Africa | South Africa | Crimes

The all-female patrol stopping South Africa’s rhino poachers

As rhino deaths have soared across South Africa, in Balule reserve the Black Mambas patrol of local women has achieved a 76% reduction in poaching since 2013. Now there are plans to extend the award-winning scheme. “The Black Mambas are winning the war on poaching,” insists Siphiwe Sithole. “We have absolutely zero tolerance for rhino poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. The poachers will fall – but it will not be with guns and bullets.” Sithole and Felicia Mogakane are members of South Africa’s Black Mambas, the world’s first all-female anti-poaching unit that has capt

Africa | Liberia | Security

UN Mission accomplished: Iconic Indian all-women UN peacekeeping unit to return

Source: The Indian Express

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has thanked India’s first-ever all-woman UN peacekeeping unit that was deployed in the war-torn African nation as it prepares to depart the country after a nine-year tour of duty. The Indian Formed Police Unit (FPU) which is also the first-ever all-woman police unit in UN peacekeeping history, has served the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) since 2007. It will depart the country on February 14, as Liberia gets ready to assume full responsibility for national security amid the ongoing UNMIL drawdown. “The contribution you have made in inspiring

| Chad | Politics

Chad arrests 62 women for wearing veils after bombings

Source: Aljazeera

Chad police have arrested 62 women for wearing full veils in public as the country steps up security against following a multiple suicide bombing attack, a police spokesman said. Authorities also arrested eight suspected attackers, police spokesman Paul Manka said on Thursday. The first major arrests of women for the veil ban have been carried out in the capital, N'djamena, since Wednesday in line with "anti-terrorism" measures, he said. Chadian authorities banned wearing full veils in public places in June to prevent suicide attacks, especially by the Nigerian armed group Boko Haram.

Africa | DRC | Security

Meet the First Female Rangers to Guard One of the World’s Deadliest Parks

Source: National Geographic

Wildlife ranger Aline Masika Kisamya recalls the day last year when she was on patrol in the dense forest on the flanks of Mikeno volcano, in Congo’s Virunga National Park, and came face-to-face with a buffalo. African buffaloes are notoriously aggressive and known to kill people. Kisamya froze, assessed the situation, and, calmly and quietly, began to retreat without turning her back. She wasn’t afraid, the 26-year old says: “This is what I’ve been taught to do.” Virunga, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is the continent’s most diver

Africa | Nigeria | Crimes

Alarming rise in suicide bombings by underage girls

Source: Pangea Today

There has been an alarming spike in the number of suicide attacks carried out by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram using underage female bombers in northeastern Nigeria, according to a new report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The UN agency reported 27 such attacks in the first five months of this year, compared with 26 for the entirety of 2014. At least three-quarters of the attacks in crowded target areas like busy markets and bus stations were carried out by female bombers, some approximately as young as seven.

Africa | Congo | Culture

Congo-Brazzaville starts war on terrorism by banning full veils

Source: Pangea Today

Congo-Brazzaville, has experienced no threat of Islamic jihad but the government has decided to fight it nonetheless, starting with prohibiting Muslim women from wearing full veils in public places. The regulation aims to prevent terrorism and insecurity, according to the interior ministry. Women can still wear their full veil at home or at mosques. Some Muslims condemn this “extreme” decision because few women actually wear full veils. Besides, 80 percent of Congolese are Christians. There are only about 800,000 Muslims in the country — 5 percent of the population — and most of

Africa | Nigeria | Politics

Nigerian Officials Rescue 160 More Girls, Women Kidnapped by Boko Haram

Source: Essence

Two days after Tuesday's triumphant rescue of nearly 300 Nigerian girls and women who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram, officials announced today that an additional 160 hostages have been rescued. It is unclear whether any of the girls are the missing Chibok schoolgirls. Earlier today, Sani Usman, a spokesman for the Nigerian Army, said that soldiers stormed nine terrorist camps in the Sambisa Forest, which is the same location where the women and girls were rescued from earlier this week. One female hostage was killed during the attack, and eight others were injured. Nigerian officials are