The road from the Rwanda-Congo border to Bukavu—a war-torn city on the southeastern edge of Lake Kivu—was almost impassable. Intermittent, torrential rain showers turned the rutted, cratered road into a bog of red mud. On the shoulders, an endless procession of Congolese men and women carried babies slung to their backs and loads of vegetables, eggs, and bananas on their heads.

In an historic move, the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously today to create a new entity to accelerate progress in meeting the needs of women and girls worldwide.

Her face is swollen, her eyes are red and her nightdress is torn in places. Fatima tries not to let us see what has happened to her. After being beaten last night by her younger brother, she is now one of ten patients in a small hospital in Rouiba on the outskirts of Algiers.

It is clearly stated in Article 5 of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights that, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

Malaysia's Islamic Shariah courts have appointed their first female judges - a move praised by women's rights activists Thursday as a boost for a judicial system often accused of favoring men.

An Israel soldier is to face manslaughter charges for shooting dead two Palestinian women during Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip in January 2009.

As the United Nations gears up to despatch thousands of new troops into political trouble spots in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, its peacekeeping missions are being undermined by a shortage of funds, unpaid debts and charges of sexual abuse against women and children caught in the crossfire.

Iran might not send its girls' soccer team to the Youth Olympics in Singapore next month because of a dispute over the players' Islamic attire, Iranian media reported Thursday. The deputy head of Iran's physical education department, Marzieh Akbarabadi, was quoted by newspapers, including Khabar Varzeshi, or Sport News, as saying the newly designed dress was "inappropriate."

Married at just 13 years of age, Fantaye Adem wishes her life had been different.

If she had been raised in her new home in the village of Awra-Amba, instead of being the 18-year-old mother of three, Fantaye would be single for at least another year.

Dewaye Masresha, her 35-year-old husband, brought the family to Awra-Amba six months ago and they now live by the community's principles.

A new UN publication for the first time highlights the best tactics employed by international peacekeepers to stop sexual violence as a tactic of war. Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence—An Analytical Inventory of Peacekeeping Practice is part of a broader agenda to improve the capacities of peacekeepers to protect civilians.