Continent of Mothers, Continent of Hope: Understanding and Promoting Development in Africa Today

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Zed Books, 2003 - Africa - 260 pages
What is Africa really like today? For all the ordinary townsmen, villagers, and particularly mothers, breadwinners and children who live there? Cutting through the Western media's stereotype picture of a continent wracked only by civil conflict and AIDS, Torild Skard has written an engrossing introduction to a continent in change. Based on her extensive travels through the length and breadth of the region when she served as UNICEF's Director in West and Central Africa in the 1990s, this experienced writer combines eyewitness accounts, lively description and deeply informed insight to portray the human reality of Africa today. With honesty, cultural sensitivity and a commitment especially to women, she frankly describes the social, health and other problems experienced by its people, but also the sources of hope for the future represented by courageous individuals, innovative community-level projects and sensible programmes being implemented in the region by the international agency whose work she coordinated.

This highly readable account ranges over the social, economic and political realities of modern-day Africa, as well as introducing the reader to its history and complex cultures.

It is ideal for the general reader, Sixth Form students and particularly aid workers, agency staff and volunteers who are about to travel or work in the Continent.

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Contents

Bereavement What Do We Mean by Bereavement?
1
The Merciless
16
Stopping the Ravages of
30
Copyright

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About the author (2003)

Torild Skard is a well-known public figure who has built a significant reputation as a writer, researcher and politician in her own country, Norway, as well as internationally. She became a Member of Parliament in 1973 and first woman President of the Norwegian Upper House. She has also worked for UNESCO as a Director with special responsibility for women's affairs. In 1994, UNICEF persuaded her to start a four year job as their Regional Director for West and Central Africa and it was out of this intense experience getting to know some two dozen African countries that she gathered the material on which this book is based.

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