Source: Government of Qatar
Doha | February 09, 2026
HE Secretary-General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi met on Monday with HE Ambassador of Georgia to the State of Qatar Varlam Avaliani.
During the meeting, they discussed cooperation relations between the two countries.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – French
Le Président de la République du Burundi, Son Excellence Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, a reçu en audience, ce lundi 9 février 2026, au Palais Présidentiel Ntare Rushatsi, l’Honorable Fatuma Zainab Mohammed, députée kényane élue de la circonscription de Migori County et envoyée spéciale du Président de la République du Kenya, Son Excellence William Ruto.
L’Honorable Fatuma Zainab Mohammed était porteuse d’un message de fraternité de la part du Président kényan à son homologue burundais, lui adressant ses vœux de prospérité ainsi que de renforcement des relations bilatérales entre le Burundi et le Kenya, et de la coopération au niveau régional.
Outre ces vœux de fraternité et de consolidation des relations bilatérales et régionales, l’envoyée spéciale du Président kényan a également transmis un message dans lequel Son Excellence William Ruto félicite par anticipation son homologue burundais, Son Excellence Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, à la veille de sa prise de fonction à la présidence de l’Union africaine.
Hon. Fatuma Zainab Mohammed a par ailleurs indiqué être venue s’inspirer de l’expérience du Burundi en matière de maturité politique, notamment en ce qui concerne la liberté d’expression, l’organisation des élections et la bonne cohabitation entre les différents partis politiques, y compris ceux de l’opposition, dans un contexte où le Burundi et le Kenya s’apprêtent à organiser des élections l’année prochaine.
Considérant que le Burundi est aujourd’hui un pays stable, consolidé sur le plan du leadership et respecté pour l’unité qui caractérise son peuple, la personnalité kényane a souligné l’intérêt de s’inspirer du modèle burundais fondé sur la cohésion nationale et l’engagement collectif pour bâtir un pays prospère.
De son côté, le Chef de l’État burundais Son Excellence Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE a partagé avec son hôte plusieurs expériences tirées du vécu des Burundais, notamment en ce qui concerne les responsabilités nationales des leaders, insistant sur le fait que tout dirigeant doit d’abord faire preuve d’exemplarité au niveau familial.
L’Honorable députée kényane, Fatuma Zainab Mohammed, n’a pas manqué de saluer la politique du Président burundais visant à accorder une place importante à la femme dans les instances de prise de décision, une orientation clairement consacrée par la Constitution de la République du Burundi.
Cette audience augure ainsi des retombées positives, dans la mesure où le Burundi est aujourd’hui perçu comme un pays modèle dont plusieurs nations viennent s’inspirer des bonnes pratiques, grâce au leadership éclairé de Son Excellence Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE.
Distribué par APO Group pour Présidence de la République du Burundi.
Source: APO
South Sudan’s sustained cholera outbreak response has reduced new cases and prevented around 94 000 deaths since the confirmation of the outbreak more than two years ago in September 2024.
Working with government departments, World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, the Ministry of Health in South Sudan activated a multisectoral response within 24 hours of outbreak confirmation. The result of which is a drop in the number of new cholera cases from an average of 1000 at the peak of the outbreak in December 2024 to 114 in the last week of September 2025. The number of affected counties has dropped from 55 to 12 in the same reporting period and the outbreak is now restricted to 29 out of 517 payams (administrative divisions).
At the outset, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre reactivated national rapid response teams. These seven-member teams were deployed to counties to conduct investigations, assess county capacity to manage the outbreak and recommend additional capacity to be filled with surge deployments.
Rapid responders conducted one-week deployments to 45 of the 55 cholera affected counties. In 25 counties that needed additional support, teams were deployed for an average of four weeks. Key response areas include treatment, laboratory, infection prevention control, improving water sanitation and hygiene, as well as risk communications and community engagement.
The country stepped up disease surveillance in cholera-affected areas, including training of all state and county surveillance officers on use of cholera rapid diagnostic tests and provision of thereof. These tests were used for at least 5‒10 acute watery diarrhoea cases detected in the early days of each week. Disease surveillance also includes active search for cases and deaths through additional outreach workers in high-risk communities, for example, among refugee and internally displaced populations.
