Updated: Haiti PM lands in Puerto Rico as gangs displace thousands at home
Updated: 11:15am (AEDT) Port-au-Prince, Haiti Reuters Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry landed in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, as questions as to why he had not returned to his country swirled amid escalating gang violence that has threatened to topple his government and left thousands homeless. Puerto Rico’s governor’s office confirmed Henry had landed in capital […]
Keeping girls in school seen worth billions to developing nations
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation Making sure all girls are finishing secondary education by 2030 could boost the gross domestic product of developing countries by 10 per cent on average over the next decade, a report said on Tuesday. Every $1 spent on girls’ rights and education would generate a $2.80 return – equivalent to billions […]
Social media abuse drives girls off Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – poll
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation Online abuse is driving girls to quit social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, with nearly 60 per cent experiencing harassment, a global study showed on Sunday. One in five girls and young women has abandoned or cut down on using a social media platform after being targeted, with some […]
Australian youth concerned over climate change and natural disasters – but don’t feel prepared or that government listens to them
Some two-thirds of young people in Australia believe the country is not doing enough to reduce carbon emissions – but almost 90 per cent don’t feel like or don’t know if government leaders listen to them, according to the findings of a new survey. YOUNGER VOICES Alex Matters, 19, is from South Australia, but […]
Somalia sees “massive” rise in FGM during lockdown and Ramadan
London, UK Thomson Reuters Foundation Somalia’s coronavirus lockdown has led to a huge increase in female genital mutilation, with circumcisers going door-to-door offering to cut girls stuck at home during the pandemic, a charity said on Monday. Plan International said the crisis was undermining efforts to eradicate the practice in Somalia, which has the world’s […]
Tough at the top: girls believe female leaders suffer widespread harassment
London/Vancouver, CanadaThomson Reuters Foundation Girls worldwide hope to become leaders, but they expect to face sexism and harassment when they get there, a global child rights organisation said in a report released on Tuesday. More than nine in 10 girls and young women said female bosses could expect unwanted physical contact and to be treated […]
UK launches global fund to help end “period poverty” by 2050
Thomson Reuters Foundation Britain launched a global “period poverty” fund and taskforce on Monday to help all women and girls access sanitary products by 2050 and to tackle the stigma around menstruation. It is estimated that half of all women and girls in poor countries are forced to use rags, cloths, grass and paper during […]
Facebook auction of South Sudan child bride could inspire other families – activists
Thomson Reuters Foundation The auction of a South Sudanese girl for marriage on Facebook could spur other families to use social media to demand bigger dowries for their daughters, activists said, urging authorities and the social networking giant to take much tougher action. A picture of the 17-year-old, who is from South Sudan’s Eastern Lakes […]
Young Britons more likely to stand up for women after #MeToo – survey
Thomson Reuters Foundation Young British people are more likely to call out inappropriate behaviour after the #MeToo movement heightened global awareness of sexual harassment, a survey published on Tuesday found. More than one in three people in Britain said they were now more likely to challenge inappropriate conduct, such as lewd comments or unwanted advances […]
No safe haven for girls in crisis-hit Lake Chad region – survey
Dakar, LiberiaThomson Reuters Foundation Teenage girls living in Africa’s insurgency-hit Lake Chad region have no safe haven from the violence, with beatings and abuse happening in their homes, on the streets and at school, a survey found on Monday. The region, which takes in parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, is suffering from a […]