Here is a list of some of the top favorites:

Buka – Nigerian food, with its mashes, soups, peanut-dusted brochettes, and bean porridges, in an upscale setting at Buka, located on the border between Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy. Watch the chalkboard outside for specials.

La Galette – While most Senegalese restaurants are devoutly Muslim and offer no alcohol, the obscurely located La Galette serves wine, with a menu that elevates national standards and offers a West African take on French food, too, the way it’s made in the streets of Dakar. This is a great place to eat nems, the North Vietnamese spring rolls that caused a sensation when they were introduced to the Senegalese capital 60 years ago.

Accra – The city’s most ambitious Ghanaian restaurant (named after the capital) offers over 100 delicious dishes, which you can admire on the mile-long steam table. This arrangement also allows you to pick and choose those you like best. Go conservative with a roast fish or chicken and polished rice with relish, or go wild with slimy leaf-based sauces, okra- and black-eyed-pea-based dishes, or boiled eggs and greens flavored with dried stockfish.

Fatima – Don’t be deterred by the very modest nature of this Crown Heights establishment, which slings the very best Guinean food in town. A steam table has been installed, which allows you to dash in, select what you want, have it weighed, and enjoy. They have cassava-leaf or potato-leaf sauces, richly dotted with lamb or beef, and request the fiery scotch-bonnet sauce called Pima.

Maima’s – This cheerful spot a few blocks south of downtown Jamaica — featured in this year’s Choice Eats — is the city’s only Liberian restaurant, run by immigrants from a country founded by slaves freed after the American Civil War. Specialties you should try include “dry rice” (not dry in the least, cooked with okra and bitter ball — a type of eggplant), pepper shrimp (made incendiary with the spice called grains of paradise), plantain fufu and mixed-meat soup.

© EthLeen

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The world is witnessing a marked shift in women participation in politics, with more politicians of the female gender emerging. Incidentally, while one would expect the developed world to blaze the path of mainstreaming women participation in democracy, it is the developing world that is leading the way. Rwanda is one such example.

The year 2003 marked Rwanda’s journey towards the current 64% women leadership in the legislature, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). This is far above countries like South Africa (40%), and Uganda, Tanzania and Angola, which have surpassed the 35% mark. How does the global beacon and defender of democracy fare in this regard? The US has never surpassed the 20% mark in women representation in its various legislative houses.

How did Rwanda achieve this?

Rwanda did not arrive at this point easily. 1994 is undoubtedly the country’s darkest year. The infamous genocide that took away the lives of almost a million citizens was the fulcrum for this nation. The aftermath was conscious effort to transform the face of leadership in the country. Part of this involved entrenching women leadership, considering Rwanda had descended into an abyss under the leadership of men.

To ensure this ideal was realized, President Kagame and his government developed an affirmative action plan. For example, of the 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, 24 belong to women by law. However, it appears that women leadership has captivated the electorate to the extent that even in elective seats, women trounce mean. In essence, affirmative action is bolstered by direct election, which proves that women who benefit from this initiative exemplify good effective leadership.

What lessons for women empowerment does Rwanda’s action teach?

All democracies, including Western ones, must realize that women have the ability to lead and can do so when given a chance. Secondly, affirmative should not be shunned but appreciated if women empowerment is to be achieved. Thirdly, once the electorate and citizenry realize the leadership qualities of women, electing the female gender will no longer be debatable.

A final word

Despite the negative media news that emanate from Africa often, it is obvious that the continent has vital lessons in democracy for the rest of the world. The election of Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf as the president of Liberia, and the ascending of Mrs. Banda into the Malawian presidency (though for a brief stint), illustrate how women empowerment can transform society.

© EthLeen

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Research has found that the more time girls spend on social media the more likely they are to be dissatisfied with their bodies and have low self-esteem. Many teen girls spend hours on Facebook hoping that they will get the most likes for the comments or photos they have posted. If they do not receive the response they expected it can lead to low self-esteem and depression.

Interviews done by New Flinders University prove these facts. Here are their findings:

New Flinders University researchers interviewed more than 1000 high school girls and found conversations about appearance were “intensified” on social media, and were more influential because they involved peers.

The girls who were first interviewed in years 8 and 9 were asked about their social media habits and self-esteem, then again when they were in years 10 and 11. By then, 90 percent had a Facebook account, with an average of 475 friends and were uploading pictures of themselves to the Internet. The time they spent on social media had blown out from 1 hour 45 minutes a day to 2½ hours.

