Harpviken describes Gbowee, 39, as someone who lives up to Alfred Nobel's “champion of peace” ambition and is therefore a strong candidate. Russian rights organization Memorial is first while a Kenyan activist Ory Okolloh comes in third.

Federal contractor Green Bay Dressed Beef LLC will pay $1.65 million in back wages, interest and benefits to 970 women who were subjected to systemic discrimination by the company. The settlement follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which found that the women were rejected for general laborer positions at the company's Green Bay plant in 2006 and 2007.

Male and female students will be separated at a Tehran university in the upcoming academic year in the latest instance of gender segregation in higher education, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.

Allameh Tabatabai University President Seyed Sadredin Shariati said the plan would be implemented first in general courses with a large number of students.

A new centre designed to help some of the many people who have been raped in the Democratic Republic of Congo has opened.

The UN-funded City of Joy is intended to help women become activists and community leaders.

DR Congo has been called the "rape capital of the world" because of the high incidence of sexual abuse during its long conflict.

Both rebels and government troops have been accused of mass rapes.

Robin Levi has a simple point of view when it comes to violence against women in the United States and what the government should be doing to stop abuses. “What's really important is reminding ourselves the United States is not immune from human rights law,” said the human rights director of San Francisco Bay area-based Justice Now.

The launch of Female Civil Society and Human Rights Forum (FECSOHRIF) took place on Tuesday 1st February 2011 at the British Council Hall, Tower Hill in Freetown.

The occasion attracted officials from the United Nations, the National Fire Force, the Police, SLANGO, National Youth Commission, Civil Society, Lawyers and a host of distinguished personalities.

Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak announced today that he will not run for reelection in September, a victory for the Egyptians that have been protesting his regime for the past week.

Dominating the nearly nonstop coverage has been the moving photographs published throughout the world of passionate protesters demanding their voices are heard.

The face of women's issues in Lebanon is changing. Young intellectuals in thick Ray-Ban glasses and oversized sweaters, elegant ladies clutching designer purses, Sri-Lankan housekeepers, government representatives as well as foreign exchange students, all came out in force last week to the Metropolis Cinema Sofil, waiting in anticipation for documentaries outlining women's rights in Lebanon to be unveiled.

Thank you all for coming here today. The presence of a number of distinguished African Heads of State and Government attests to this continent's strong support for the newest member of the UN family: UN Women.

President Sirleaf on Sunday joined women in Africa and across the world to celebrate the creation of the newest United Nations entity, known as United Nations Women (UN Women).