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Dismiss Grannies at Your Peril!

"Dismiss ‘grannies’ as frail old biddies at your peril: they’re some of the toughest activists out there."

In an opinion piece in The Guardian, writer Sally Feldman challenges "granny" stereotypes and highlights the contributions of older women activists around the world. 

Read her feisty and inspiring article here.

National debt is quietly jeopardizing the futures of millions of Africans

"Africa’s growing debt problem risks reversing decades of progress, pushing millions of people into poverty, and setting off political instability.... Fortunately, it’s a problem with known solutions."

In its weekly Aftershocks newsletter, ONE Campaign outlines the current state of debt in Africa and presents two solutions to this growing problem. 

Click here to read more.

World Malaria Day 2024 - Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world

Despite being preventable and treatable, malaria kills nearly half a million people and infects over 200 million worldwide every year – 70 per cent of whom are children under five years old. 

Why are young children, pregnant women, and other groups in vulnerable situations not accessing the malaria services they need? On World Malaria Day 2024, the World Health Organization is highlighting barriers to health equity, gender equality, and human rights in malaria responses worldwide – as well as concrete measures to overcome them.

Click here to read more.

 

Standing Up for Human Rights in the Okavango Delta

"ReconAfrica's oil exploration activities have damaged homes, devastated subsistence crops, and destroyed land, illegally and without the consent of local Indigenous communities. They’ve demonstrated a complete lack of concern for the impact that their actions have on the fundamental rights of the local communities and the protected species will be driven closer to extinction." – Rob Parker, member of Saving Okavango's Unique Life (SOUL)

After years of persistent advocacy by GRAN and partners, a formal complaint against the Canadian oil and gas company Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (ReconAfrica) has now been lodged with the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), alleging human rights abuses in Namibia.  

This complaint to the Ombudsperson is a critical step in protecting the ecologically sensitive Okavango Delta region and the rights of Indigenous small-scale farmers and fishers who live and work within it. Click here to learn more about this important human rights case and the GRAN partner organizations that are working to protect the Okavango Delta and its people.

 

Canada Announces Increased Spending for Humanitarian Aid

Tuesday’s federal Budget contained a modest increase to Canada’s investment in humanitarian assistance. This was welcomed by Canadian civil society organizations, and was especially good to see, given the very concerning recent cuts to foreign aid by other G7 countries such as France and the UK.  

Click here to read further analysis, and comments from International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen and NDP foreign affairs and international development critic Heather McPherson.

 

Canada Announces over $142 Million in Funding to Support Health Systems in the DRC and Benin

“Canada’s ongoing support for gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, a greener economy and economic resilience in Africa is unwavering. My recent visit to Benin and the Democratic Republic of Congo brought visibility to our shared goals and was a reminder of how together, we continue to work toward a more equitable future for all.” -- Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development

Click here to read the Global Affairs Canada news release for details about the projects this funding will support.

Older Women Prevail in Landmark Climate Case

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Tuesday in favour of a group of more than 2000 older women from Switzerland who had argued that their government's inadequate efforts to combat climate change put them at risk of dying during heat waves. The European court's decision could have a ripple effect across Europe and beyond, setting a precedent for how some courts deal with the rising tide of climate litigation argued on the basis of human rights infringements. Click here to read more.

Carbon Pricing and the Affordability Crisis: Fact and Fiction

Tremendous politicized hype and disinformation have been hitting the airwaves and social media lately around Canada's climate policies and, in particular, carbon pricing. Climate policies have nothing to do with the economic hardships Canadians are facing, yet some Canadian politicians are ignoring the real causes of the cost of living crisis and scapegoating carbon pricing to score political points. It is so important that these "bad faith" attacks on carbon pricing be countered with correct information, and that stronger action be taken to address the cost of living concerns of Canadians. Climate Action Network has issued a statement correcting the disinformation and suggesting policies that will tackle the climate and affordability crises simultaneously. GRAN has signed on to the statement. To read it, click here.  Please consider sharing it broadly with your networks.

 

IWD March 8

 
“To support women’s health, we need to protect women’s rights.  And to protect women’s rights we need to support the women frontline defenders of these rights.” --  Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director
UNAIDS’ call this International Women’s Day is to protect women’s and girls’ health and to protect women’s and girls’ rights. In doing so, the world will end AIDS, and will overcome the inequalities driving it.
Click here to read UNAIDS’ statement for International Women’s Day and do not miss the hard-hitting and inspiring 5-minute video message from UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima provided at the end of the statement.

 

MSF Holds UN Security Council to Account on Suffering in Gaza

“Meeting after meeting, resolution after resolution, this body has failed to effectively address this conflict. We have watched members of this Council deliberate and delay while civilians die. This death, destruction, and forced displacement are the result of military and political choices that blatantly disregard civilian lives. These choices could have been—and still can be—made very differently.” – Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General MSF

In a searing address to the UN Security Council yesterday, Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza and the protection of medical facilities, staff, and patients.

“We demand the protections promised under humanitarian law.
We demand a ceasefire from both parties.
We demand the space to turn the illusion of aid to meaningful assistance.
What will you do to make this happen?”

 Click here to read more and to listen to Lockyear’s impassioned address.

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Dismiss Grannies at Your Peril!

Aug 20, 2024

"Dismiss ‘grannies’ as frail old biddies at your peril: they’re some of the toughest activists out there." In an opinion piece in The Guardian, writer Sally Feldman challenges "granny" stereotypes... Read more