The study further proved how teen girls felt about their body image and weight. Here are the results:

Even though 80 percent of the girls surveyed were classified as normal weight, 46 percent said they were dissatisfied with how much they weighed. “Time spent on social network sites was related to lower self-esteem, body-esteem, sense of identity and higher depression,” Amy Slater from Flinders University’s school of psychology, said.

Social commentator Melinda Tankard Reist said young girls seeking affirmation via social media were ”setting themselves up for negative mental health outcomes.”

“They feel they have to be on display,” she said. ”We live in a culture that rewards exhibitionism [and] everyone is judged on their physical appearance.”

Researchers also stated that social media has such a large impact on teen girls because it is extremely pervasive and interactive. If a teen girl already has low self-esteem due to the natural growing pains we all go through and then sees negative comments about something she has shared or a photo she has posted this could affect her in profound ways.

As you can see, social media is extremely important to teen girls. Because of its importance and impact on self-esteem and identity it is advisable for parents to monitor the best they can the things that are said and seen on social media by their teen girls, and boys for that matter.

©EthLeen

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The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that Somalia has 97.5% FGM prevalence. This implies that almost every woman and girl in Somalia has undergone this painful and life-threatening cruelty. The practice is so ingrained in the Somali society that recently it was reported that Somali diaspora members were travelling back to Somalia or Kenya to take their girls to undergo FGM.  In essence, a Somali woman who has not been ‘cut’ is hard to come by.

Somalia is in good company

According to WHO, FGM is a global problem and the statistics are shocking:

WHO estimates that between 100 and 140 million girls and women worldwide have been subjected to one of the first three types of female genital mutilation. Estimates based on the most recent prevalence data indicate that 91,5 million girls and women above 9 years old in Africa are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation. There are an estimated 3 million girls in Africa at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation every year.

What fuels FGM?

The evils and consequences are better known to those who have it and their close family members. Consequently, continued practice cannot be attributed to ignorance of the harmful effects.  Culture and religion are the main culprits. The US State Department opines that erroneous beliefs that religion supports FGM are the main reasons the practice has gained universal acceptance in the Horn of Africa nation. Culture also bolsters religion in that girls are taught that FGM will help them preserve virginity and thus maintain family honor.

Lawlessness and terrorism aggravate the situation

Since the early 1990s, Somalia has never had a stable government. With time, it became the sanctuary and hideout for terrorists fleeing from war elsewhere. Today, Alshabab, an Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist organization, controls a lot of territory where it practices a strict and radical form of Islam. The weak government in Mogadishu, which often disintegrates due to clan rivalry and has to be protected by African Union forces, cannot enforce any anti-FGM regulations. How can it even contemplate that when FGM is a national practice?

No overnight solutions are expected

With this background, it is easy to understand why FGM will not end overnight in Somalia. In the words of a Somali woman who talked to UNICEF, “I want to abandon circumcision, but only when the entire community does so; I don’t want to be the only one going against the social norms.”

©EthLeen

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Teenage girls are usually at their most fertile age. The dynamics of adolescence make teenagers want to experiment with sex. While abstinence is desirable and recommended, the commodification and commercialization of sex, hormonal changes and peer pressure combine to make it had to resist the urge to engage in sex before marriage. To avert the complications associated with teenage pregnancy, these young people have various birth control methods at their disposal.

Contraceptives – a human right?

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has a very conservative approach to the issue of contraceptives: “Access to safe, voluntary family planning is a human right. Family planning is central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and it is a key factor in reducing poverty.”

Millions do not use contraceptives

Be that as it may, the reality is far from desirable. The same organization estimates that over 225 million women do not use effective and safe contraceptives to control birth. Some of the reasons cited for this situation include lacking access to services or information and even negative attitudes and hostility from partners and communities. Majority of these women are residents of 69 poorest nations on the globe. This explains why in these nations, teenage pregnancies occur at very high rates.

They know the importance of birth control

WHO does not blame these women because most of them would actually want to limit child birth, but other factors dissuade them. Following incessant sensitization by governments and NGOs, these women understand that:

Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility.

Birth control, teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections

Apart from birth control, there are other key reasons why contraceptives should be encouraged. Take for example the use of condoms. This cheap and convenient method can prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies if used well, in addition to averting unsafe abortion. Condom use is rare in many parts of Africa, for example, due to religious and cultural beliefs. Incidentally, areas where condom use is not sufficient also experience high rates of HIV / Aids.