Treatment has been strengthened through rapid expansion of treatment sites, community training, prepositioned supplies and improved clinical care for severe dehydration—reflected in modest but important reductions in facility-based deaths. In total, health authorities established19 cholera treatment centres and 88 cholera treatment units across the country, expanding access to points of care for mild to severe cases. In addition, previously nonfunctional units, for example, at Nasir County Hospital, were reopened to restore local inpatient capacity.
The Ministry of Health and county health departments, with WHO technical support, trained boma (community) health workers to manage mild cases in remote and hard-to-reach areas and established 102 oral rehydration points across the country, improving early rehydration and referral.
Oral cholera vaccination campaigns have been completed in 46 of 48 targeted counties with a total of 8.6 million vaccines administered (87% coverage of the targeted population). Mop-up campaigns have also been conducted in 11 counties, reaching 234 000 people (98% coverage of the targeted population who may have missed a vaccine in the initial campaign). South Sudan is currently conducting a post-campaign coverage survey to document reasons for missed vaccination to improve future campaigns.
Throughout the outbreak, WHO has supported the Ministry of Health by strengthening and standardizing surveillance practices, laboratory testing protocols and case management guidelines, planning and implementation of the oral cholera vaccination campaigns and multimedia risk communication and community engagement.
WHO has also provided critical input into the establishment and operations of cholera treatment centres and helped coordinate response operations through the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre. The Organization also distributed around 80 metric tonnes of emergency health supplies, which increased the country’s capacity to treat up to 88 000 severe and mild cases.
Dr Kennedy Ganiko, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, notes the scale of the collective effort. “Oral cholera vaccination in 46 counties, improved treatment and testing algorithms, strengthened infection prevention and control, water, sanitation and hygiene and expanded surveillance have helped protect communities and save lives,” he says, calling for sustained commitment until transmission is interrupted.
This is largest and longest cholera outbreak since independence in 2011. The outbreak began in Renk, a border town receiving large numbers of returnees and refugees fleeing conflict in neighbouring Sudan, where cholera transmission was already ongoing. Population movements contributed to the rapid spread of the disease.
At the height of transmission, between September 2024 and January 2025, the country reported more than 27 000 cases and 472 deaths across 40 counties. To date, nearly 70 000 additional suspected cases and more than 1100 deaths have been recorded. High-density areas hosting displaced populations have been particularly affected and the scale and duration of the outbreak exerted further pressure on an already fragile health system.
The strains on the health system include multiple disease outbreaks and climate-related emergencies, including floods that affected 63 health facilities and displaced around 230 000 people. This is in a context of a protracted humanitarian crisis, economic crisis exacerbated by a constrained donor environment, weak transport infrastructure and restricted access in some areas.
“South Sudan’s experience highlights the importance of sustained investment in preparedness, early detection and rapid response to infectious disease threats,” says Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative in South Sudan. “Continued support to recovery and resilience are the only tools to strengthen health systems for effective detection timely response in future cholera outbreaks and reducing their impact.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – South Sudan.
Source: APO
WHO Representative, Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, joins the Health Minister, Honorable Anil Kumar Bacchoo in the sensitization march on 3 February 2025 to commemorate World Cancer Day. The Junior Minister of Health and Wellness, Honourable Anishta Babooram, Junior Minister of Finance, Honourable Dhaneshwar Damry, Honourable Dr Babita Thannoo, Member of Parliament, students from the University of Mauritius and SSR medical college, and other distinguished guests join the walk to show their commitment and support in the fight of cancer.
Under the blazing sun, university students, women, survivors, NGOs and civil society walk from N. Soonarane Gymnasium in Quatre Bornes, to the Paul Octave Wiehe Auditorium in Réduit holding banners and health messages under the 2025‒2027 campaign theme “United by Unique” – underlining the people-centred health systems that recognize every person has a unique cancer journey.
“Lung and breast cancers remain the most diagnosed among men and women, respectively. Adopting healthy lifestyles and prioritizing early detection are essential to reduce suffering and save lives,’” underscores the Hon Anil Kumar Bachoo, Minister of Health and Wellness. Before he launches the National Cancer Registry for 2024, Hon Bacchoo highlights that there is 18% increase in cancer cases compared to 2023 – with 3362 new cases recorded and 13% of total deaths in 2024 caused by cancer. Behind the statistics, there are people, fathers, mothers, children, families, says the health minister.
Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, WHO Representative in Mauritius, during his address, emphasizes:
“Cancer has emerged as a major public health and economic challenge, with breast and cervical cancers accounting for the highest number of cancer-related deaths. Cases in Mauritius have more than doubled over the past two decades. WHO remains committed to supporting Mauritius through prevention, early detection, physical activity and innovation.”
Professor Mohammad Issack Santally, Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Mauritius reiterates the commitment and collaboration of the University of Mauritius in promoting community engagement. “Our collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness through medical programmes and hospital placements reflects our dedication to strengthening the fight against cancer and supporting the nation’s health priorities”, he adds.
Key Highlights
• Launch of the Cancer Registry Report 2024.
• Nationwide breast and cervical cancer screening campaign.
• Rollout of an intensive awareness drive through community health talks and distribution of educational materials.
• Continued investment in noncommunicable disease screening and human papillomavirus vaccination programmes for both girls and boys.
Cancer remains a major public health concern worldwide, with 20 million new cases and nearly 10 million deaths annually. Mauritius’ proactive measures reflect its determination to confront this growing challenge related to cancer.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Mauritius.
Source: APO
The ECOWAS Commission held a meeting on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, in Abuja with a delegation from the Embassy of Sweden to discuss regional labour migration governance and the ECOWAS free movement regime.
The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on ongoing and planned regional initiatives aimed at strengthening labour migration governance, enhancing safe, orderly and regular migration, and supporting the effective implementation of the ECOWAS free movement protocols. Further discussions were anchored on recent developments in the Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP), following the approval of the third phase of the Programme by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The Swedish delegation was led by Mr. Joachim Beijmo, Head of Regional Development Cooperation in Africa at the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa, and accompanied by Ms. Agnes Geijer-Farah, Programme Manager at the Embassy of Sweden responsible for Migration and Development within SIDA’s Regional Strategy, and Ms. Ann Sofie Fofana Rahmqvist, Programme Manager for Peace, Security and Resilience at the Embassy of Sweden in Dakar. The meeting also brought together senior officials from the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Free Movement and Directorate of Humanitarian Affairs, underscoring the Commission’s integrated approach to migration governance, mobility and regional development.
Discussions by both parties highlighted the importance of regional cooperation, policy coherence and institutional coordination in advancing labour mobility as a driver of development, peace and stability in West Africa. The Swedish delegation reaffirmed Sweden’s commitment to supporting ECOWAS-led efforts in migration governance and free movement through strategic partnerships and programme-based cooperation.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to sustain dialogue and collaboration in the implementation of the JLMP Phase III and related regional frameworks.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Source: APO
Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, conducted the 12th Edition of their annual conference, “Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary”, in partnership with the Government of The Gambia. The conference was co-chaired by H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, First Lady of Gambia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother and Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation & President of More Than a Mother. First Lady of Burundi, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE along with The First Ladies of Central Africa, Liberia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Senegal joined as the Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.
Dr. Rasha Kelej shared, “It was such a pleasure meeting my dear sister, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, First Lady of Burundi & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” during the 12th Edition of our Luminary in The Gambia. Our partnership journey began in 2020, and since then, we have achieved a lot. I am happy to share that we have provided till today 55 scholarships for local Burundian doctors, in specialties such as Oncology, Embryology, Fertility, Diabetes, Sexual and Reproductive Care, Acute Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Endocrinology, and Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine and more. We are looking forward to enrolling more doctors in many more specialties and together, we will continue to advance the healthcare capacity in the country.
We have also launched together many initiatives to address a wide range of social and health issues in Burundi and beyond”.
H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, First Lady of Burundi & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” emphasized, “I congratulate Merck Foundation for completing 13 years of their valuable development programs. Since our partnership started in 2020, great outcomes have transpired. I am pleased to share that Merck Foundation has in total provided 55 scholarships to our local doctors, and one of the graduates of the Diabetes Master course has established the First Diabetes center in Burundi. Moreover, we have also launched the first public IVF center, where fertility specialists, embryologists, and technicians have been trained through Merck Foundation scholarships.
We are also working together to support girl education by providing annual scholarships to 40 best-performing but underprivileged girls, as a part of Educating Linda program. This is extremely important as Education is the way forward to empower our girls.”
