The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, November 25th, is a powerful reminder that in every continent, in every country, at least one out of three women has been either physically or sexually abused at some time in her life. Globally, 20 percent of girls and 10 percent of boys experience sexual abuse as children and 20 percent to 50 percent of women indicate that their first sexual experience was forced.

Many United Nations peacekeepers are not only failing to meet the needs of civilians, but they are also perceived as unresponsive once civilians convey their needs, says a new report by Oxfam International.

This topic also was the subject of debate in the Security Council Monday, and questions remain regarding what is actually being done, and whether it is enough.

As Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating the 16-days of activism against gender violence which begin this Thursday, it is critical that this does not just become a one-off event but a more aggressive approach towards ameliorating the scourge be adopted.

The media have highlighted incidents of domestic violence many a time but what comes out appears to be only a tip of the iceberg.

Despite the political will shown by leaders on the African continent, women in Africa faced serious challenges with regards to empowerment and parity.

This is according to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who was speaking at the launch of the 2010 SADC Protocol on Gender and Development on Monday.

The Minister noted in some countries in the SADC region, women had minority status.

Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe has told women in South Africa that equality between men and women was a human right matter that had to be taken seriously.

The DPM described women as better administrators whom the world could not do without.

The improved political representation of women in Iraq is in sharp contrast to their broader disempowerment, as highlighted by the persistence of domestic violence and early marriage, according to a new report by the UN Inter-Agency Information and Analysis Unit.

The United Nations Secretary-General's campaign "UNiTE to End Violence Against Women" got off to a powerful start in the Asian and Pacific region, with a high-profile event held at the United Nations Conference Centre on 25 November and attended by HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha and HE Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand.

In the frame of his visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan to participate in Astana OSCE Summit, UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon is going to hold a meeting with the group of women-peace activists from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan who are also the members of regional initiative “Women for peace and security in Central Asia, the Ferghana Valley region”.

The Security Council today once again called on parties to conflict to take steps to protect civilians affected by hostilities, demanding that they put an end to practices such as sexual violence, forced recruitment and other violations of international humanitarian law.