The Government of South Africa is gravely concerned at developments in the Middle East following the retaliatory action by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Israel following Israel’s attacks on Iran’s Embassy in Damascus, Syria, on 1 April 2024.

As the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres has stated, there is a “very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation”.

In this context, South Africa emphasises that all parties must exercise the utmost restraint and avoid any act that would escalate tensions in a particularly fragile region.

South Africa has continuously stressed that irrespective of whether states believe that their use of force is lawful, it is never wise to resort to war as inevitably, it is ordinary people who bear the brunt of conflict.

The international community and the United Nations Security Council, in particular, must act in the pursuit of sustainable and just peace for all people.

While we turn our attention to these developments, let us not forget that the war in Gaza continues with devastating humanitarian consequences for its people.  An immediate ceasefire and urgent humanitarian access are required.

The proliferation of global conflicts will continue if we, as the international community, do not commit ourselves to the ending of war and the establishment of conditions under which justice and respect for international law are maintained.

As long as there is impunity for unlawful acts, war and injustice will continue.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

The United States remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorism and protect its citizens. We continue to support the Nigerian government’s ongoing efforts to make Nigeria more secure, to hold perpetrators of attacks accountable, and to ensure the safety and well-being of all its citizens.

The partnership between the United States and Nigeria is built on a foundation of shared values and common goals.  We will continue to work together to promote peace, security, and stability in the region, and to support initiatives that foster education, economic growth, and human rights.

As we mark one decade since this terrible act, we reaffirm our support for the survivors, their families, and all those affected by terrorism.  The United States stands with Nigeria in its fight against extremism and its commitment to creating a safer, more prosperous future for all its people.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.

More women must be included in economic decision making in Libya to accelerate economic progress and women’s empowerment. 

This was the conclusion of a panel discussion the United Nations Support Mission in Libya organized to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.

Twenty women from the civil society sector participated in the webinar, which featured remarks from economic expert Hala Bugaighis, of the Jusoor Foundation, and representatives from UNSMIL and the United Nations Development Programme.

“There are no women in the Ministry of Economy’s senior management,” Burgaighis said. “The Minister only has one female consultant.”

The same is true for the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and the National Anti-Corruption Commission, she said.

“Decision making comes from a patriarchal perspective, so half of the population – women – deals with decisions that weren’t made by them,” she said. “We need to include the women’s perspective.”

One consequence of this, Burgaighis said, is policies that are not adapted to address the challenges facing Libyan women on the ground. 

“Libya’s legal framework, at least theoretically, grants women the right to equality and nondiscrimination,” Bugaighis said. “Despite this … there is no clear mechanism for career advancement, access to justice, especially with cases related to discrimination and inequality.”

Libyan law states, for example, that men and women should be paid the same for the same work, she said. It guarantees women the right to own property, permits them to open bank accounts, and protects them from losing their inheritance.

However, in practice, women in Libya are paid nearly three times less than their male peers and account for only 12 percent of property owners, she said. While unemployment remains high across all demographics, women are roughly twice as likely not to be working  –  despite the fact that unemployed women seek employment at a higher rate.

Sonja Sigmund, a Political Affairs Officer at UNSMIL, during the discussion, emphasized how systematic discrimination against and unequal opportunities for women, along with limited access to resources, not only restricts individuals from reaching their potential but also “hampers the overall prosperity and resilience of Libyan society.”

While Libya is considered an upper-middle-income county, owing to years of conflict and political instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters, the country’s GDP declined 54 percent between 2010 and 2024, she said, quoting World Bank statistics. 

“Unfortunately, unequal access to Libya’s wealth, lack of transparency, and accountability in its management and limited socioeconomic prospects – especially for Libyan women and youth – remain powerful drivers of political instability and insecurity in Libya,” she said.

Khadija Elboaishi, an advisor on equality between men and women for UNDP in Libya, said increasing the percentage of women in decision making positions is key to addressing these challenges.

“We all know that the presence of women at these levels is very important because it ensures the integration of women’s perspectives, women’s priorities, and their challenges,” she said.

For its part, the United Nations aligns its work in Libya with a strategy to ensure equality between men and women, she said. Fifteen percent of UNDP spending is directed at promoting and supporting women.

UNDP has programming to increase women’s participation in the technology sector by teaching computer programming skills and funding small women-led businesses – among other things.

“Whatever the subject of the project is, whether it is a development project, whether it is an energy project, whether it is a project to strengthen the capabilities of rule of law institutions, we must determine what the challenges (for women) are,” she said. 

This aligns with SRSG Abdoulaye Bathily’s call on International Women’s Day to “empower women to assume their rightful role as drivers of Libya’s transformative change.”

