‘Pink Tax’ costly for African females needing personal care products
@jehronmuhammad While South Africa and Tanzania, facing increased “global” scrutiny in 2018 removed their tax on women's sanitary pads, the government of the East African country re-introduced the tax while unveiling its budget, according to the Daily Nation. This taxation of menstrual products has intensified menstruation stigma and has been especially “punishing to girls from low-income homes who have...
Thousands in Senegal say ‘Enough’ in rally for economic social change
(GIN)—For centuries, Senegal was called the “country of teranga” or “country of hospitality.” The mask of hospitality was lifted recently to expose the frustration of thousands of young Senegalese fed up with government corruption and what was called “wealth hoarding by the political class.” Protestors are also demanding the release of political prisoners and reform of the criminal justice system. “Trop...
UN marks first International Day for People of African Descent
The UN celebrated the enormous contributions the African diaspora has made in every field of human endeavor, marking the first-ever International Day for People of African Descent. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a greater commitment to advance the promise of equality, justice and dignity for all, in his inaugural message on Aug. 31. Long overdue “It is a long overdue recognition...
Africa 2021: Perplexing, horrendous, dramatic and inspiring
Africa’s year 2021 was perplexing, horrendous, dramatic but also inspirational. It can be summed in the “two-ness” of the sojourn of American Black folks as expressed in W.E.B. Du Bois’ inspirational writing about Black lives and how they matter, published in 1903, in “The Souls Of Black Folk”: “An American, a Negro; two souls, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals...
Tanzania’s Muslim female president seeks partnerships during ‘royal tour’
On the heels of a White House visit, Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania’s first female president, made a special stop in New York City: The world premiere of Emmy award-winning journalist and travel editor Peter Greenberg’s global television special, “Tanzania: The Royal Tour.” “This is a very special, up close and personal journey to and through a country, seen through the...
Female African warriors and their brave fight against the African slave trade
The film “The Woman King,” directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring award-winning actress Viola Davis, though receiving much acclaim, has also been criticized for historical inaccuracy. When questioned about the “backlash” Davis paraphrased Prince-Bythewood, stating, “you’re not going to win an argument on Twitter.” Davis’ husband and producing partner, Julius Tennon added, that the film depicts history but also...
Ramadan in Africa comes with food shortages and rising costs
This year on the African continent, Ramadan, the annual month-long fast of the Muslim world, has come as food shortages and rising costs have left shoppers unable to splurge. During the four weeks of this sacred Islamic holy month, which is observed by nearly two billion Muslims worldwide, participants will abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk,...
Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger sign agreement to defend each other if attacked
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have signed a trilateral defense agreement binding the three Sahel countries to assist one another in the event of a military attack on any one of them. The agreement, known as the Liptako-Gourma Charter, was inked by the three states’ military leaders on Sept. 16 and according to Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, it establishes...
Israel’s spyware, cyber warfare were used on Palestinians and exported to Africa
Late last year, journalist Antony Loewenstein told inkstick.com, “In the last 10 years, Israel has made significant efforts to build relationships with Africa, but these are mostly transactional and a way to hopefully win support in the UN and other international forums.” Loewenstein, who was based in South Sudan in 2015 and Jerusalem between 2016 and 2020, is the author...
Libya’s unclear future marred by internal, external conflict
Civil war is currently ratcheting up in Libya as internal saber-rattling escalates and foreign actors involved take sides and add to heightened threats of military action. Libya has been absent a cohesive government since a United States-led overthrow of Muammar Gadhafi and the Great Jamahiriya government in 2011. Since the U.S. and NATO (North Atlanta Treaty Organization) invasion, resulting in...