Watch the Speech of The First Lady of Burundi & Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother during the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2025 here: https://apo-opa.co/3OxqavO
Watch the video of Merck Foundation Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), CEO of Merck Foundation receiving Burundi First Lady, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE: https://apo-opa.co/3O6XHNp
On Day 1 of the conference, the Plenary Session of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2025 took place, featuring keynote speeches of First Ladies of Africa. Moreover, a high-level ministerial panel discussion was also held with African Ministers to discuss the Merck Foundation African Research Summit MARS strategy to build scientific research capacity and empower women in STEM with special focus on scientific research.
On Day 2 of the conference, Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative- MFFLI committee meeting was conducted between The First Ladies of Africa and Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, where the African First Ladies shared the impact report of Merck Foundation programs in their respective countries, and future strategy was discussed.
Watch the video of MFFLI committee meeting: https://apo-opa.co/4qpivwS
Together with Burundi First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided 55 scholarships for local doctors in Burundi in many critical and underserved specialties. Out of 55 scholarships,
“Merck Foundation has always believed in the importance of building healthcare capacity and has been working for it since 2012. We have so far provided 2500 scholarships for healthcare providers from 52 countries in 44 underserved medical specialties. We will continue to provide scholarships for doctors from Burundi and beyond,” added Dr. Rasha Kelej.
Merck Foundation together with The First Lady of Burundi launched nine children’s storybooks; “More Than a Mother”, ‘Educating FIFI”, “Make the Right Choice”, “Jackline’s Rescue”, “Not Who You Are”, “Ray of Hope”, “Ride into the Future” and “Sugar free Jude” and “Mark’s Pressure”, to raise awareness about various social issues like breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, ending child marriage, ending GBV and also health issues like diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Thousands of copies of these storybooks have been distributed to school students of Burundi.
Merck Foundation in partnership with The First Lady of Burundi has also conducted 4 editions of their Health Media Training to empower the journalists to be the voice of the voiceless and also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards for Media representatives, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields.
The 12th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was streamed live on the social media handles of Merck Foundation and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation.
@ Merck Foundation: Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/4trtVDg), X (http://apo-opa.co/4r5dxGK), Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/4rKLegZ), and YouTube (http://apo-opa.co/3O40AOZ).
@ Rasha Kelej: Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/4aFufXu), X (http://apo-opa.co/45QNfzK), Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/3O6oQzZ), and YouTube (http://apo-opa.co/4trfW04).
Link to the Facebook live stream of Inaugural Session of Merck Foundation First Ladies High Level Panel: https://apo-opa.co/4rwVI3a
Summarizing Merck Foundation’s initiatives and impact:
Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with their partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond, through:
Merck Foundation is also creating a culture shift and breaking the silence about a wide range of social and health issues in Africa and underserved communities through:
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.
Contact:
Mehak Handa
Community Awareness Program Manager
Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com
Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard!
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About Merck Foundation:
The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/4trtVDg), X (http://apo-opa.co/4r5dxGK), Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/4rKLegZ), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/3O40AOZ), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/3LZo735) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/4rwWdu4).
The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.
Source: Government of South Africa
President offers words of comfort to Bishop Bolana’s family
President Cyril Ramphosa has visited the home of the late Bantu Church of Christ Bishop, Dr John Bolana, where he conveyed his condolences and words of comfort to the bereaved family.
The visit in Gqeberha on Monday reflected the nation’s shared sorrow and solidarity during this period of mourning, while honouring the life and legacy of a respected spiritual leader.
Bolana, the fifth Bishop of the Bantu Church of Christ (Ibandla Lika Krestu LaBantu), passed away on Tuesday, 03 February 2026, in Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape.
Last week Deputy President Paul Mashatile paid tribute to Bishop Bolana for being a pillar of strength within communities and a valued social partner in the collective effort to build a united and compassionate nation.
The Deputy President said he had engaged positively and constructively with the Bishop, working closely with interfaith leaders to strengthen unity, moral regeneration, and social solidarity across the country.
“Bishop Bolana provided unwavering spiritual guidance, moral clarity, and compassionate service to the church and broader society for many decades. His leadership reflected faith in action, rooted in love, dignity, and service to others,” the Deputy President said on Thursday.
He further acknowledged that Bolana’s counsel and ecumenical leadership were widely respected and sought after, not only by his congregation, but by leaders across South African society. – SAnews.gov.za
Janine
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Abena Kyere, Research Fellow, University of Ghana
There is a story in the Bible of a sick woman who held on to the cloak of Jesus amid an impenetrable crowd. She did get her healing, as Jesus immediately felt the loss of power from within himself. However, he did not rebuke the woman for his loss. Rather, he commended her for her determination to get healing by tapping into his power.
