News headlines in 2009, page 42
BOLIVIA: Women Clamour for Right to Land
- Inter Press Service
Despite major advances in land distribution in Bolivia, single, widowed and undocumented women in this South American country have little chances of owning rural lands due to the patriarchal traditions and customary practices of indigenous peoples, in violation of international instruments and conventions protecting women’s rights.
HONDURAS: Miracle in the Mangrove Forest
- Inter Press Service
The beating sun in southern Honduras doesn't stop a group of women from throwing themselves into the task of protecting and recuperating a mangrove forest on the Pacific coast.
BALKANS: Apologising to Sterilised Roma Women - Slovakia's Turn
- Inter Press Service
Rights activists are hoping a landmark announcement by the Czech government regretting forced sterilisation of Roma women in the past will push politicians in neighbouring Slovakia to follow suit.
RIGHTS: U.S. Military Unveils New Prison in Afghanistan
- Inter Press Service
The U.S. military has announced the opening of a new prison on Bagram Air Base. The prison, costing 60 million dollars, will hold up to 1,100 prisoners at any one time.
CLIMATE CHANGE: China’s Carbon Commitment—Low But Sure
- Inter Press Service
China and the United States are wrestling to claim leadership during the upcoming climate change talks in Copenhagen, unveiling proposals to cut greenhouse gases one after the other this week and setting the stage for some tough negotiations. But gauntlets thrown, both face challenges in achieving their pledged targets.
ROMANIA: Business Crowds Out Bucharest Life
- Inter Press Service
Competing with the destruction caused by former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s ‘systematisation’ plans might be hard. But an official report says that 'the aggression on Bucharest’s architectural heritage, documented since 1989, exceeds Ceausescu’s acts.’’
SRI LANKA: The Long Road to Normalcy in War-Ravaged Zones
- Inter Press Service
Despite the recent accelerated return of tens of thousands of war-displaced civilians to their former villages in northern Sri Lanka and the impending relaxation of further restrictions, aid agencies say far more efforts are needed to help the civilian population regain normalcy lost to decades of conflict.
BRAZIL: Development Bank Funds Destructive Projects, Say Activists
- Inter Press Service
Public money in Brazil is being used by the state development bank to finance deforestation projects and others that trample rights, concentrate wealth, and encourage 'imperialist' expansion of large national companies, according to activists at a three-day meeting in this southeastern city.
POLITICS-NAMIBIA: SWAPO’s Dominance Challenged
- Inter Press Service
'Man RDP!' sighs Martha Hamukoto, sitting on the steps of a Windhoek office block. She is lamenting the breakaway faction, the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP). The party formed after a split with the ruling party almost two years ago and will be contesting the elections for the first time this year.
POLITICS-NAMIBIA: 'Parties Totally Don't Care About Women's Rights'
- Inter Press Service
Gender activists foresee a drop in female parliamentarians after Namibia’s general and presidential elections on November 27 and 28. It’s a trend that jeopardises the region’s goal of 50 percent female representation in politics by 2015.