The way forward

Increased use of birth control methods can greatly aid women empowerment efforts. However, ignorance and erroneous beliefs are hindering these efforts and society must continue to be educated and trained on the need for birth control.

©EthLeen

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The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that global birth rates have either stagnated or decreased among teenagers since 1990. However, this does not mean that the war against teenage pregnancy has been won. 15-19 year olds still account for 11% of all births on the planet. It is important to study these statistics with a view of understanding the problem in the context of women empowerment.

Birth rates for teenagers are higher in some areas

Developing nations account for 95% of the 11% global birth rate for adolescents. On average the global birth rate is 49 for 1000 girls aged between 15 and 19 years. However, in some countries, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, the rate can be as high as 299 births 1,000 girls.

The underlying reasons

Most of these cases are as a result of early marriages and issues revolving around poverty. While a number of teenage pregnancies may be planned for and therefore wanted, most of them occur due to carelessness and failure to use contraceptives. Poverty also leads some young girls to prostitution or exploitation by men, which is a recipe for early pregnancies.

What about contraceptives

Availability and use of contraceptives in teen pregnancy is also an issue that needs to be addressed. Generally, there is very little sex education because guardians lack time or the topic is considered a taboo. Concerning contraceptive use and other issues in adolescent pregnancy, WHO has this to say:

They may feel too inhibited or ashamed to seek contraception services; contraceptives may be too expensive or not widely or legally available. Even when contraceptives are widely available, sexually active adolescent girls are less likely to use them than adults. Girls may be unable to refuse unwanted sex or resist coerced sex, which tends to be unprotected.

The consequences

Unfortunately, teenage pregnancy “… remains a major contributor to maternal and child mortality, and to the cycle of ill-health and poverty” according to WHO, babies born to teenage mothers are at risk of health complications such as low birth weight or even being stillborn. Moreover without the support of the new mother’s parents, the child will have a difficult time growing because the mother has no economic power. Further, such a girl rarely has education and skills that can give her employment. She ends up depending on other people or reverts to prostitution, in which case she might give birth to more children.

©EthLeen

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The people of Africa as well as other areas of the globe can enjoy some of the same freedoms as the people in the United States of America due to a London-based human rights organization known as Article 19. Article 19 was established in 1987. It takes its name from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, ‘Everyone has the right of freedom of opinion and expression; the right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impact information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.” Article 19 monitors threats to free expression around the globe and provides legal counsel for all whose rights have been violated.

Article 19 has a strong presence in Africa. Recently, it helped Kenya get a victory for freedom of speech. Here is what article 19 accomplished for the people of Kenya;

Article 19 welcomes the decision by the High Court, which declared eight sections of Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 unconstitutional. “Article 19 welcomes the decision by the High Court that several sections of the Security Laws (Amendment) Act 2014 are unconstitutional, in particular those which unduly restrict freedom of expression.

You may wonder how this helps Africans who already reside in the United States. The answer is simple. Having the peace of mind of knowing that being an African that once lived in Africa and now having the ability to learn all that is happening in their home country with very few restrictions, with the help of Article 19, gives them peace of mind and hope that things will continue to change for the better and that they can always stay in contact without restrictions.

©EthLeen

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According to UNICEF, any marriage conducted when one or either of the partners is below 18 years of age, violates the human rights of the minor. Unfortunately, a quarter of women in the age bracket of 20 – 24 years were once child brides. Even when a child lives with a man before formalizing the marriage and continues to care for that person in the hope that when she achieves the legal age they will get married, her rights are still contravened.

Why child marriage takes place?

There are many reasons why girls get married including perceived preservation her family’s honor, culture and religion. The other overwhelming reason for the practice is poverty. Girls Not Brides, a website dedicated to stopping this inhuman behavior, asserts, “Poverty is one of the main drivers of child marriage. Child brides are more likely to be poor and to remain poor.”

Economic impact of dowry

In a situation of acute poverty, marrying off a child leaves the family with one less mouth to feed, educate and clothe. In addition, marrying off a young child even to a man twice her age has monetary gain. According to Girls Not Brides, “Girls from poor families are nearly twice as likely to marry before 18 as girls from wealthier families.”

Poverty and early marriage

This assertion is supported by statistics whereby in Mali, Niger, Bangladesh and Mozambique, where more than 50% of girls become wives while underage, three quarters of the population lives below the poverty line. Lorraine Robinson, writing in One.org, presents the grim statistics that in developing countries such as the ones mentioned above, a third of girls get married before the age of 18.

