At a time of rising concern over the effects of cyberbullying, new proposals by the Government’s special rapporteur on child protection to criminalise this kind of abusive behaviour are a welcome step in the right direction. Research suggests almost one in five secondary school students have felt bullied or abused online. But pupils, parents and teachers often feel powerless to tackle the problem. Legal difficulties in proving harassment on social networking websites mean there have been relatively few prosecutions to date. The report by Dr Geoffrey Shannon recommends amending existing laws used to combat harassment – the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act – to provide for a specific offence of cyberbullying. Significantly, it also proposes that homophobic bullying in schools should be classified as a child protection issue. This would require schools to address these issues and report them to social services, if necessary…
Dealing with bullies – Political News | Irish & International Politics | The Irish Times – Fri, Jul 12, 2013
July 12, 2013
Research Cyberbulling, Ireland, peter singhateh, Research Leave a comment
Gamcotrap takes another giant step in stopping FGM – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia
July 9, 2013
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…
Modern life means children miss out on pleasures of reading a good book | Books | The Observer
July 9, 2013
Education Education, People & Society, peter singhateh, Research Leave a comment
Modern life means children miss out on pleasures of reading a good book | Books | The Observer
via Modern life means children miss out on pleasures of reading a good book | Books | The Observer.
Hulton Getty
Reading for pleasure is declining among primary-age pupils, and increasing numbers of “time poor” parents are dropping the ritual of sharing bedtime stories with their children once they start school.
Research presented to the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield last week found that, while parents read to pre-schoolers, this later tails off, and by the final year of primary school only around 2% read to their children every day. Once children can read competently, parents tend to step back, and this usually happens at the age of seven or eight.
The report, entitled Is Children’s Reading a Casualty of Modern Life?, also found that 82% of teachers blame the government’s “target-driven” education policies for the fact that fewer children are reading for pleasure…
Obama lands in Africa amid Mandela gloom – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia
June 28, 2013
Uncategorized Africa, Development, Gambia, International Security, peter singhateh Leave a comment
Obama lands in Africa amid Mandela gloom – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia
via Obama lands in Africa amid Mandela gloom – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia.
US President Barack Obama landed in Senegal on Wednesday to begin a long awaited first major tour of Africa with the world preparing to bid a reluctant farewell to Nelson Mandela.
The possibility that the critically ill anti-apartheid icon could fade away within days has sparked uncertainty about Obama’s itinerary.
Plans to visit Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania over the next week could be complicated, shifting the focus of a trip meant to ease the disappointment of Africans who saw expectations for Obama’s presidency fall short…
Angelina Jolie Addresses UN On Sexual Violence
June 26, 2013
African Center for Strategic Studies Africa, Conflict, peter singhateh, Sexual Violence, War Leave a comment
Angelina Jolie Addresses UN On Sexual Violence
via Angelina Jolie Addresses UN On Sexual Violence.
The actress, a goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the Security Council had witnessed 67 years of war and conflict since it was established, but warzone rape had yet to be treated as a “serious priority”.
She told the council: “You set the bar. If the … council sets rape and sexual violence in conflict as a priority it will become one and progress will be made.
“If you do not, this horror will continue.”…
Fighting female genital mutilation in Africa – Features – Al Jazeera English
June 18, 2013
African Center for Strategic Studies Africa, FGM, Gambia, People & Society, peter singhateh, WHO Leave a comment
Fighting female genital mutilation in Africa – Features – Al Jazeera English.
On the International Day of the African Child, the suffering caused by female genital mutilation is under the spotlight with the controversial practice widely condemned by rights and health organisations.
According to the World Health Organisation , there are about 140 million girls and women around the world currently living with the consequences of the practice. The majority of these females are in Africa, where it is routinely done in 28 countries.
An estimated 101 million girls 10 years old and above have undergone varying forms of genital mutilation in Africa. A study by child rights and development organisation Plan International in Mali in 2010 found more than half of all fathers and one-third of mothers wanted their girls excised…
Facebook agrees to help schools tackle cyberbullies
June 7, 2013
Cyberbulling Cyberbulling, Education, Facebook, peter singhateh Leave a comment
Facebook agrees to help schools tackle cyberbullies.
A deal was brokered at a meeting between senior Facebook executives and officials at the Department of Education.
Facebook has been under growing pressure after a number of disturbing incidents where students or teachers were targeted on social media sites.
In one case earlier this year, Facebook repeatedly refused to remove an offensive photograph and text casting a slur on a teacher at the second-level Colaiste Chiarain, Croom, Co Limerick, stating that it did not believe it violated its standards on bullying and harassment.
Secrets of Their Success – Finance & Development, June 2013
June 4, 2013
Banking & Finance Development, Finance, peter singhateh Leave a comment
Secrets of Their Success – Finance & Development, June 2013.
Five women leaders share the stories of how they got ahead
Across the globe, few women make it to top executive positions. Even as universities in many parts of the world are turning out more female than male graduates, there is still a troubling gender gap among those in positions of power. According to a 2009 study by the Harvard Business Review, only 1.5 percent of the chief executive officers of the world’s top performing companies that year were women.
It’s all the more interesting, then, to take a closer look at the few who have managed to beat the odds. F&D spoke with five women leaders to see what they consider the crucial ingredients of their success…
Peter "Just Loves Flying" 
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