The HEAL Africa hospital in Goma Democratic Republic of Congo is not just a hospital - H is for Health care but the E is for Education of both health care workers and the patients - so women who have had surgery to repair the damage done by rape are given the opportunity to learn to read and write or to learn to sew so that they can earn a living as in the Healing Arts program pictured here But some women despite numreous operations cannot be healed - and they have no home to return to either because of... Full article »

Tags: Africa, charity, environment, health

Witchcraft is now on the agenda of the United Nations. The UN itself - as a secular organization on the church/state split of the United States Constitution -cannot get involved in the official propagation of witchcraft or any other sort of religion. But witches who are persecuted for their religious belief may become "refugees" and so very much a matter for the UN. Like all other humans, they have basic human rights. In my current radio interviews I am making three points 1. Witches as Victims The current media interest (September/ October 2009) comes from discussions at the UN refugee... Full article »

Posted by: Webeditor at 7:28 PM 1 comment

Tags: Africa, Europe, religion, sociology

We are lucky enough to be able to share with you some of the wonderful success stories coming out of Africa. The charity African Action on Aids is committed to improving the lives of African's touched by this disease, to support their children and families and to bring hope in times of need. This week we share in the story of how AAA is encouraging orphan girls to study nursing and why a good education can be a lifesaver. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Why do we encourage girl orphans who wish to pursue nursing studies? Because there is a shortage of 1.5 million health... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 10:04 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, charity, education, health

Rating:

• Currently 5

  Reader Barbara Ferguson shares with us her pictures from the "Train The Trainers" councelling program she is establishing in the DRC. Barbara recently returned from the Congo and is lobbying the Australian government in hope of increasing our aid to this beautiful region. Barbara's train the trainer program will provide support and assistance for those women and young girls tortured and raped during the decade long war. If you can help please contact us and we will put you in touch with Barbara's organisation. Demonstrating Councelling Techiques.    Celebration Time.         Listening. Sunday School.... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 1:28 PM Comment

Tags: Africa, charity, conflict, health

Below is the latest update from the charity African Action against Aids. The theme of this news brief that celebrates the African Woman's Day is Fighting Spirit & Resiliency - The capacity to bounce back no matter how life treats you. A fighting spirit is needed in the struggle against AIDS. It is essential to a healthy/happy life. On 31st July 2009, the African Woman's Day was celebrated in Cameroon where AIDS definitely has a woman's face - 61% of the 500,209 people living with AIDS here are women! At the same time, women are the main caregivers for people... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 12:31 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, health

Back on 17th July we visited Barbara on the set of her training DVD  as she prepared for her DRC trip to "Train the Trainers." This program  has been set up by Barbara  to address the Social-psychological conseling needs of survivors of war and torture in the Congo. We join Barbara on her return to Australia after her first training trip. I arrived home yesterday pm - still processing my experiences in the DRC at HEALAfrica - the faith and courage of the people was inspiring - they sing like angels - my favourite moment was on the first day at... Full article »

Posted by: Webeditor at 12:14 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, charity, conflict, health

HIV/ Aids: The Impact of Narcotic Drugs. Submitted by Ruth Bamela Engo, President AAA. Just like AAA sees health as an all-encompassing concept, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs has started looking at the inter-relationship between illicit drug use and HIV/AIDS. The Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is now mandated to share regularly relevant decisions of the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS with the Commission's members. When the Commission met in March 2009 - a session attended by over 1,400 participants representing Governments and civil society... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 1:24 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, health

Global Insights reader and long term friend and work collegue of Dr Suter, Barbara Ferguson talked to us about her motivation for setting up the "Train the Counselor" program in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We caught up with her on the set of her training DVD as she prepares to head back to Africa later this year.  The Keith Suter blog team wish Barbara and her team all the best for the coming months and look forward to sharing her updates with you via the blog. Barbara Ferguson taking a break from making her training DVD in Sydney earlier... Full article »

Posted by: Webeditor at 12:24 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, charity, conflict, health, sociology

