BEKARREDAR: Campaigners on Tuesday are marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for female genital mutilation. Nearly 200 million women around the world live with its effects, the United Nations says.
In Ethiopia, as many as three-quarters of women and girls live with the painful and sometimes life-threatening practice. One hospital deep in the Afar desert region struggles to help them.
Here, many girls undergo the removal of external genitalia and sewing-up of their vagina before they reach their first birthday.
Addu Abdala Dubba used to perform circumcisions. It gave her a sense of purpose. She thought it helped women remain faithful in marriage.
But after attending government trainings, she says “I now understand this practice is wrong and it can destroy a child’s future.”
Now she is a midwife instead.
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Female genital mutilation continues as change comes slowly
Female genital mutilation continues as change comes slowly
South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
- South Africa to withdraw its troops from UN peacekeeping mission in Congo
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa will withdraw its troops from the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement late on Saturday.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
Ramaphosa has told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the decision, which was influenced by the need to “realign” the resources of South Africa’s armed forces, the statement said.
South Africa has supported UN peacekeeping efforts in Congo for 27 years and has more than 700 soldiers deployed there.
The UN mission had a total of nearly 11,000 troops and police deployed when its mandate was extended in December.
The UN mission’s mandate is to counter the many rebel groups active in Congo’s restive east, where conflict has raged for decades and where there has been a recent escalation in fighting.
“South Africa will work jointly with the UN to finalize the timelines and other modalities of the withdrawal, which will be completed before the end of 2026,” the statement added.
South Africa will continue to maintain close bilateral ties with Congo’s government and support other multilateral efforts to bring lasting peace to Congo, Ramaphosa’s office said.
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