I am reminded of this story whenever I think about women and religion, specifically Christianity. Can the church as a body ever make room for women in Africa? Are the fathers of the church willing to share their powers? What happens when the clergyman’s wife seeks to be or becomes as powerful as her husband?
As a social anthropologist, I have, over the past five years, conducted research on clergy wives in Ghana, sharing my work through publications and in the classroom.
In my recent study, I wanted to find out how Pentecostal and Charismatic pastors’ wives gain and use a position of power in the church. Through interviews and participant observation, I gathered data on clergy wives’ religious experiences in Ghana. I found that although clergy wives gain power through their husbands, they are not passive conductors of power. While they operate in a patriarchal system, they develop ways of, and become adept at, negotiating and bargaining to gain and keep it.
A study of clergy wives provides a view into the hidden, often unexplored, power dynamics that exist within churches as well as the agency and constraints that women experience in religious spaces.
The clergy wife’s position is rooted within the two-person career type of work. She is firmly integrated in her husband’s work. The literature on the clergy wife is replete with the picture of an overburdened woman who occupies one of the most difficult positions in the church and society. An advertisement which parodies the position reads:
HELP WANTED: Pastor’s wife. Must sing, play music, lead youth groups, raise seraphic children, entertain church notables, minister to other wives, have ability to recite Bible backward and choreograph Christmas pageant. Must keep pastor sated, peaceful and out of trouble. Difficult colleagues, demanding customers, erratic hours. Pay: $0.
This funny representation of the clergy wife places her firmly in the intersection of domestic responsibility, religious welfare and administrative authority. Clergymen hold pivotal roles in the life of believers, from spiritual leadership to pastoral care. Their position, which is considered divine, endows them with unquestionable authority and power. It can be subtle or profoundly apparent, particularly in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements.
This power extends to their wives, a phenomenon which has been termed the First Lady Syndrome. This is a situation where a wife’s power and influence is conferred through her spouse and is contingent on her continual marital affinity to him. Some clergy wives in Ghana actually bear the title “first lady”.
The power that wives initially get from husbands can be manifested through various means, like leadership of women’s groups in the church, spiritual oversight, and counselling services. They are perceived as mothers, offering advice on critical life decisions.
One wife in my study noted:
As the mother of the church, it is my responsibility to ensure that my ‘children’ choose good partners. I have dissolved engagements before because I felt that they will not be good, and I have also been the one to arrange relationships that have led into marriages …
Wives can become very powerful, just like their husbands. This happens especially where they form and lead groups within the church. This is the moment that the position and role of the clergy wife becomes what social researcher Jane Soothill describes as mimicking “female charismatic dynasty”. This is a signal to the patriarchal system that there is a need to control such power.
While women are allowed in the “fathers” group, they are still expected to work within the restrictions and rules of the system. The clergyman, the most overt symbol of this system, benefits from divine immunity and his glory may not be shared, even with his wife.
I found that where clergy wives are perceived to be powerful, they are also regarded by the husband or the church leaders as dangerous. This results in their need to bargain with the system for self-preservation. The strategies which a clergy wife adopts to negotiate are based on her individual situation. They may range from silence to a show of feminine humility and submission. Display of submission and deferment to the husband is the most often used tactic.
One wife shared:
Sometimes when I interact with the women and advise humility, I am providing another strategy for their survival.
I found that others are forced to retreat entirely. They either dissolve the group or abdicate from their leadership role in the church. Some wives circumvent these restrictions by migrating their activities to digital platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp groups, or other forms of media. A wife who chooses defiance or refuses to negotiate may end up divorced.
There is a popular joke that if men are the head, then women are the neck that moves the head, a reference to women’s invisible power. But what kind of power is that which can only manifest covertly, through the benevolence of others? How safe is this arrangement for women?
What I have discussed here does not present the whole story of the clergy wife. But it shows a world where women constantly bargain for space. In the opening story, the woman was commended for her faith and foresight, and a desire to better her lot. A takeaway lesson from the master. In my view, Christianity and other religions should be a channel for freedom, healing, and the creation of new avenues for expression of liberation.
