Imagine starting a country from scratch. That's what it feels like everyone is doing in Sierra Leone, a country now 10 years out of a civil war, but still struggling to restore infrastructure to pre-war levels.

Speakers stressed on the need for education, awareness and training to enhance participation of women in the electoral politics. They were speaking at a conference titled ‘Enhancing the Role of Women for Participation in Electoral Process' organised by the UN Women in collaboration with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday.

Lawyers and rights activists are calling for a change in Sudan's laws which allow for the marriage of girls as young as 10.

It is time, they say, that Sudan's laws recognise gender equality so that the country's girls and young women can take control of their lives and leave behind the cycle of child marriage and abuse.

(Phnom Penh, 10 July 2013) On 3 July 2013, a group of civil society organizations ("CSOs") jointly organized a national political platform debate on "Special Measures to Solve Women's and Children's Issues" (the "Debate"). CSOs were pleased to welcome to the Debate representatives from seven of the eight political parties who are contesting the National Assembly elections to be held on Sunday, 28 July 2013.

A senior United Nations official today stressed the need to ensure women can make their voices heard in Egypt without fear of violence, stressing that their right to take part in the country's public life must be protected.

The National Security Coordinator (NSCOORD), Retired Brigadier Mustapha M.K. Dumbuya has said that gender equality within the security sector is a high priority for the security sector and therefore called on Women in Security Sector-Sierra Leone (WISS-SL) to capacitate and position themselves, in order to occupy strategic positions in the sector.

Women political prisoners of the Damascus Central Prison, many held without charge, have begun an indefinite hunger strike to protest the conditions in which they are detained. “We are the detainees of conscience in prison of Adra in Damascus, who are in the waiting period to appear for trial ... officially announce today that we are on hunger strike ...

A court has reversed the convictions of three Afghans jailed for torturing a young relative who had refused to become a prostitute, alarming activists who had celebrated the guilty verdicts as a warning to all those who would seek to reverse the strides made by women here in the past 12 years.

This week alone, 91 women became victims of sexual assault over four days during the protests, says Human Rights Watch. Many women are breaking their silence at last. But it's a long battle.

UN Women is set to launch a five-year programme on social stabilisation and reconstruction.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Programme Specialist Fehmida Iqbal said that the plan was aimed at ensuring institutional accountability and facilitating women by giving them a forum to voice their demands.