Africa’s Environmental Health 

The month of June in 2014 saw a conference on African health and environment held in Kenya to address sustainable, safe and secure environmental health for the continent. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) already hosted a similar meeting in Angola four years ago, where the continent’s health and environmental priorities were adopted in the Luanda Commitment. The priorities listed in the Luanda Commitment include provision of safe drinking water; provision of sanitation and hygiene services; management of environmental and health risks related to climate change; sustainable management of forests and wetlands and management of water, soil and air pollution as well as biodiversity conservation. Other priorities are vector control and management of chemicals, particularly pesticides and wastes; food safety and security, including the management of genetically modified organisms in food production; children’s health and women’s environmental health; health in the workplace and the management of natural and human-induced disasters.

 

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Africa’s Music Journey

Africa has long been recognised for a number of reasons. Many of those may not necessarily be the best reasons, but one that can certainly not be taken away from the continent is its decades-old culture. Further broken down, ‘culture’ means different things to different people in different regions. However, what has become synonymous with all cultures is music. Among other things, music played a pivotal role in the liberation of various African countries. In South Africa, for instance, Umzabalazo (freedom) songs were all it took to fire the engine that was fighting against apartheid. Over the years, music has evolved, and even more so with the advent of technology. Good music is defined differently by different people, depending on their geographical location, race, gender, age, socioeconomic class, generation, and so on. 

 

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Breaking the Gender Mould 

Job segregation by gender (or the assumption that some jobs are better suited for men, while others are better suited for women) by placing a premium on physical or social attributes is being re-examined and is changing. This has created new opportunities and experiences and is leading to a reconsideration of employers’ assumptions about who can best do a job. With incredible business savvy, determination and resilience, many African women have succeeded in creating a ‘name’ for themselves. Whether they achieved this by moving up the ranks of the corporate world, through entrepreneurial innovation or by fighting for social justice, these women represent some of the most powerful of the African business cohort across various industries. What is important to note is that most ‘male-dominated’ careers are diminishing and that women are levelling the playing field by becoming presidents, CEOs, motor mechanics, fire-fighters, and so on, all around the world.

 

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