– Clergy wives in Ghana can be powerful – but it takes constant bargaining with men
– https://theconversation.com/clergy-wives-in-ghana-can-be-powerful-but-it-takes-constant-bargaining-with-men-274561
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Deborah Levison, Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
Adults think we know what is best for children. We have responsibility for them – feeding them, clothing them, educating them, protecting them, loving them – but we also assume rights over them, and on their behalf. Adults make rules (including laws and policies) about what children can and cannot do. We expect children to behave according to our rules.
It’s also the case that when researchers are trying to better understand children’s needs and well-being, we usually do not ask the children themselves. Instead, we ask their parents or adult relatives, or their teachers, for evaluations.
There are good reasons why survey teams do not talk to children, even older children who have a strong understanding of questions, starting about age 10-12. Children are considered vulnerable because they are dependent on the adults in their lives. If an adult heard a child talking to a researcher, perhaps saying something the adult did not like, the child could be punished.
Alternatively, the child might not be honest if others were listening. Survey interviews tend to be conducted in places where there are other adults who are interested and listening. Privacy may be impossible. And even if it were possible, who would let their young daughter talk alone to a stranger?
Our recent research has sought to overcome these barriers to better understanding of children’s authentic perspectives. We have studied the work and schooling of children in low-income countries – such as Tanzania – and looked to develop research methodologies appropriate for children and youth around the world, testing the approach in Tanzania, Nepal and Brazil.
Two findings stand out. First, there is much to learn from children and the choices they make. Second, innovative survey methods – such as our use of cartoon stories – have potential to survey child-respondents in large household surveys. Researchers and policy makers could learn directly from children and rely less on adult proxy respondents, resulting in more effective policies and programmes.
While using proxy respondents is appropriate for very young children or for questions likely beyond children’s knowledge, it is less clear that it is better for older children (ages 10-17) and topics within their experience.
Several arguments can be made that children could provide better or equally valid information on their activities than proxy respondents, as Levison and collaborators – economist Deborah S. DeGraff and demographer Esther Dungumaro – explored in Tanzania.
Parallel questions were asked of children aged 10-17 and proxy respondents about those children. We were interested in environmental chores: fetching water and collecting firewood for the family’s use.
We asked the mothers survey questions about their children, then we asked the children and adolescents some of the same questions. Of course, ethics rules required that we get permission (“consent”) from mothers before talking to children, and we also asked permission from children (“assent”) to engage with them. When a field researcher interviewed a child, the pair sat nearby, often under a tree, where adults could see them but not hear them.
The aim was to find out whether older children could provide better or equally valid information about some of the chores they did, as compared to information from their mothers.
When mothers and children were asked about the time that children spent fetching water and collecting firewood, some differences emerged. The biggest differences were seen when water or wood were scarce, when mothers had many young children, and when mothers had little education.
Some large differences may indicate that the amount of work done by children is highly underestimated by the adults it benefits. An important earlier study in Zimbabwe that used different ways of studying children’s work, including following children around, showed this pattern. We argued a case for collecting data directly from children who are developmentally able to understand survey questions, starting from about ages 10-12.
Given these differences in the time spent on chores as reported by mothers and children in the study above, researchers must be thoughtful about who is reporting information if they want to collect and report on accurate data.
Policy makers sometimes pay more attention to information from big surveys that ask questions of thousands of households and adults.
In our joint research, we wondered if there were ways to include children as survey respondents, rather than relying only on what adults said about them. Older children and adolescents do have opinions, and sometimes they are not what adults might expect. Why not learn directly from them?
Based on previous studies, we identified topics that could be difficult and upsetting for young people in Tanzania, where learning from kids could give researchers a different perspective than asking adults. In order to understand the perspectives of children, we developed short cartoon stories that children watched on tablet computers. Vignettes have been growing in popularity as a research tool in qualitative and quantitative methods, and research has validated the method when respondents are children and adolescents.
We sought to overcome the barriers in these ways:
The cartoons included still images and animated video clips that were designed to avoid cultural, ethnic or wealth indicators such as hairstyles, clothing, or facial features.
To be sensitive to privacy, children listened to the story being narrated in Swahili through headsets.
Because the stories were watched over tablets with headphones, nearby listeners would not have the context for the story even if they overheard anything.
One story was about a student who is running late to school because of morning domestic chores.
