Asia

NEW YORK (WOMENSENEWS)-- From Iraq to Syria to the Gaza Strip, Arab women are paying a heavy price for violence flaring across the region.

More women should play instrumental roles in determining the country's defense and diplomatic policies, MKs said at a joint meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women.

Prominent women-leaders from the Central-West region of Western province excelled to greater heights in knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities in building and maintaining peace in the province, after attending a time-bound, extremely informative, emotional but fun, hope-filled and commitment-setting peace-building conference early last month.

As ongoing tensions and what has been called “the politics of hate” rises to a critical point today following the killing deaths of three teenage male Jewish seminary students who bodies were found after they were hitchhiking in the West Bank, the region is reeling military aggression from Gaza, as well as from a ‘retribution' killing of 16-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khaider.

The state government has reinforced its commitment to reducing violence.

The government has signed up to the Second Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

Women in Syria have been arbitrarily arrested and detained, physically abused, harassed, and tortured during Syria's conflict by government forces, pro-government militias, and armed groups opposed to the government, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

Human rights situation in Afghanistan has lost ground in key areas during first six month of 2014, increasing uncertainty about the country's future, especially after the international troops pull out by the end of this year. The deadline for the withdrawal of NATO and US forces and continued debate over the presence of US troops beyond 2014 have negatively affected the Afghan government's policies on human rights in the country.

For anyone following the news from Pakistan, the past few weeks have made for grim reading when it comes to violence against women.

AUTHORITIES will crack down on forced marriages, female genital mutilation and the abuse of migrant spouses under a new national plan to stop violence against women.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will today launch the $100 million Second Action Plan to stop domestic violence, which will also see state and territory governments commit to work on implementing a national scheme for domestic violence orders.

Inclusion of women in society indicates stability, and a stable Afghanistan will lead to greater international security.