The President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Frente POLISARIO Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz described the recent aggression against a group of Saharawi women, who were peacefully demonstrating at occupied El Aaiun's streets, as the "shameful act" which does not honour Morocco nor its authentic people, in an open letter sent Saturday to the Moroccan King.

Thousands of Syrians fled to Jordan's Zataari refugee camp to escape violence at home. But now women and children live in fear of kidnap, rape and sham marriages in the camp meant to keep them safe.

If agony has a sound, it is the cry to God made by 100-year-old Shatwah, as she sits broken and bereft in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan.

The rape and murder of a young woman in New Delhi in December followed by two attacks on foreign female travelers has altered how tourists view India and led to a sharp fall in the numbers of foreign tourists, especially women, a study said.

Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.

Jan Kubis said that despite the good news of a fall in annual civilian casualties in Afghanistan - the first decline in several years - the casualties of women subjected to violence are on the increase.

The United Nations said last month that more than 300 women and girls were killed and more than 560 injured during 2012.

The United Nation's office in Afghanistan on Thursday highlighted the importance of women's active participation in the upcoming presidential election and peace talks in Afghanistan.

Afghan women continue to face serious threats and injustice despite massive efforts at both a countrywide and international level to improve their situation.

There has been substantial progress in women's rights, but there is still a long way to go, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) in Afghanistan said.

The party elections of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are being held in Lahore today. Ayla Malik and Dr Munazza are seen as strong candidates for the post of women wing president after documents of Fauzia Kasuri got rejected due to her holding of dual nationality.

On Wednesday March 20, Rios Montt, the former president of Guatemala, went on trial for genocide and crimes against humanity in Guatemala City. It is the first time ever, anywhere in the world, that a country has prosecuted an ex-head of state for genocide.

The charges go back to Guatemala's civil war, a war that lasted 36 years and killed two hundred thousand people - most of them indigenous Maya.

All political and religious parties in Lower Dir agreed on Tuesday to back women's participation in voting and follow the election code of conduct during the upcoming general election.

In this regard, an all parties' meeting was held at Timergara Rest House, which was attended by contesting candidates and local heads of different political and religious parties, sources privy to the meeting told Dawn.