Asia

In remarks commemorating the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took special note of the efforts the women in the Middle East have made on behalf of freedom and democracy:

At the 15th annual Women in the World conference, held in New York City last Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced her concern about the future of women's rights in the Middle East:

The United Nations human rights office and the national commission on caste-based discrimination in Nepal have urged the Government to fulfil its stated commitment to end all forms of discrimination, saying the problem was widespread and a cause of conflict in the Asian country.

Muslim women in Thailand's insurgency-plagued southern region face problems of discrimination under state and religious law, as well as cultural norms, that are exceedingly difficult to address, a prominent human rights activist told TrustLaw.

Most North Korean women are exposed to brutal violence and sexual abuse in their home and workplace but they have no legal recourse in the reclusive country, according to Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights.

The civic group released a report on violence against women in North Korea Thursday titled “The battered wheel of the revolution,” which was organized by the Dutch and British embassies in Seoul.

Basing on the experience of her mother, Dr. Ana Lua Tubban, wife of Mayor Ferdinand Tubban, who was the guest speaker during the Women's Day celebration in the city on March 8, said that women of today are better off than their counterparts in the 1950s when it comes to discrimination against their sex.

The Laoag City Police women's desk continues to process cases of violence against women having recorded at least 15 cases, three of which have been filed in court, from January to present.

The National Commission for Women is criticizing the Riau chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for banning women from running in the Pekanbaru mayoral election.

"It is against the 1945 Constitution,” Commission deputy chair Masruchah said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

She said Riau's MUI had also violated the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

The resilience of women helps communities stay together in times of crisis because they shield their children and family from hardships and have the will to survive.

Former defense minister of Finland and peace activist Elizabeth Rehn said that women had a unique ability in post-conflict peace building because they would think not only about themselves but also their children and family.

Women should have greater opportunities in decision-making processes to ensure the effectiveness of policy programs designed to help the poor — especially women and children — activists say.

Aceh Indonesian Women Coalition (KPI) representative Safwani said that pro-women policies could only be administered if relevant stakeholders participate with government initiatives at all levels, including the local ones.