General Women, Peace and Security

A 15-year-old Pakistani girl named Anusha was the victim of an "honor killing" last week at the hands of her parents. The specifics of what happened are uncertain, however reports indicate that Anusha died after her parents poured acid on her for turning to look at a boy or boys.

It's been nearly two years since Syria's dictator Bashar al Assad began his brutal assault on hundreds of thousands of people in Syria, a country of over 20 million people. Since the Arab uprisings began, women from Damascus to Aleppo have played a critical role in trying to build a better future for their country.

Nasrin Sotoudeh's awards would cover a wall. But 49-year-old Iranian human rights defender has no walls on which to hang them.

Amnesty International called on Iranian authorities to protect all detainees and prisoners from harassment and degrading treatment, after nine female political prisoners—including some deemed "prisoners of conscience" by Amnesty—started a hunger strike Nov. 1 in response to alleged abuse by prison guards. The women, all held in Tehran's Evin Prison, include activists and journalists.

A leading campaigner against sexual violence in conflict has called for economists to calculate the global cost of the scourge which she said was probably “the most ignored of war crimes”.

Margot Wallstrom, who has spearheaded U.N. efforts to tackle the use of rape in conflict, said that as cynical as it might sound the issue would be taken far more seriously if a price tag were put on it.

The defense ministries of Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are focusing on improving women's involvement in the military through a unique project to achieve greater gender equality.

Late October, a new government was approved by the newly elected Georgian parliament. Many analysts call this a historical election – for the first time ever Georgia experienced a peaceful transition of power. And three of the key positions within the government went to women.

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security, a two-day regional dialogue under the theme, "Enhancing Women's Leadership in Peace and Security in West Africa' ended today in Monrovia.

Representatives from faith-based organizations, business sector, academic institutions, media, civil society organizations, and government agencies convened on Tuesday for the orientation workshop on the implementation of the Philippine National Action Plan (PNAP): United Nation Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 1325 and 1820.

Egyptian bullies who sexually harass women in the streets, often taking advantage of mob situations and the anonymity these provide, are getting a taste of their own medicine – and they don't like it.