Upon arriving, the boy or girl (matched to the sex of the interviewed child) is punished by the teacher. The video shows several possible but imperfect things the cartoon child could do, such as getting up earlier or skipping school.
Child respondents were then asked to give their opinion on different options, pointing to smiley or sad/angry faces, then answering other questions about how the challenge could be resolved. This allowed us to capture child perspectives quantitatively without directly speaking about the topic out loud or asking if children had similar experiences. We aimed to reduce their vulnerability to punishment or embarrassment, especially on taboo or sensitive subjects.
Many social scientists have demonstrated that children, even young children, are people who make choices within whatever limits they cannot change – they “have agency”.
Our findings from the cartoon stories show a wide range of perspectives about how children think about improving their wellbeing and the wellbeing of other children in their communities. If this cartoon vignette methodology were scaled up to include child-respondents in large household surveys, researchers and policy makers could learn directly from children and rely less on adult proxy-respondents, which might result in more effective policies and programmes.
– Children’s views are rarely sought by researchers: we found a way to do it
– https://theconversation.com/childrens-views-are-rarely-sought-by-researchers-we-found-a-way-to-do-it-268496
Source: Africa Press Organisation – French
L’Afrique abrite une valeur minière estimée à 29 500 milliards USD, ce qui représente environ 20 % de la richesse minière mondiale, mais ne capte qu’une fraction de la valeur économique intégrée dans cette dotation, selon une nouvelle étude (http://apo-opa.co/4txjr5p) publiée aujourd’hui par Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org).
Sur ce total, 8 600 milliards USD restent sous-développés, reflétant un continent sous-exploré où des données géologiques fragmentées, une couverture inégale et une transparence limitée continuent d’amplifier la perception des risques et de limiter l’investissement. Le rapport soutient que l’amélioration de la disponibilité et de la qualité des données géologiques est une première étape nécessaire pour réduire les risques liés aux projets et débloquer des capitaux d’exploration.
Le rapport souligne également que les valeurs des sites miniers sous-estiment considérablement le véritable potentiel de l’Afrique en ne comptabilisant pas la valeur beaucoup plus grande créée par la transformation des minéraux en acier, en aluminium, en engrais, en batteries et en alliages. Mesurée au point d’utilisation industrielle, la dotation minérale de l’Afrique est en nette augmentation pour révéler une valeur latente substantielle.
Lancé au Mining Indaba au Cap, le Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals recadre le secteur avec le prisme du développement africain, en plaçant l’industrialisation, les infrastructures et la demande régionale à long terme au centre de la stratégie minière.
« Aujourd’hui, AFC est fier de lancer le Compendium of Africa’s Strategic Minerals, une initiative visant à recadrer avec un prisme africain et à traduire les dotations en voies d’exécution pour notre prospérité collective », déclare Samaila Zubairu, président et CEO d’AFC. « Le compendium cartographie l’ensemble des chaînes de valeur et relie les réserves et la production à la capacité de transformation, aux infrastructures de transport et d’électricité et aux corridors industriels régionaux, améliorant ainsi la transparence des données afin de réduire les risques liés à l’exploration, de diminuer le coût du capital et d’éclairer les investissements dans l’exploitation minière et les infrastructures nécessaires à la valorisation et aux chaînes de valeur régionales intégrées. »
Le développement minier ancré dans la demande africaine
Le compendium constate que la production minérale, les infrastructures et la demande se colocalisent et s’alignent rarement à grande échelle, et appelle à une planification régionale plus forte ancrée dans les fondamentaux de la demande à long terme de l’Afrique.
La chaîne de valeur de l’acier illustre ce désalignement. L’Afrique abrite des dotations de classe mondiale en ferro-alliages tels que le manganèse, le chrome et le nickel, et l’approvisionnement en minerai de fer entre dans un nouveau cycle de croissance.
Pourtant, ces chaînes d’approvisionnement restent commercialement liées aux cycles sidérurgiques asiatiques plutôt qu’à la trajectoire de développement propre à l’Afrique.
Cette exposition est économiquement coûteuse et ses effets se font sentir en ce moment même. Le ralentissement de la demande d’acier en Asie, lié au recul immobilier et à l’affaiblissement de la construction en Chine, a provoqué des chocs sur les marchés miniers africains. En République démocratique du Congo, des quotas de production ont été imposés au cobalt pour gérer l’offre excédentaire et l’effondrement des prix. En Afrique du Sud, la capacité de production d’acier primaire s’est arrêtée en raison de la faiblesse de la demande intérieure, des coûts élevés et de la fragmentation des prélèvements. Au Gabon, les principales exploitations de manganèse ont périodiquement suspendu leur production en réponse à l’adoucissement de la demande d’alliages en provenance d’Asie.
