Women's Rights in the News

Haitian Women Fight Sexual Violence

A small group of women in colorful shirts, jeans and skirts stands in a circle, singing and clapping. Some are smiling. All are dancing, shaking their bodies to the sound of their voices strong and loud.

OHCHR Civil Society Section: News about Special Procedures Mandate-Holders

The Consultative Group has submitted its report on candidates for appointment at the 15th session of the Human Rights Council and the updated Public List as at 31 July 2010 is now available. In view of the low response rate to date, the Secretariat has sent a final reminder to candidates who have not responded to the earlier request.

Trafficking of Iraqi Women Rampant Despite U.S. Commitment To End It

Unable to support themselves or their households, thousands of Iraqi women have been preyed on by sex traffickers.

'There Is No Dignity'

Kristin Palitza interviews labour and gender expert Grischelda Hartman

Women Pulling Out of the Technological Gap

When she gets up in the morning, Ghadeer Malek, a young Palestinian feminist activist, checks her Facebook page to keep up on new developments and messages linked to her work.

Women Candidates Hard Hit by Election Postponement

News that Malawi’s November local government elections are to be postponed yet again has hit female candidates hard – and mostly in their pockets. And it could mean that the country will have less female candidates to vote for when they finally go to the polls.

PAKISTAN: Poorest hit by floods/Ramadan woes

LAHORE, 25 August 2010 (IRIN) - During the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, charitable food hand-outs normally allow many of the poorest to eat the occasional decent meal, but this year things appear to be different because of the floods

USA: Lesbian minister to go before Presbyterian court for performing same-sex marriages

A lesbian minister who officiated at a number of same-sex weddings during the period in which they were legal in California, is to go before a Presbyterian court this Thursday charged with going against her denomination's constitution.

UK: Catholic charity's appeal over gay adoption fails

A Roman Catholic adoption charity's appeal to be allowed to discriminate against gay people wanting it to place children with them has been rejected.

Bangladesh bans enforced Islamic dress code

A Bangladesh court has ruled that people cannot be forced to wear skull caps, veils or other religious clothing in workplaces, schools and colleges.

USA: Daisy Khan -- Mosque opposition like "metastasized anti-Semitism"

Lower Manhattan mosque part of 'Americanization' of Islam, Daisy Khan says

New Constitution a Winner With Women

NAIROBI, Aug 6 (IPS) - A day after Kenyans voted to accept a new constitution, women across the country speak about their hopes and expectations.

The case of Elizabeth Chazima could stand for the story of millions of women in Kenya who have been robbed of their financial contributions to matrimonial assets.

Malaysia: Female judges for Shariah courts

Malaysia's first women Islamic court judges will both be up and running in their new roles later this week after Shariah legal authorities empowered them with the same authority as their male colleagues, an official said.

Costa Rica's Constitutional Court Says NO to Gay Referendum

Costa Rica's Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court) has blocked the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) - electoral tribunal - from including from the December municipal elections process a referendum that would have let voters decide if same-sex civil unions should be allowed in Costa Rica.

Mexico supreme court upholds gay adoptions

Mexico's Supreme Court voted Monday to uphold a Mexico City law allowing adoptions by same-sex couples.

Afghan Couple Stoned to Death

The Taliban in Afghanistan has publicly stoned to death a man and a woman over an alleged love affair, government officials said.

Indonesia: Activists say fundamentalists stoke public fears

International researchers and activists gathered in Yogyakarta to network and develop better strategies to advocate sexual rights.

India: Teacher wins burqa battle at university

Eleven days after The Indian Express reported that a 24-year-old teacher of West Bengal’s first Muslim university had not been able to hold classes for more than three months because she refused to heed the student union’s diktat to wear a burqa, Sirin Middya has won her battle

Iranian facing stoning speaks: 'It's because I'm a woman'

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani accuses authorities in Tehran of lying about charges in attempt to execute her in secret

Hong Kong Transsexual Launches Court Bid

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong transsexual has launched a landmark court challenge to win the right to marry her boyfriend after city officials blocked the move, a report said Sunday.

Update: Iran - Mohammad Mostafai, lawyer of Sakineh Ashtiani, arrested in Turkey

Mohammad Mostafaie, a human rights defender and lawyer of Sakineh Ashtiani, the woman whose sentence to death by stoning in Iran in June received worldwide public attention, has been arrested and detained by Turkish authorities.

Pakistani couple face death by stoning threat after conviction for adultery

Rights groups say woman's life in danger after man flees village

Jerusalem hosts subdued gay pride march

Thousands of Israelis marched calmly Thursday in Jerusalem's longest gay pride parade despite opposition from anti-gay demonstrators.

Hamas bans lingerie displays in Gaza Strip

Scantily-clad mannequins and pictures of underwear models are to disappear from clothes shops in the Gaza Strip after officials announced new rules.

India: Prosecute Rampant ‘Honor’ Killings

The Indian government should urgently investigate and prosecute those responsible for the recent spurt in reported "honor" killings - Human Rights Watch.

Iran to pay for new babies to boost population

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated a new policy on Tuesday to encourage population growth, dismissing Iran's decades of internationally-acclaimed family planning as ungodly and a Western import.

Women Prepare to Set Sail Past Israel

BEIRUT, Jul 22 (IPS) - The 'Maryam', an all-female Lebanese aid ship, currently docked in the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli, is getting ready to set sail for Gaza in the next few days. The ship, which aims to break Israel's siege on the Palestinian territory, will carry about 50 aid workers, including some U.S. nuns keen to deliver aid to the long-suffering women and children of Gaza.

Denial of Service: Sex Workers Confront U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Protest the Anti-Prostitution Pledge

Since the opening plenary for the International AIDS Conference (IAC) on Sunday, July 18th, the Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) has been a vocal and visible presence at the conference.

ICC Must Prosecute Mugabe Youths' Rape Campaign

Witness statements by rape victims, vetted by a team of international lawyers, suggest the ruling ZANU-PF unleashed “sexual terror” against women who supported the Movement for Democratic Change

Imams help gay Muslims embrace new social identities

Some British Asian gay Muslims are embracing a new identity, based as much on race and religion as on sexual orientation with a number trying to do it with the help of their local imams.

Finally, positive results from a microbicide trial

VIENNA, 20 July 2010 (PlusNews) - The HIV prevention world is abuzz with excitement following news of the first clinical evidence that a vaginal gel - known as a microbicide - can help to prevent sexual transmission of HIV infection.

Spanish parliament to debate ban on public burqas

Spanish lawmakers will debate barring burqas in public, joining other European countries considering similar moves on the grounds that the body-covering garments are degrading to women, the leading opposition party said Sunday.

Iran: Crushed under stones

Long list of those awaiting execution by stoning

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez orders review of Vatican ties

President Hugo Chavez has ordered a review of Venezuela's ties with the Vatican amid tensions between his government and the country's bishops.

Vatican labels the ordination of women a 'grave crime' to be dealt with in the same way as sex abuse

Making a woman a priest is as sinful as abusing a child, the Roman Catholic Church declared yesterday.

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