Eleven African governments have pledged to ensure an effective regional mechanism to address sexual violence against women and children in a regional event sponsored by UNDP.

Vice-President Najah al-Attar on Tuesday stressed the need for Arab women to shoulder their role in country and nation through involving in their national work, particularly their social role in raising generations that are capable of defending the country.

The notes came during her meeting with heads of delegations participating in the Arab Women Forum.

It has been said that the conditions of women and children reflect the state of affairs of that country. Thus, when President Benigno Aquino III declared in his inaugural address last June 30 that his administration would take a righteous path, that path should lead to the betterment of the conditions of women and children.

THERE has been a lot of public outcry over corruption in Uganda and Africa as a continent. Corruption is a big issue because it has caused a huge loss to Ugandans and hindered the development of the country.

There are ghosts in every sector of the economy — health centres, pensioners, the Universal Primary Education programme and the army.

If you've seen the award-winning 2008 documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell, then this will be a familiar story: How a group of Liberian women -- Muslims and Christians, young and not so young, long grown weary from the terrors of war -- conspired to wage peace in their country.

Despite widespread criticism, the number of discriminatory bylaws continues to increase across the country, a leading women's rights group said on Tuesday.

The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) said that 35 such bylaws had gone into force this year, bringing the total to 189.

In Afghanistan's parliament, 68 of the 249 seats are reserved for women. During the elections of September 2010, 69 women were elected to parliament – one more than the minimum.

In a dimly lit room at the back of an Afghan house, 21-year-old Zahara is crouched on a plank of wood weaving a large carpet on a loom that she was able to buy using a microfinance loan of $1,100.

Zahara started weaving carpets when she was 10 and did not go to school, but the loan from non-profit development group BRAC allowed her to start her own business about 18 months ago and she has since taken out two more loans of $330 each.

Aid agencies and donors are still failing to take into account the relief and security needs of women displaced by disasters and conflicts. Time is ripe to set action behind the resolutions adopted by the international community.

Crisis and trouble in the world dominate the headlines, but a woman's world remains silent and unnoticed.

Through every set back women still dare to smile from the mountains of Bougainville to the shores of Solomon, Fiji and Tonga.