A Pakistani woman who became internationally known for pressing charges against the men who gang raped her in 2002 is speaking out again.

Last week, Pakistan's Supreme Court dismissed Mukhtar Mai's appeal against the acquittal of five men who raped her. The court ordered the five men to be freed, but upheld a life sentence for another defendant in the case.

Ms. Almas Jiwani, President of the National Committee for UN Women – Canada addressed an audience of over 400 individuals at the 2011 Pakistan Day festivities organized under the auspices of the MQM (Muttahida Qaumi Movement) and its annual community event.

President Banda says Zambia is committed to domesticating international instruments on the rights of women and children.

Mr Banda said in Livingstone yesterday that the authorities are also keen to meet the SADC target on equal representation of men and women in decision-making.

Zimbabwe has signed key international and regional instruments designed to empower women and eliminate discrimination and improve gender equality and equity through development legislation, policies, programmes and projects. (Pictured: Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) national coordinator Netsai Mushonga (L) and Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe (R)

The United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced $6.9 million in awards to 23 projects in the Engaging Men in Preventing Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Grant Program (Engaging Men Grant Program).

Bangladeshi women are pushing government to implement the recently approved National Women Development Policy (NWDP) 2011, which has met with strong resistance from Islamic clergy.

Leaders and activists of the Jatiya Mahila Sangstha (National Women's Organisation) recently held rallies and formed human chains across major cities demanding the policy's immediate enforcement.

The Pakistan Supreme Court's acquittal of five men charged with the gang rape of Mukhtaran Mai highlights the failure to bring perpetrators of such crimes to account, Amnesty International said today.

Pakistan will host the 7th meeting of the women speakers from around the world in November this year.

A water project supported by the UN-African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) in eight villages of North Darfur will not only facilitate residents' access to water but also help to reduce sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the region, local residents and UNAMID officials said.

Migrant domestic workers often toil under difficult and abusive conditions out of sight of the world's eyes. "Individual migrant domestic worker have virtually no possibility to negotiate for better working conditions before moving to the country of employment," Martin Oelz, International Labour Organization's legal specialist in the Conditions of Work and Employment Programme told IPS.