PIN Report exposes widespread technology-facilitated gender violence across six African nations - ITREALMS

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67% of Respondents Victimised: Paradigm Initiative Study Uncovers Severe Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Crisis Across Africa

A new, landmark study by the pan-African digital rights and inclusion organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), has exposed a rapidly escalating crisis of Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) across Africa, reports ITREALMS.

The research, released on International Human Rights Day, reveals that a staggering 67 per cent of respondents reported being victims of at least one or multiple forms of digital violence.

AIIB, Gavi join forces to power sustainable health, immunization in developing nations - ITREALMS

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In a powerful move to strengthen global health security, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have entered a groundbreaking partnership aimed at scaling up and sustaining financing for vital health and immunization systems in low-income and lower middle-income countries, reports ITREALMS.

The landmark letter of intent, signed by AIIB President Jin Liqun and Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar, lays the groundwork for concrete collaboration on strategic investments within AIIB member nations that also qualify for Gavi support.

ID4Inclusion: Trinidad and Tobago to benefit from UNCTAD supports - ITREALMS

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Trinidad and Tobago, a Caribbean country with over 1.5 million people, is about to launch its national digital identity system, reports ITREALMS.

The government-owned system, known as e-ID, will provide Trinidadians and Tobagonians with unique digital identifiers to enable digital signing and expand access to financial, education, health and private-sector services.

Climate Change: G20 rakes N38.398trn from poor countries - ITREALMS

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The group of 20 nations also known as G20, have raked in nearly US$50 billion, about N38,398,500,000,000.00 through debt repayments from the world’s poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, according to new analysis by International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), reports ITREALMS.

Payments by 58 least developed countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) reached $21 billion in 2022 – up from $14 billion in 2021 and $13bn in 2020.

UNCTAD facilitates trade, transit in developing countries - ITREALMS

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The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has concluded training for 61 transit coordinators from 12 countries across Africa and Latin America, reports ITREALMS.

UNCTAD in its latest newsletter available to ITREALMS said its training gave boost to the capacity of national transit coordinators, easing the flow of goods across borders and strengthening economic cooperation in Africa and Latin America.

'PDP letter to United Nations, preposterous'

ITREALMS:

The Senior Special Assistant to President, Media & Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu has described the recent letter by the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mr. Uche Secondus to the United Nations Secretary General accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of several allegations, as preposterous, reports ITRealms.

He also said the letter confirms the opposition party as a bad loser, desperate for another chance after they were kicked out for failing the nation and its people.

Reacting to the letter, Shehu said its “no less preposterous and comical,” for the opposition to accuse the Nigerian government of “destroying Nigeria’s democracy.”

Lamenting what he also called “PDP’s lecture on democracy and the rule of law” coming from a party with a tradition of undemocratic rule is a desperate attempt to pervert history and the course of justice. The sermon, is both trite and hollow, coming from a party with intolerance for dissent as its hallmark. A party that humiliated opposition parties and stunted their growth. This was the atmosphere that nurtured the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC.)

The war against corruption, for which many more politicians may soon be docked, cannot be misrepresented as an attack on human rights and Mr. Secondus should not try to mislead the UN. 

"Nigerian politicians at all levels have been used to dispensing with state funds in whatever manner they please, and to have someone, an administration, finally saying, “No. It doesn’t matter how big or important you think you are; the law must come against you...” That is not something they are used to at all. For the PDP, as has now emerged, national security was the major source of their funding," he said.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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DSO: Lai Mohammed in Beijing, says African nations united on digital broadcasting

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that African nations have agreed to work together in their quest to successfully transit from Analogue to Digital broadcasting, reports ITRealms.

Speaking at the 6th African Digital TV Development Seminar in Beijing, China, on Thursday, the Minister said the decision to engage in shared experiences and synergy on a continental level was reached by the African Ministers in charge of Information and Communication, who attended the 3rd Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation also in Beijing, which preceded the Seminar.

 

‘’It is indeed worrisome that so far, only two African nations have successfully transited to Digital broadcasting. Others are in various stages of transition. It is therefore imperative that we all work together to achieve our set goal.

‘’In this regard, let me formally announce that the African Ministers in charge of Information and Communication who are attending this Seminar have agreed on the need for all African nations to jointly face the transition challenge, with a view to enhancing their success in meeting the deadline. 

‘’I am happy to inform this audience that the Ministers held an exploratory meeting here in Beijing on Tuesday - on the sidelines of the 3rd Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation - in furtherance of this agreement,’’ he said.

Alhaji Mohammed expressed gratitude to his fellow African Ministers for their ‘’Pan African solidarity’’, saying he had no doubt that working together on this digitalization process ‘’will not only improve our chances of achieving a successful transition, but will also open a new vista of cooperation in other areas, for the benefit of all our peoples’’.

He commended the organizers of the Seminar for continuing their tradition of providing a forum for advancing the cause of digital television development in Africa. 

The Minister said in spite of the challenges faced by Nigeria in its efforts to transit from Analogue to Digital broadcasting, the country is confident of meeting the June 2017 deadline to switch off Analogue broadcasting, especially as it has successfully launched the pilot phase.

‘’We are confident because we, as a government, have the political will to drive the transition process. Also, all the stakeholders have demonstrated uncommon passion, patriotism and dedication to the cause of digitalization,’’ he said.

 

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Samsung, UNESCO partner to bridge Digital gap at Oban Community

ITRealms:

Rural dwellers in Oban community, Akamkpa local government of Cross River State has breathed an air of relief as Samsung Electronics West Africa partners with United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to launch its Digital village project which will provide access to the world’s most advanced information and communication technologies, education and health services to under-resourced areas, bridging the digital divide and serving as a catalyst for local business development and government service delivery, ITRealms reports.

In a report presented by UNESCO at the launch, ITRealms learnt that out of 100 million children who are school dropouts, 58 million did not complete primary education, while healthcare in remote areas is non-existent due to shortage of facilities and urban-rural gap.

Mr. Brovo Kim, Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, speaking on the initiative said that a sizeable proportion of rural areas across the continent do not have access to electricity, resulting in isolated communities with limited access to education, healthcare and connectivity, which are necessary components of socio-economic development.

“We are not only bridging the digital divide but also providing a facility that meets the most critical health and education needs of the rural community,” he said.

ITRealms gathered that the components of the Samsung Digital Village include: a Solar Powered Internet School, built to accommodate up to 24 learners; a Solar Powered Tele-Medical Centre, and a Solar Power Generator that powers up the Admin Centre which can be used as office space for local entrepreneurs and any other nearby school or community centre personnel with limited electricity supply.

Equally, in addition to providing the appropriate technologies, Samsung is also working to ensure that people of the Oban community take ownership of the Digital Village and receive adequate training to optimise use of the facilities.

ITRealms learnt that Samsung Electronics Company Limited is a global leader in consumer electronics and the core components that go    into them and has through relentless innovation and discovery, transformed the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

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