Snared in poverty

Unfortunately, these girls end up in a poverty trap. Girls who are married early either do not go to schools or fail to complete elementary education. This denies them the opportunity to better their lives through advancement in education. In the homes they get married in, these young brides cannot improve the financial situations, not even those of their children.

An evil repeated

In addition, unless much sensitization is done among women who were once child brides, they will marry off their daughters in the same way. This is because they are trapped in poverty cycles and have to marry off their young daughters in the false hope that the bride price will life them above the poverty line. If women empowerment is to make an impact, child marriages must be stopped.

©EthLeen

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Semhar Araia – State of Eritrea/Washington, D.C.

Semhar Araia was born in New York City whose parents are Eritrean immigrant. You will see from the amazing accomplishments outlined below that she has an incredible passion for the well-being of African women around the world. This is evident 30 countries she has visited, worked and lived throughout her life.

Semhar Araia is the founder and Executive Director of the Diaspora African Women’s Network (DAWN), an organization whose mission is to develop and support the next generation of African diaspora women focused on African affairs. With her law background, she specializes in US African affairs, diaspora engagement, humanitarian affairs, conflict resolution & international development. She is an adjunct professor at George Washington University, teaching on conflict, identity & development in the Horn of Africa. Before this, Semhar Araia worked for Oxfam International, US Congress, Nelson Mandela’s organization The Elders, and as an attorney for the implementation of the 1998-2000 Eritrea-Ethiopia peace process.

Semhar is also a community organizer with extensive grassroots and leadership experience working with communities in the diaspora and East Africa. She is a White House Champion of Change and African Union Diaspora Awardee of the Year, recognized for her outstanding contributions in the African diaspora community. She has lived, worked and visited over 30 countries in East Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Europe. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Saint Thomas and her law degree from Marquette University Law School.

Amanda has made an amazing difference in the lives of children and young adults.

Amanda A. Ebokosia is a Nigerian-American freelance journalist and founder and CEO of The Gem Project, Inc., a nonprofit organization that educates school-age children, youth and young adults about the issues that affect them and their communities. Through the involvement as activity leaders, youth strengthen skills of leadership and community organizing. The Gem Project has directly impacted the lives of thousands of youth and young adults through educational workshops, weekly programs and events.

Amanda A. Ebokosia has been honored by The White House, The City of Newark and the annual FORBES Magazine 30 under 30 list, Ebokosia and her team have demonstrated a great ability to engage communities and young people in ways that develop their leadership skills, which have the capacity to change their lives. The Gem Project and Ebokosia have been featured in many magazines and news programs to share their incredible accomplishments.

In her freelance writing Amanda explores the psychology of people as it relates to their leadership styles. She also focuses on business, women issues and education. She earned a BA in biology with a minor in psychology at Rutgers University. She has also completed the Nonprofit Executive Certificate program from the Rutgers Institute of Ethical Leadership at Rutgers Business School.

©EthLeen

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While reviewing the history of Africans in America it has been shown that black women worked in the field, nursed the children, prepared the meals and attended to the house while the men were the head of household and the family. The men were also leaders in the aspects of their community. While women performed all these roles, domestic violence and incest were prevalent, a fact that black men tried to deny. With all the duties they performed black women had also been the backbone of churches and civil organizations in the black community. But, once again, the males took the leadership role in the churches and civil organizations, even though the women did all of the hard work.

Black women were also limited in their occupational pursuits during this time. It was acceptable for black women to be teachers and nurses, but careers such as doctors, lawyers, scientists and engineers were strictly a man’s profession. Even driving a truck, working on an assembly line or plant was considered taboo for women during this time.

Thankfully, much has changed in black America in the struggle for women’s equality. The changes have occurred because black men and black women are finally standing together in the common fight against racial oppression and economic exploitation. Black women are no longer content to play a secondary role in their freedom and equality struggle. They are no longer content to only prepare the meals, nurse the children and attend to the house. Being a housewife is a perfectly acceptable and respectful profession, but they deserve and want the freedom to choose. They will settle for nothing less than to fulfill their hopes and dreams, just as white women have. They will not rest until they are free of prejudices and misconceptions.

With all that said, they are also continuing the struggle to change some black man’s perceptions. Black men should not feel threatened by the black woman success, whether that success is in their family or their careers.

Although, the black women struggle has improved greatly when compared to prior history there are still many obstacles that need to be overcome. If men and women, regardless of race, all stand together and rally for equality for women of every race, then one day we will all be able to declare, free at last.

©EthLeen

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