RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Jane Zweli* has tried to escape her abusive marriage - tried no less than three times, in fact. But, with little education and few skills, she fears that a future away from her husband might be even bleaker than one with him.

ECONOMY-SOUTH AFRICA: Microcredit Viable In the Age of AIDS?

The development of microcredit initiatives has proved a boon for thousands of the world’s poor. But, even the most ardent supporters of these schemes acknowledge that disease may undermine the effectiveness of microcredit, by threatening the ability of people to repay their loans.

DEVELOPMENT-RWANDA: Observations on an “Air Conditioned Country”

More than ten years have passed since Rwanda was shaken to its core by the genocide that claimed upwards of 800,000 lives. But as IPS discovered during a recent visit to the country, the spectre of the killings still casts a shadow over Rwanda - even as the nation makes progress on other fronts.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: A Long and Winding Road to Better Transport Links

On paper, regional integration in Southern Africa has made advances - with countries being knit together by protocols and agreements of every stripe.

POPULATION-SOUTH AFRICA: “Men Must Work with Other Men”

For Tukisang Senne, programme director at the Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa (PPASA), the battle to put men and women on an equal footing has to be waged on various fronts.

SOUTH AFRICA: Putting Gender Equality at the Forefront of Local Government

A ground-breaking gender equality training course for local government officials has wrapped up in South Africa's financial capital, Johannesburg.

RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Refugees Adopt a “Wait and See” Approach

Refugees and civil society groups have reacted cautiously to statements by a high-ranking South African official condemning the treatment of refugees by police.

AFRICA: Fuel Reserves Oil the Wheels of Corruption

Corruption is costing Africa's oil industry billions of dollars annually says Peter Eigen, founder and chairman of Transparency International (TI) - a non-governmental group based in Berlin which monitors and fights graft.

ECONOMY: Africa Given a Small Slice of the Investment Pie

Africa must redouble its efforts if it wants to attract more investment, an official from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said Thursday at the launch of the agency's annual 'World Investment Report'.

RIGHTS: Amnesty International Sounds the Alarm Over DRC

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International warns that mounting political and ethnic tensions in the North-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo could undermine the uncertain peace process, and lead to human rights abuses in a region that has already become a byword for violations.

RIGHTS: Amnesty International Sounds the Alarm Over DRC

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has expressed concern over mounting political and ethnic tensions in the North-Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - warning that this might spark renewed conflict in the country.

POLITICS-SOUTH AFRICA: Peer Review Organisers Urged to “Walk With a Friend”

South Africa's civil society groups are demanding a bigger role in the national self-assessment to be conducted under the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

HEALTH-SOUTH AFRICA: Ostrich Industry (Almost) Free to Resume Exports

The ostrich industry in South Africa has welcomed Tuesday's announcement by Agriculture and Land Affairs Minister Thoko Didiza, declaring the country free of avian influenza. However, it warned that this did not translate into an automatic resumption of ostrich product exports.

DEVELOPMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: No Great Harvest With Land Reform Just Yet

Since the advent of democracy a decade ago in South Africa, efforts have been made to give the country's majority black population opportunities in the farming sector. During the colonial era and under apartheid, blacks were dispossessed of land - and often prevented from buying it.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Aid to a Region Plagued by Hunger

Aid agencies have welcomed an announcement by the European Commission (EC) that it will donate an additional 5.4 million dollars to help meet food requirements in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland.

ECONOMY: Nigeria Woos South African Investors

A three-day conference which took place this week in Johannesburg has highlighted the possibilities for increased trade between South Africa and Nigeria.

ECONOMY-SOUTHERN AFRICA: A Thumbs Up from Business

A survey issued this week has revealed optimism about business prospects in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Not Quite the Welcome Mat

They are trends that show little sign of abating: the influx of refugees and economic migrants to South Africa, and the extent to which these persons become the target of xenophobia.

POLITICS-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Room for Improvement in SADC, Say Activists

Southern African leaders came under pressure from civil society this week to tackle a host of issues ranging from drought and poor governance to gender inequalities and AIDS.

RIGHTS-ZIMBABWE: Whither Civil Society?

As Zimbabwe has slipped deeper into political and economic turmoil over the past five years, the role of civil society in helping the country to address its problems has come under increasing scrutiny.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: “We Are Raising the Alarm Now”

Images of skeletal children in Niger, wasted away by malnutrition, have featured prominently in the media over recent weeks. Amidst efforts to alleviate this suffering, however, there are fears that the crisis in Niger may undermine donor willingness to tackle problems elsewhere on the continent – notably in Southern Africa.