Gang rape used as weapon of war in Congo
It took five operations to repair Lumo’s internal injuries after she was gang-raped and left for dead by Hutu militia in eastern Congo, in what women's rights activists call a new form of terrorism, the use of rape as a weapon of war.
Sydney Morning Herald, March 3, 2008

Cultural practices buttress Sierra Leone poverty – UN
Harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation are hampering efforts to reduce poverty in Sierra Leone, which has the world’s worst child and maternal mortality rates, a top UN official said.
Reuters, March 1, 2008

Yemen, children sold for a handful of dollars
The drama of child trafficking is a plague for Yemen, where about 1.2 million children are sold every year to criminals in Saudi Arabia and in the rich Gulf countries. For millions of young Yemenis, beyond the borders of their country the gates of hell are opened: they end up begging on the streets, working as domestic servants in the homes of the more prosperous, exploited as factory workers, or as camel jockeys.
AsiaNews.it, February 29, 2008

Kenya is burning: women’s voices are missing in the making of the nation
“The women of Kenya have always been aware of injustice in our society, all through the years”, says Philo Ikonya, a Kenyan human rights activist, poet, writer and lecturer. “We, the women of Kenya, know that what surprised the world and some Kenyans, was something we’ve always known – that the deep inequalities in our country would lead to the destruction of this nation.”

Reuters AlertNet

Reuters AlertNet is a humanitarian news network based around a popular website. It aims to keep relief professionals and the wider public up-to-date on humanitarian crises around the globe. AlertNet attracts upwards of ten million users a year, has a network of 400 contributing humanitarian organisations and its weekly email digest is received by more than 26,000 readers.

www.alertnet.org

Papua’s Babies
The infant mortality rate of Australia’s nearest neighbour has not altered much in recent years. For every 1000 babies born, more than 70 will die before their fifth birthday. Many are then abandoned. Yet amid the doom and gloom, PNG Correspondent Steve Marshall finds glimmers of hope. Local women, like Social Worker Tessi Soi, are inspirational characters in this story making it their mission to save PNG’s children. In the lead-up to International Women’s Day, Foreign Correspendent highlights their selfless efforts. Without them, many more Papua New Guinea children would miss out on the chance of life. See a preview here or find out more here.

ABC1, Foreign Correspondent, Tuesday March 3 @ 9:30pm or Saturdays 1:00pm (NSW, QLD & ACT) or on ABC2, Wednesday 7:30am

“Praying and expecting everything to come from God and not doing anything yourself is not praying. This is laziness; this is alienation. This is passivity, conformity. This is not the time, dear brothers and sisters, to say: It is God’s will. Many things happen that are not God’s will. When people can contribute something of themselves to improve the situation and ask God for the courage to do so, then there is prayer.”
Oscar Romero, 1979, El Salvador

Let us pray for the health of women, children, and families around the world, especially for an end to maternal and child mortality, that in building healthy families, all God’s people may be empowered to strengthen their communities and repair the breaches which divide nations and peoples. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

www.churchworldservice.org