It might be hard to imagine that a woman's attendance at a university would be contingent upon the way she dresses.

But during Friday Prayers at Tehran University on May 21, Ayatollah Jannati, an influential member of Iran's Guardian Council, suggested just that, demanding that a strict version of the Hijab Islamic covering be a requirement for female students.

Almost seven years after Naila Farhat, 20, became another victim of an acid throwing attack by a spurned suitor, she is finally seeing more vigorous efforts toward the passage of a law seeking to amend existing legislation to reinforce protection of women against violent assaults.

Six months after the Inter-American Court of Human Rights handed down two sentences against the Mexican state, one of them linked to the wave of murders of women in Ciudad Juárez, little has been done to comply with the rulings.

With the first Review Conference of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) under way in the Ugandan capital Kampala, women are crying out for justice for gender-based violence inflicted upon them during the civil conflict in the country's north.

Josefina Rodríguez very nearly lost her life trying to protect the small plot of farmland in rural Nicaragua that allows her to support her family. Twelve years ago her husband wanted to sell the land, and when she stood up to him, he attacked her with a machete, almost killing her.

In a small office tucked behind the stairwell in Liberia's Ministry of Education, the once-proud staff of the Girls' Education Unit appear defeated.

The workers in this fourth floor office, entrusted with charting a new course for the education of the country's girls and women, have no salaries, no budget, and few projects under way.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has reiterated the commitment for social, political and economic empowerment of women to ensure their active participation in the national development process.

He was inaugurating three-day women convention on the Role of women Parliamentarians in peace, security and reconciliation here Tuesday organised by Women Parliamentarians Caucus.

Algerian rights groups on Monday pressed President Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika to open an independent inquiry into alleged assaults of women domestic workers on bases of foreign oil companies.

However, it has delayed a decision on the full withdrawal of its 20,500-strong force, as sought by Congolese President Joseph Kabila, to next year.

The 15-member body unanimously adopted a resolution to withdraw the troops "where the security situation permits".

It also decided to retain a UN presence in DR Congo until 30 June 2011.

In December 2009, Sudanese refugee Hassan Mahamat Nour closed his popular shop in Ouré Cassoni camp for several days. He forfeited valuable income for his large family. But he felt it was essential to take part in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence and support women in the camp in eastern Chad.