It is a fact that women are living in some of the direst circumstances in situations of conflict. Not only is poverty often most severe in conflict situations, but women are frequently deliberately targeted for violence in order to fuel conflicts and undermine prospects for peace, development and human progress. Without addressing violence against women, we're not going to get people out of poverty, and we're not going to end conflicts.

Nine American mothers whose children died fighting in Iraq were embraced Sunday by dozens of Iraqi women who lost their own children during decades of war and violence in a meeting participants said brought them a measure of peace.

In light of our announcement this week at the Clinton Global Initiative regarding our new campaign on gender-based violence in the context of armed conflict, we wanted to provide more information on our new partner and a few of our proposed activities.

READ (Rural Education and Development) Global announced today in an onstage ceremony at the Clinton Global Initiative's 2010 Annual Meeting its Commitment to Action to create educational and economic opportunities for women and adolescent girls in rural communities in Bhutan, India and Nepal.

Please click here for the video

CALL FOR PARTNERS: Survey about the role of UN Women at country level

In an effort to stem the endemic violent banditry and cattle-rustling that plagues pastoralist areas in northern Kenya, professionals and community leaders from various ethnic groups have been criss-crossing the region in “peace caravans”.

IRIN hitched a ride with one such caravan, which held meetings bringing together members of the Samburu, Rendile, Borana, Gabra, Turkana, Pokot, Somali and Meru communities.

Sixteen months after the end of the civil war in northern Sri Lanka, thousands of former rebel fighters are still missing or in government detention, according to the government and a local NGO, Law and Trust Society.

Listen here.