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Africa\’s population to \’double\’ by 2050

September 16, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Development, People & Society, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Africa\’s population to \’double\’ by 2050

via Africa\’s population to \’double\’ by 2050.

Africa’s population will more than double to 2.4 billion within 40 years, thanks in large part to better healthcare, according to a major study.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is rising faster than the rest of the world because modern medicine and healthcare on the continent means more babies are surviving birth complications, and fewer adults are dying from preventable diseases. But the number of children being conceived is not dropping, or is doing so very slowly.

”This means that population growth rates would naturally rise if birth rates stay as they are,” said Carl Haub, the co-author of the report by the US-based Population Reference Bureau.

African mothers currently give birth to an average of 5.2 children, rising to 7.6 in Niger, the country with the world’s highest fertility rate, which is close to five times the European average of 1.6 children born to each woman…

Europe\’s electronic waste has become Africa\’s burden – The Hindu

August 21, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Development, Gambia, Mo Ibrahim, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Europe\’s electronic waste has become Africa\’s burden – The Hindu

via Europe\’s electronic waste has become Africa\’s burden – The Hindu.

The disposal of computers and other electronic and electrical goods, e-waste, is a growing global problem. In 2011, the world threw away 41.5m tonnes of electrical equipment, and this is expected to rise to 93.5m tonnes by 2016. This is a concern because dumped electronic consumer goods are, essentially, toxic waste.

In the second-hand markets of Lagos, Nigeria, little consideration is given to whether the item is tested or untested due to an abundance of repairers. But equipment shipped here untested is classed as e-waste, and so is in Lagos illegally. It might have been shipped in a container hidden behind working goods, concealed inside a car, or falsely described as a personal item. In many developing countries, e-waste is not treated to the same standard as in developed countries and there is often poor treatment leading to release of hazardous chemicals that can harm both people and the environment…

Lack of leadership in Africa: Ibrahim – Times LIVE

August 21, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Development, Education, Gambia, Mo Ibrahim, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Lack of leadership in Africa: Ibrahim – Times LIVE

via Lack of leadership in Africa: Ibrahim – Times LIVE.

Ibrahim was delivering the annual Nelson Mandela Lecture in Pretoria.

“Leadership is not about bossing people around…it is not about securing a seat in the UN Security Council on behalf of Africa, or chairing the African Union,” he said.

“Leadership is true engagement with Africa. You [South Africa] have a role to play.”

Ibrahim said that half of the continent’s population was below the age of 19, and that African youth could become the best in the future in terms of production.

This was because the population of countries such as China and many European countries were ageing. “But to do that, we need good education and training to equip these youngsters for the future. Through that, Africa can become the future factory of the world.”

Building gender equality into Sierra Leone’s potential – The Irish Times – Mon, Jul 15, 2013

July 16, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Conflict, Gender Equality, peter singhateh, Sierra Leone Leave a comment

Building gender equality into Sierra Leone’s potential – The Irish Times – Mon, Jul 15, 2013

via Building gender equality into Sierra Leone’s potential – The Irish Times – Mon, Jul 15, 2013.

Imagine starting a country from scratch. That’s what it feels like everyone is doing in Sierra Leone, a country now 10 years out of a civil war, but still struggling to restore infrastructure to pre-war levels.

It’s not a disaster zone and it’s not like countries such as Brazil or Nigeria with extremes of wealth and poverty, luxury living and slums. Almost everyone – eight out of 10 – in Sierra Leone is poor according to the UN development index.

That said, the country is bursting with energy and optimism. “Sierra Leone is not going backwards,” says Dr Mohamed Yilla, an obstetrician and country director for Evidence 4 Action, a programme funded by British aid aimed at reducing maternal and baby mortality.

“With the windfall taxes coming from the mines, the potential for improvement is enormous,” he says…

Gamcotrap takes another giant step in stopping FGM – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia

July 9, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Culture & Tradition, FGM, Gambia, peter singhateh 1 Comment

Gamcotrap takes another giant step in stopping FGM – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia

via Gamcotrap takes another giant step in stopping FGM – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia.

The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of women and children (GAMCOTRAP) on 6 July 2013 took yet another bold step towards the fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the country by sensitizing the District of Kombo East, West Coast Region, on the harmfulness of FGM.

The day, which brought together more than hundred participants from villages all over Kombo East District, included community leaders, Imams, alkalos, ward councillors, and the chief of the district.

The occasion also addressed the effects of FGM, the right of children and women among other issues.

Speaking on the occasion, Gamcotrap Executive Director Isatou Touray commended the community of Kombo East for sparing time from their farm work to attend the occasion, and prayed for a fruitful rainy season.

Dr Touray said they had not conducted the occasion to force anyone to abandon FGM, nor were they out to fight religion, culture or tradition. They were instead in to raise awareness on the harmfulness of some traditional practices as well as to promote and protect the rights of women and children, she said.

She emphasised the importance of dialogue and respect for different and divergent opinions…

The curious case of Africa’s Progress and the missing Millennium Development Goals – By Susana Edjang | African Arguments

May 21, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Gambia, MDGs, People & Society, peter singhateh Leave a comment

The curious case of Africa’s Progress and the missing Millennium Development Goals – By Susana Edjang | African Arguments.

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that have driven the global development agenda, since September 2000, when Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, and 191 member states surprised the world by unanimously agreeing and making, the Millennium Declaration.

The Millennium Declaration was both a surprising and encouraging outcome for global progress. Not long before the Millennium Declaration was signed, just the previous year, 1999, world leaders failed to launch “the Millennium Round” of trade negotiations during the Word Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Seattle. High, middle- and low-income countries could not find it in themselves to agree a global trade agenda that would benefit citizens in rich and poorer countries. In contrast, the MDGs were aspirational and unanimously adopted. They presented a vision of the world very difficult to disagree with; a world with less hunger; with education for all, without unnecessary deaths of women and children from diseases and misfortunes that could easily be prevented. Despite this rosy picture, however, the MDGs faced criticism from the start. They were criticised for being too driven by a pro-aid agenda favoured by the “Triad” — the United States, Europe and Japan — that with support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had pushed through the Millennium Declaration. Through aid disbursed to achieve the MDGs, these donor groups were said to increase their influence over national policies in aid recipient countries…

Africa is riskiest place to be born; 1 million babies die on day of birth globally: new report – The Washington Post

May 9, 2013

Peter Singhatey Articles on Africa Africa, Child Mortality, peter singhateh, Save the Children Leave a comment

Africa is riskiest place to be born; 1 million babies die on day of birth globally: new report – The Washington Post.

NAIROBI, Kenya — More than 1 million babies die the day they are born every year, and the 14 countries with the highest rates of first-day deaths are all in Africa, according to a new report released Tuesday.

Somalia, Congo, Mali, Sierra Leone and Central African Republic are the five countries with the highest rates of such deaths, according to the report “Surviving the First Day” from the aid group Save the Children.

Pambazuka – A lethal cocktail for Africa

April 30, 2013

Peter Singhatey African Center for Strategic Studies, Articles on Africa Africa, Development, Gambia, peter singhateh, Proverty Leave a comment

Pambazuka – A lethal cocktail for Africa.

The World Bank’s working definition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is ‘Private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services or undertake community development.’ But many people now ask whether the NGOs that work in Africa are progressively engaged in activities that are developmentally sustainable. And, by the way, how democratic and accountable are the NGOs?