Barack Obama's Cairo speech this month has been one of the important of his speeches this year. He has tried to set a new tone for US relations with the Islamic world. Of course from a cynical point of view, one could question why any speech on Islamic democracy should be made in Egypt - which is far from being a democracy. The problem is that there is no country in the Arab world which is a democracy! At least it could be argued that Egypt is the most populous Arab country. Egypt is also interesting because it is undergoing... Full article »

Posted by: Webeditor at 5:49 PM 1 comment

Tags: Africa, America, law, Middle East, peace

The following transcript has been sourced from the White House press office and can be viewed at the briefing room or by clicking here. If you would prefer to watch the talk it is available here. Please be aware that this video runs for 55 minutes PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you very much. Good afternoon. I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning; and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 1:58 PM Comment

Tags: Africa, America, religion

More than twenty five years after the world first became aware of AIDS, it is clear that AIDS is still a threat in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its debilitating cycle definitely impedes on many aspects of the continent's development. Unfortunately, the death toll has been so heavy and overwhelming that official policies and strategies have tended to place more emphasis on treatment rather than prevention. On the other hand, community responses throughout Africa have mirrored their social base and have generally adapted their initiatives to local needs and available resources. In so doing they have focused mostly on prevention and mitigation. Prevention,... Full article »

Tags: Africa, charity, health, sociology

                    African Action on AIDS is a non- for -profit organization working with Africa's women and youth whose lives have been affected by AIDS. We educate women and youth with the knowledge that they need to stay alive and teach them to share the knowledge with their peers. AAA has consultative status with the United Nations and has been working in this field since 1991. One big lesson we learned during all these years is that no amount of drugs can cure people who live in unclean environment with little... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 1:04 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, charity, health

Rating:

• Currently 4

As means of follow up from our article on the Ugandan wedding we bring you a transcript of a meeting between His Excellency Mr Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda and the Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management in London. Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 12:41 PM Comment

Tags: Africa, business, economics, sociology

Photograph Courtesy of Ramon A Williams: Keith Suter and Baroness Cox.

One of the most inspiring evenings I have had in recent memory occurred when I attended a dinner last week in Sydney at which Baroness Caroline Cox spoke of her remarkable work. Her nickname is the "British Joan of Arc". Full article »

Posted by: Webeditor at 11:48 AM Comment

Tags: Africa, health, law, sociology

The Mass Wedding Of Six Couples From Pader, Uganda

For the last 20 years, northern Uganda has suffered from a conflict that has pitted the armed forces of the Government against various insurgents. This conflict has caused untold suffering and resulted in large internal displacements. Current estimates put the figure of internally displaced persons (IDP) at about 1.465 million, with around 300,000 in Pader. Full article »

Tags: Africa, conflict, sociology

A French tourist has just been killed by a bomb explosion in Cairo. Another 17 people (also mainly foreign tourists) have also been wounded. Full article »

Tags: Africa, America, Asia, law, Middle East, religion, security

Is there any hope for Africa? Is it doomed always to be a disaster area? Full article »

Tags: Africa, business, economics, religion, sociology

Talks between Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change fail to reach a power sharing agreement. Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 11:13 PM Comment

Tags: Africa, media

Would the world be a better place if we all signed up to the US constitution? Should we do away with our individual country identities and become states of America? J A Cook looks at the merits of this proposal in his book "Global Governance" and puts forward some ideas of how to make the world a safer place. The book was revieved on 2GB with Brian Wiltshire on 19th January 2009. As soon as the podcast is uploaded to the website a link to it will be posted here.... Full review »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 10:04 PM 1 comment

Tags: Africa, America, law, reviews

We are hearing a great deal about refugees from Afghanistan. We should not forget that there is also a refugee crisis in Africa. A few days ago, I was at the Sydney Community Consultation at which The Hon Philip Ruddock MP, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, discussed the Migration and Humanitarian Programmes for the year 2002-2003. I was very interested to see the way in which the number of Africans resettled in Australia has continued to increase. Three years ago the figure was 1,550 and this year it will be 2,030. There are about 12... Full article »

Posted by: Amanda Foxon-Hill at 2:28 PM Comment

Tags: Africa, Australasia, charity, sociology