When the world's rising population hit the historic seven billion milestone last October, the United Nations predicted that population growth will continue to increase, reaching an estimated 9.3 billion by the year 2050.

Fifty years ago when Sierra Leone gained independence after 150 years of colonial rule, with it came a feeling of optimism that along with a newfound control of its governance, the country would profit from its ample endowment of natural resources, like timber, fish, minerals and oil. Instead, in the last 50 years, the country has had 13 military coups and an 11-year civil war that left the economy in ruins and the country heavily reliant on foreign donor funding.

Maheen was nine years old when she witnessed the death of her elder brother. At the age of 10 she saw the dead body of her neighbour, killed in the crossfire between Kashmiri rebels and Indian security forces, his guts spilled out on the road.

As U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro once put it, "Women hold the keys to unlocking the barriers to sustainable development."

[ANGOP] Caxito - At least 642 pregnant women in the northern province of Bengo underwent HIV/AIDS test during prenatal consults at the Maternal and Child Centre of Mabubas, municipality of Dande, in 2011, to learn their HIV status and to avoid complications during birth.

[Foroyaa] Interview With Madam Agnes Guillaud, EU Charge d'Affaires to the Gambia on EU's Approach to Violence Against Women (Madam Agnes Guillaud, an agronomist by training, was born in Morocco by French parents.)

[Foroyaa] "I feel greatly honoured and privileged to be part of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM/C and to deliver the solidarity statement on behalf of the Officer In Charge of the UNFPA, The Gambia Country office," said Fatou Kinteh on the celebration of International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting held on 6th February 2012 at the Kanifing Municipal Council hall.

[Foroyaa] "Female genital mutilation is widely practiced in The Gambia and whether this tradition is religion or not it is a form of violence against women and young girls that have to be brought to light and stopped. We have heard of the several initiatives taken to eradicate FGM at the International, Regional, Sub-regional and National levels. Recent UN conferences have advocated that women's empowerment is central to development.

[Foroyaa] The Executive Director of The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices affecting The Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP), Dr. Isatou Touray called on people to do away with Female Genital Mutilation on the event marking International Zero Tolerance to FGM held on 6 February 2012.

[Shabait] Foro - Vigorous efforts are being made to enhance women's all-round participation, according to the head of the National Union of Eritrean Women branch in the region, Ms. Fatma Osman.

[Nairobi Star] WOMEN lobby groups want a special court set up to handle sexual and gender based violence cases.

[Daily News] Mbeya - EXIM Bank Tanzania through its Mbeya branch has given over 13m/- to support women entrepreneurs who suffered losses in the Sido market inferno last year.

[Daily Observer] The executive director of Gamcotrap has said that an effective national legislation would be a vital component in the efforts to accelerate the elimination of FGM. Dr. Isatou Touray made the remark Monday during the celebration of the Universal Zero Tolerance to FMG at the KMC Multi-purpose Hall along Jimpex Road, Kanifing.

[Daily Trust] Women have been held in low esteem for centuries, but these days with their contributions to the family and the society, one would have thought they would at least be appreciated, if not praised.

[Daily Trust] Women of Ogbozara Opi in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State on Wednesday took to the streets in protest against what they ascribed to the incessant rape of women in the area.

L'affaire du nouveau-né volé à l’hôpital gynécologique de Yaoundé le 20 août dernier suscite toujours indignation et émotion. Des hommes et des femmes politiques se sont emparés de ce sujet. Ils ont organisé le 9 février une marche en soutien à la maman du petit volé . La journaliste à Mutation Joséphine Abila suivait cette manifestation.   Une maman et son bébé. ®Reuters

Les femmes soldats américaines pourront bientôt combattre. Le Pentagone doit présenter ce jeudi 9 février 2012 au Congrès de nouvelles règles qui assouplissent l'interdiction qui leur est faite de servir au combat. Les conflits en Irak et en Afghanistan n'y sont pas pour rien. Femmes soldats de l’armée américaine au point de contrôle de Ramadi, à l'ouest de Bagdad en Irak, en octobre 2004. AFP Photo/Patrick Baz

[Foroyaa] Foroyaa has published the concerns raised by some women gardeners at the Banjulinding horticultural garden sometime ago and promised to also get the views of the woman president of the garden on the challenges they facing as she was not present when this reporter visited the place.

[Foroyaa] The women horticultural gardeners in the settlements of Brufut, Kembujeh and Lamin have during the course of last week, through the Gambia Horticultural Producers and Exporters (GAMHOPE), benefited from support in the form of assorted vegetable production inputs provided by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) project under the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment. The objective of this EIF intervention is to increase producer productivity and yields to enhance household inco

L'Assemblée nationale a voté mercredi 8  février, à l'initiative du gouvernement, l'instauration progressive d'ici 2018 d'un quota de 40% de femmes parmi les hauts fonctionnaires nommés chaque année, actuellement très majoritairement des hommes.  Actuellement, les femmes, qui constituent 60% des effectifs de la fonction publique, ne représentent que 10% des hauts fonctionnaires. Sami Sarkis/Getty Images