In a victory for the LGBT+ community in Botswana, the Gaborone High Court ruled on June 11, 2019, that the sections of Botswana’s Penal Code (Sec.164, 165 & 167) criminalizing same-sex sexual conduct are unconstitutional. The Botswana Penal Code, based on old English colonial law, describes homosexual acts as unnatural “acts against the order of […]
Zambia’s 2019 crop forecast report has revealed a decline in maize output from 2.4million tons from the previous season to 2,004,389 tons this year, representing a decline of 16 percent. According to Minister of Agriculture, the decline is due to poor rainfall that has resulted into poor crop yield in most parts of the country. […]
“Women usually juggle many tasks between the workplace and home, yet they are expected to cope with these different roles without complaining. Since I began working on WE4L in 2016, I have heard stories of how women have forgone opportunities for career advancement because they could not balance working life with the demands of their […]
On 30-31 May, UN-OHRLLS* and GEIDCO** organize the Global conference on Scaling-up Energy Access and Finance in Least Developed countries in Beijing, China. The conference will focus on concrete measures to accelerate energy access and enhance financing for sustainable and modern energy (SDG7). Together with civil society partners and journalists from Nepal, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and […]
Cooking with renewable electricity is now cost-competitive with other cooking alternatives in most developing countries, concludes a new report called Beyond Fire: How to achieve electric cooking by Hivos and World Future Council. This is a significant improvement from three years ago when the two organizations studied this for the first time. Achieving sustainable […]
Water is life
“Water is life, and we cannot live without water.” Grenda Nyangaphiza from Chinkhwiri, Malawi, gets her water from a borehole that she shares with 1,250 people. But the borehole was only supposed to supply water to 250 people. Many boreholes in her region break and don’t get fixed, or worse, are not built in the first place. “We want the power to question the government,” says Grenda.
Energy experts were debating whether or not coal is the ultimate answer to Malawi’s electricity problems when power flickered off. Time check was 11.48am. It was a sunny Wednesday on 10 April 2019 at the Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, Malawi. Hivos in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Mining and Energy, had convened […]
Hivos, British Council and DICE (Developing Inclusive and Creative Economies), partnered to host the SoCreative hub Summit, which was aimed at connecting creative and social economies and drive the development of versatile and resilient hubs in Southern Africa. The summit was held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 14 to 16 March 2018. It brought together […]
Hivos leads new LGBT+ consortium in Africa In more than 32 countries in Africa, same sex conduct is punishable by law, and in some countries such as Nigeria, family members and friends can sometimes face criminal charges if they are found guilty of “aiding or abetting” same-sex relationships. These laws foster a culture of discrimination […]
HARARE – UK Secretary of State for International Development, Ms Penny Mordaunt recently, announced that up to £12 million UK Aid Connect funding will be available for a consortium led by Hivos to work on LGBT+ inclusion in Africa. The consortium brings together African LGBT+ networks, research institutes and international NGOs, to promote LGBT+ inclusion on the […]
According to the 2018 State of food and agriculture report published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), globally women make up about 43 percent of the agricultural labor force worldwide, and in some countries like Zambia, women make up 80 percent of all farmers. In addition to participating in farming, most women particularly in […]
Women’s underrepresentation in formal entrepreneurial activities has negative consequences for women and for Africa’s overall development. The lack of female scientists and techies means major untapped potential for national economies and future employment needs. Without access to, understanding of and participation in science and technology, women are at greater risk of being left behind in […]