The Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, has said the Judiciary will ensure that rape and defilement cases are disposed of within the shortest time possible.

Odoki said he was going to write to the judicial officials, the Director of Public Prosecution, and the Police to ensure that sexual cases are handled within six months.

Cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) reduced by 4.9 percent in 2009 from 2,646 cases registered in 2008 to 2,523, according to a new police report.

The report, seen by The New Times, indicates that sexual abuse topped the GBV crime list with 1,570 cases recorded, despite having decreased by 30.6 percent from 2,051 cases the previous year.

President Paul Kagame, yesterday, received the "Lifetime Leadership Award for Development and Equality", from Rwandan women, in recognition of his efforts in developing the nation and promoting equality amongst Rwandans, The New Times reports.

The minister of Family and Women Promotion, Genoveva Lino, this Saturday in eastern Moxico province urged the Angolan society to introduce changes in the education of their children regarding their access to school, especially for girls.

Women's groups want the constitution-making process delayed until the political climate is conducive for outreach teams to carry out their work in yet another potential stumbling block for the process.

This demand was made at a recent civil society cluster meeting organised by the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (Nango) ahead of the crucial phase of the process.

Sustainable development, economic growth, and peace and security cannot be achieved without gender equality, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today, citing evidence of the beneficial impact of women's empowerment.

ONE million women, countrywide, will today be marching to highlight the achievements recorded in the areas of gender and women promotion in the country.

This march comes ahead of a two day international conference that has attracted gender and women rights activists from all over the world.

May 6-8 the Kvinna till KvinnaFoundation arranged the conference ”Reaching out to make a change” in Montenegro for 150 representatives from women's organisationsfrom all over the Western Balkans. Women from the Middle East, Southern Caucasus and Liberia also took part in the meeting.

Poet activist Myesha Jenkins' voice reverberated through the hall: "Women are out in the night; we are cleaning the streets, some walking the streets..."

Jenkins's verse was echoed by fellow poets Zanele Faith Mavuso and Aura Zawanzaruwa who spoke of the pain of violence and the strength of women.

Official results of Mauritius's most recent elections released on 6 May 2010 shows a 0.5% decrease in women's representation in parliament, sliding from 17.1% to 16.6%. Unless this situation is corrected with the best loser system, Mauritius will follow the trend of gender losses in two Southern African countries that had elections in 2009, Botswana and Namibia.