datafolha’s latest study, “Visible and Invisible: The Mistreatment of Women in Brazil,” reveal that roughly 12,000 women are victims of some form of violence each day in Brazil. Each hour some 503 women are victims of a moral offense, physical violence or unwanted touching. Two out of three Brazilians have witnessed these acts and other forms of aggression against women. The most common form of harassment, according to the survey, is disrespectful comments on the streets. The study was commissioned by the Brazilian Forum of Public Safety and undertaken between February 11 and 17. Approximately 2,000 people were surveyed, of which over 1,000 were women. Ben Hur Viza, a federal district judge ruling on cases of violence against women, stated that oftentimes victims don’t file reports due to fear of being considered culpable or blamed for the attack. “Why did he attack you? Why didn’t you say no…

By: Miracle Nwankwo Adi Godrej has recently handed over his company to the second of his three children after nurturing the company for 17 years. The executive officer of Godrej Group flagship firm, Godrej Consumer Products is now the 39 year old Nasiba Godrej. The hardworking man retires leaving his children, Tanya Dubash his eldest daughter as Executive Director and Chief Brand Officer of the Godrej Group, and his only son Pirojsha Godrej as Executive Chairman of Godrej Properties. Nasiba a graduate of Harvard University was considered the rightful candidate to succeed her father who now retires as the Executive Chairperson of Godrej Group’s flagship firm, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL). This change in baton took place on the 10 of May 2017 in Mumbai, India. Nisa as she is fondly called is known to be hard working and known for her beauty and brain. She is effective and…

Bangladeshi Mahfuza Akhter Kiron has been elected to the Fifa council but struggled to name the current women’s world champions in a disastrous interview The newly elected representative for Asian football on the Fifa council has been heavily criticized after failing to name the current women’s world champions. Mahfuza Akhter Kiron overcame the prominent women’s football advocate Moya Dodd in a bid to gain a place on Fifa’s ruling body on Monday. Kiron beat Dodd by 27 votes to 17 after two other candidates for the woman’s slot representing Asia on the Fifa Council withdrew before the ballot. And Kiron’s term has begun on a controversial note after she struggled to name the current world champions when interviewed by the BBC’s World Service. When asked, Kiron answered “Korea” followed by “Japan”, before finally settling on the correct answer: the USA. “This is very disappointing,” said two-time World Cup winner Carli…