Ces tendances se produisent alors même que l’Afrique continue de renforcer les réseaux de transport, les systèmes électriques, le logement et la capacité industrielle qui nécessitent ces matériaux. La contrainte ne vient pas d’un manque de demande, mais d’un manque d’ancrage de la demande, à savoir l’incapacité à aligner la production minérale, les capacités de transformation et les investissements d’infrastructures sur les besoins matériels à long terme de l’Afrique.
Les infrastructures relient les minéraux, la transformation et la demande
Le compendium place les infrastructures au centre de la stratégie minière, non pas en tant que catalyseur passif, mais en tant que système qui relie les matières premières, la capacité de transformation et la demande. Le coût et la fiabilité de l’énergie, la connectivité des transports et l’accès aux terrains industriels déterminent si l’enrichissement est viable.
À cette fin, le rapport cartographie les gisements minéraux et les actifs de production aux côtés des chemins de fer, des ports, des centres de production d’électricité et des réseaux de transport afin de déterminer où les chaînes de valeur régionales peuvent être développées de manière réaliste. Le rapport appelle à des interventions ciblées dans les corridors ferroviaires partagés et le transport transfrontalier d’électricité, en particulier dans les régions riches en minéraux où des infrastructures coordonnées pourraient libérer la portée, réduire les coûts livrés et soutenir les plateformes industrielles régionales.
Les infrastructures sont également essentielles à la compétitivité de l’Afrique dans un monde d’industrialisation verte. Une énergie propre, une logistique efficace et des corridors intégrés tels que celui de Lobito peuvent réduire l’intensité carbone et améliorer l’accès aux marchés où des chaînes d’approvisionnement à faible teneur en carbone et traçables sont de plus en plus nécessaires.
Les minéraux africains dans une économie mondiale fragmentée
Le compendium situe la stratégie minière de l’Afrique dans un environnement géoéconomique en évolution rapide, façonné par les tensions commerciales, les contrôles à l’exportation, la politique industrielle et les efforts visant à réduire le risque de concentration. Ces changements renforcent la pertinence stratégique de la dotation minière de l’Afrique, mais uniquement là où le continent peut offrir des alternatives fiables et à valeur ajoutée.
Plutôt que de positionner l’Afrique comme un fournisseur marginal de matières premières, le rapport plaide en faveur d’une intégration sélective dans des segments stratégiquement exposés des chaînes d’approvisionnement mondiales, où la diversification renforcerait sensiblement la résilience, en particulier pour les minéraux dont les marchés de transformation sont très concentrés. Il s’agit notamment du manganèse, des terres rares, du graphite, de l’uranium et des intrants d’alliage critiques pour les technologies de la défense, de l’aérospatiale et des énergies propres.
Il est encourageant de constater qu’une dynamique se dessine :
Téléchargez ici (http://apo-opa.co/4txjr5p) le Recueil des ressources minérales stratégiques de l’Afrique publié par l’AFC.
Distribué par APO Group pour Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
Relations avec les médias :
Yewande Thorpe
Communications
Africa Finance Corporation
Portable : +234 1 279 9654
Email : yewande.thorpe@africafc.org
À propos d’AFC :
AFC a été créé en 2007 pour être le catalyseur d’investissements d’infrastructures et industriels pragmatiques à travers l’Afrique. L’approche d’AFC combine une expertise sectorielle spécialisée avec un accent sur le conseil financier et technique, la structuration de projets, le développement de projets et le capital-risque pour répondre aux besoins de développement des infrastructures de l’Afrique et stimuler une croissance économique durable.
Dix-huit ans plus tard, AFC a fait ses preuves en tant que partenaire de choix en Afrique pour investir et fournir des actifs d’infrastructure clés de haute qualité qui fournissent des services essentiels dans les secteurs d’infrastructure de base de l’énergie, des ressources naturelles, de l’industrie lourde, des transports et des télécommunications. AFC compte 48 pays membres et a investi plus de 18,5 milliards USD dans 36 pays africains depuis sa création. www.AfricaFC.org
