Proof of the WOW campaign in Ecuador©Women on Waves

[ Abortions ]

One death every seven minutes

Each year, 42 million women choose to have an abortion for all sorts of private reasons, according to the World Health Organisation. Abortion is and will always be the single most performed medical intervention. In countries with restrictive laws, women are likely to seek for methods that are unsafe – often with lethal consequences. Women on Waves, WoW, a feminist organisation based in the Netherlands, tries to prevent unsafe abortion by informing and treating women. [ By Rebecca Gomperts ] »» read more

[ Comment ]

Risky, but worthy

In July, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), appealed for an arrest warrant against Sudan’s President Omar El Bashir. The reasons he listed include genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. His step was brave and overdue. [ By Meike Scholz ] »» read more

[ Womens' health ]

Destroying the social order

Sexualised violence perpetrated by soldiers and militiamen in wartime does more than harm the physical and mental health of women. It also has an impact on the honour and self-image of the male relatives who should protect them. Strategically used rape serves to destroy community cohesion. For good reason, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution in June to criminalise sexualised violence in wartime more strictly. [ By Rita Schäfer ] »» read more

[ African Standby Force ]

A skeptic takes stock

The African Union (AU) is making slow progress in creating its continental peacekeeping force. According to a recent study published by the German think tank SWP, the plan makes sense; but it is being thwarted by underfunding, conceptual shortcomings and a lack of political will. »» read more

[ China ]

Successful cooperation

China holds the world record in terms of poverty reduction – and German development cooperation has contributed to that success. Beijing’s stragegy is to experiment in cooperation with various partners and then to replicate successful measures elsewhere. »» read more

[ Doha Round ]

Failure after near success

In late July, a technical dispute between the USA, India and China thwarted an agreement on wide-ranging global trade liberalisation between members of the World Trade Organization. The deal-breaker was a technical measure that would have helped poor farmers deal with a surge in imports. »» read more

[ Bolivia ]

Mixed results

The referendum on 10 August confirmed Evo Morales in office as the president of a deeply divided country. 63 % voted that he should stay on as head of state. Nevertheless, the poll also strengthened opposition leaders who similarly triumphed in regional recall elections. »» read more

[ Women's health]

Realistic aspirations for Bangladesh

Gonoshasthaya Kendra is a pioneer NGO in rural health-care delivery in Bangladesh. A close scrutiny of its experience shows that maternal mortality can be reduced even in remote rural areas. Costs can be kept low by adequately training traditional birth attendants. To achieve such goals, however, a fundamental shift is needed in public-service provision. Official providers must be made directly accountable at the local level. [ By Rafiqul Huda Chaudhury and Zafrullah Chowdhury ] »» read more

[ Health ]

More than midwifery

Guatemala has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in Latin America. Traditional midwives attend a large percentage of births. They rarely have any formal training, and normally lack basic equipment such as gloves and scissors. [ By Barbara Kühlen ] »» read more

[ Maternal health ]

For $ 300, a normal life

Some 2 million women worldwide suffer from obstetric fistulas, according to figures recently released by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Such injuries occur during childbirth; and the consequence is that women can no longer control their excretions. The causes include childhood marriage, childhood pregnancies and female genital mutilation. Every year, 75,000 new cases are reported, most of them in poor countries. In Ethiopia alone, 9,000 mostly young women are affected. Often, these women are first-time mothers who live in rural areas with a lack of medical care. Those affected by fistulas suffer a great deal, though a simple surgical intervention would give them all the relief they need. [ By Catherina Hinz ] »» read more

[ Women ‘s rights ]

The human right to health

Gender equality – in addition to being a critical end in itself – is key to achieving other Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the health sector, gender-sensitive policies should be based on a human-rights approach and adequately fund the services women need. Provision of services must not be left to the market, if poor women and men are to be taken care of too. [ By Annalise Moser ] »» read more

[ Infrastructure ]

When the sky cries

Abdulkarim Ahmed Guleid chuckled quietly to himself. It was October in Jijiga in eastern Ethiopia. He said in German, which he had studied in the Federal Republic in the 1970s: “I am so happy about all the rain. We waited and waited for this rain during the long drought and now it has come!” [ By Rupert Neudeck ] »» read more

[ Governance ]

Indispensable checks and balances

The balance of political power in Cambodia today is heavily weighted in favour of the executive. The legislature needs resources, expertise and qualified staff to perform its supervisory role effectively. [ By Arnold Dunai and Oliver Wagener ] »» read more

[ Liberia ]

Liberia’s difficult reconstruction

For more than 14 years, one of the worst civil wars in Africa raged in Liberia. The fighting ended in August 2003. Since then, Liberia has enjoyed peace. But while many things have improved in the country, the political situation is anything but stable. [ By Till Blume ] »» read more