Universal Jurisdiction by an ad hoc Mixed Tribunal in Senegal

The Trial of CHAD Dictator, Habré, is scheduled to begin July 20th, in Senegal and will take place at  the Extraordinary African Chambers  set in the courts of Senegal under the auspices of the AFrican Union. Habré has been charged with crimes against humanity, torture, and war crimes. 

Habre ruled the country between 1982 and 1990 and the Extraordinary African Chambers have been mandated to prosecute those persons most responsible for international crimes perpetrated in Chad during that period. The President of the Chambers is a judge from Burkina Faso who will be accompanied by other judges from Senegal. 

You can find additional information on this case at the website of Human Rights Watch, following this link. For more information in Spanish see this note on ElDiario.es

The International Court of Justice have requested Senegal to either prosecute the dictator or extradite him to Belgium. The Extraordinary Chambers are also a unique case in which universal juridsdiction is exercised by a mixed ad hoc Tribunal. 

The story of one of the victims of Habre is told in this short documentary by Isabel Coixet (a must see) that you can watch on the website of Women for AFrica Foundation.

Green Voices of Women from Tanzania

TANZANIA is a great and unique country... with welcoming people, exceptional natural resources, gold, oil and gas. Natural parks, white sand beaches, unexplored landscapes, wonderful islands....
I feel privileged to have this opportunity to work here implementing a Women For Africa Foundation's project: Green Voices against climate change.
Some pictures

Ghana Wins - Nurses Leaders - Enfermeras Líderes

(versión española abajo)

Women for Africa Foundation has travelled to Accra (Ghana) to attend a leadership training for nurses, organized and taught by the New York University.
We have selected a cohort of 11 nurses who will benefit from the Ghana Wins Project. They will have intensive trainings in leadership both in Accra and New York. Additionally the nurses participating in this program will be requested and assisted to design and carry out a change project at their respective Hospitals.
The intensive training will unfold from today until next Thursday (1-4 June) and it is taking place at the University of Ghana-Legon.
The full commitment and cooperation of both, the Ministry of Health - represented by the Nursing Directorate - and the Ghanaian School of Nursing have been key for the success of this project. Tia Gilmartin, from the NYU College of Nursing has designed and organized the trainings.
Even though nurses and midwives in Ghana are well prepared, there is the need to stregnthen their leadership skills. And that's the ultimate goal of the Ghana Wins Project. They will have to decide which ones of the management techniques that have been successfully tested and implemented in Europe and the US are adequate for Ghana and in which way they might be used. There is a generalized problem in the public health system in this country, the lack of resources and it is amazing to see how our nurses manage in an attempt to use the scarce resources the best way possible.
From this experience we will learn from our nurses about the conditions in which they work, their motivations, their daily struggles and their way to overcome them, their problems, frustrations, expectations and hopes. We will be able to see Ghana through the eyes of all these women coming from different hospitals accross the country.
It is a privilege to share this experience with them and we will take full advantage of these days in Ghana.
And next.... we will be travelling to Tanzania.... but this will be in three days. I will keep you posted!

Misión de la Fundación Mujeres por África a Accra (Ghana) para asistir al curso de liderazgo para enfermeras organizado e impartido por un equipo de la Universidad de Nueva York. 

Un grupo de 11 enfermeras ha sido seleccionado como beneficiario del proyecto Ghana Wins y recibirán formación en liderazgo en Ghana y en Nueva York. Además cada una de las enfermeras desarrollará un proyecto innovador en su unidad hospitalaria. 

El curso intensivo se está desarrollando desde hoy (1 de junio) hasta el día 4 en la Universidad de Ghana-Legon. 

Este proyecto se ha beneficiado de la cooperación y el compromiso del Directorado de Enfermería, en el Ministerio de Salud, así como de la colaboración de la Escuela de Enfermería de la Universidad de Ghana. 

Tia Gilmartin, desde el College of Nursing de la Universidad de Nueva York, ha diseñado y organizado la formación. 

Las enfermeras en Ghana están bien preparadas. Para ser matrona o enfermera en este momento hay que estudiar un grado de 4 años. Además el College of Nursing ofrece formación especializada de post-grado. 

Se aprecia una falta de formación en técnicas de liderazgo y, por ello, el proyecto Ghana Wins viene a cubrir una necesidad constatada por el propio Ministerio de Salud ganés. Se trata de instruir a las enfermeras en técnicas de gestión hospitalaria que se han testado ya en Europa y en Estados Unidos para ver en qué medida pueden ser aplicadas aquí en Ghana. El sistema nacional de salud en este país adolece de falta de recursos, pero también hay que motivar al personal sanitario y ayudarle a gestionar los recursos escasos de la mejor manera posible. Y, por supuesto, de aprender de ellas. 

Lo que nos vamos a llevar de estos días con nuestras enfermeras es un mayor y mejor conocimiento de las condiciones en que trabajan, de sus motivaciones, de sus objetivos y de sus preocupaciones. Vamos a tratar de ver Ghana a través de los ojos de este fantástico grupo de mujeres provenientes de hospitales de todo el país. 

Es una oportunidad única y la vamos a aprovechar. 

Os dejamos algunas fotos del primer día del curso. Y de aquí, a Tanzania!