“Libyan women play a crucial role in shaping and advancing Libya’s political and economic landscape and their meaningful engagement in political, economic and reconciliation processes brings advantages to the entire society,“ he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Over 1,700 children abducted by gunmen since 2014; 17 mass school abductions recorded in six years; 20 released Chibok girls forced to marry former Boko Haram fighters. 

The Nigerian authorities must ramp up efforts to ensure the safe release and return of the remaining 82 Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram fighters in 2014, and ensure schools are protected from child abductions, which have become increasingly frequent in the decade since the notorious raid by the armed group in northern Nigeria, said Amnesty International.

Today marks 10 years since 276 girls were abducted from Chibok secondary school in Borno state on 14 April 2014. Since then, Amnesty International has documented at least 17 cases of mass abductions in which at least 1,700 children were seized from their schools by gunmen and taken into the bush, where, in many cases, they were subjected to serious abuse, including rape.

“It is shocking that in the 10 years since the Chibok school abduction, the Nigerian authorities have not learned any lessons or taken effective measures to prevent attacks on schools. The number of abductions that have taken place since 2014, including as recently as last month, and the fact that hundreds of children are still in the custody of gunmen, shows the lack of political will by the authorities to address the problem,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

“The abduction of children and attacks on schools may amount to war crimes. It is the duty of the Nigerian authorities to end these attacks and bring the suspected perpetrators to justice through fair trials and ensure access of victims to justice and effective remedies. A decade is enough time for the Nigerian authorities to find a solution to this problem, but so far, the reality shows the government has neither the will nor the commitment to end these attacks on children and their schools.”

The Safe Schools Initiative to improve security around schools was launched in the aftermath of the Chibok abductions. However, its implementation has been bogged down by bureaucratic roadblocks and allegations of corruption. As a result, many northern states have closed hundreds of schools indefinitely, disrupting the education of thousands of children.

Investigations by Amnesty International reveal that the state of education in Chibok and its surrounding communities, is still being impacted by the 2014 abductions.

The Borno state government rebuilt the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, which was completely burnt down by Boko Haram in 2014, and set up day secondary schools and a technical school in Chibok. However, academic activities in the schools remain minimal because parents are still skeptical of sending their children to school, for fear of being abducted by Boko Haram.

Forced to marry their abductors

Amnesty International is also calling on the Nigerian authorities to promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, transparently and effectively investigate allegations of forced marriage between 20 Chibok women rescued in the last two years and former Boko Haram fighters in a centre provided by Borno state government in Maiduguri. The father of one of the women confirmed to Amnesty International that the forced marriages had taken place.

A parent of one of the girls forced into marriage with former Boko Haram fighters told Amnesty International:

“I do not want a situation whereby if I speak, the government or Boko Haram will say we are conniving with others to expose issues to the public. I can speak on anonymity but will not still share everything.” 

Borno state government claims these Boko Haram fighters have undergone rehabilitation and been reintegrated into society under the government’s conflict recovery programme for repentant Boko Haram fighters.

“It is appalling that these freed Chibok girls were forced to marry and live with their abductors. Organized by the Borno state government, these forced marriages are apparently an attempt to appease Boko Haram fighters with complete disregard for the rights and mental wellbeing of the girls involved,” said Isa Sanusi.

The parents and relatives of the girls who remain in captivity said they have been abandoned by government, citing the lack of information about attempts to ensure the safe release of their children from Boko Haram.

The Nigerian authorities must deliver on its national and international human rights obligations by immediately redoubling efforts to ensure the safe release and return of not only the 82 Chibok girls abducted 10 years ago, but also all people held captive by gunmen across Nigeria.

“As we mark the anniversary of these abductions, the Nigerian government must put in place a comprehensive and effective plan to protect schools and children. Authorities must also prioritize helping girls who escaped or were rescued from Boko Haram, to rebuild their lives. They must not ignore the ongoing anguish of the parents whose daughters remain in captivity and ensure they are regularly briefed on efforts to ensure the safe release and return of their children,” said Isa Sanusi.

In a report to be published next month, Amnesty International will document crimes and violations committed by Boko Haram and the Nigerian military against girls associated with, or perceived to be associated with, Boko Haram since the start of the conflict in north-east Nigeria in 2013. The report will also detail their unique reintegration needs and their aspirations to rebuild their lives.

Background

In April 2014, 276 schoolgirls were abducted from a government secondary school in Chibok, a town in Borno State. Some of the girls escaped captivity on their own, while others were later released following intense campaigning efforts by civil society organizations and negotiations by the government. Of those initially abducted, however, 82 girls remain in captivity, while several children have been abducted in subsequent attacks. Amnesty International has been documenting Boko Haram’s atrocities and targeting of schools since 2012. In May 2020, Amnesty International also published a report on the dire impact of the conflict in Northeast Nigeria on children.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.