Top stories from DAWNS Digest
North American Retailers Launch Plan for Bangladeshi Factories
Seventeen leading US and Canadian retailers unveiled a safety plan for garment factories in Bangladesh. “The North American retailers’ plan calls for the inspections of all factories supplying their garments within a year, and for public disclosure of the findings. The agreement also calls for the establishment of basic public safety standards within three months.” (Voice of Americahttp://bit.ly/12ucPjN)
UNFPA: 16 Million Teen Pregnancies Each Year
While advocates used world population day to raise issues related to family planning and health, UNFPA pointed to the high rate of teenage pregnancy and its burden. “The issue of teenage pregnancy is a major problem for us in Africa. Africa has a youthful population. About 60 percent of the population in Africa is below the age of 24, which means when we talk about pregnancy it’s going to be an issue within that age group, said Dr. Akinyele Dairo, senior program and technical advisor for women’s reproductive health at the U.N. Population Fund for the Africa Region.” (Voice of Americahttp://bit.ly/12ucDRP)
Myanmar: Twenty-five Buddhists Sentenced for Role in Sectarian Riot
There was respite from penalties against Burmese Muslims as 25 Buddhists were sentenced to 15 years in jail for their role in riots in central Myanmar. “A wave of violence over the past year in this predominantly Buddhist Southeast Asian country has left more than 250 people dead and 140,000 others fleeing their homes, most of them Muslim. The attacks, and the government’s inability to stop them, have marred the Southeast Asian country’s image abroad as it moves toward democracy and greater freedom following nearly five decades of military rule.” (AP http://yhoo.it/1b464yx)