Asia

Tawakkol Karman sat in front of her laptop, her Facebook page open, planning the next youth demonstration. Nearby were framed photos of her idols: the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. These days, though, Karman is most inspired by her peers. “Look at Egypt,” she said with pride. “We will win.”

Another woman has joined the presidential race in Kazakhstan, becoming the third female candidate to stand against the country's long-serving leader Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Meyramkul Kozhagulova, 50, registered for the April 3 polls on Friday. Her other female rivals are Maya Karamayeva, 54, and Guldana Tokbayeva, 57, the Central Election Commission said.

Many aspects of normal civilian life are compromised in Kashmir, as in any area of conflict. But in Kashmir, there is an overlay of this reality with another one; of women being treated with insensitivity, and in extreme cases- violence.There is an inherited tapestry of Kashmir's societal norms which are discriminatory, that are then exacerbated by the over two decades of conflict.

The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction on Thursday formally launched a set of national action plans in line with the United Nations Security Council's resolution on women, peace and security.

The plans, endorsed by the government on February 1, make Nepal the first country in South Asia to adopt a national policy in line with UN resolutions.

Afghan women's leaders announced at a press conference this morning in Kabul that they will fight the proposed regulation and any attempt of the government to take over battered women and girls shelters, currently run by non-profit women's organizations.

With a view to achieving sustainable peace and establishing a just society by ensuring participation of women at all stages of peace building, the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) on Thursday launched the National Action Plan (NAP) on UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and 1820.

Young women from rural areas in the country plan to use community radio broadcast as a means to address the issues which affect their daily lives.

Iranian women are not the type of women who remain silent and consider themselves lesser than men. Unfortunately, after their revolution, women's rights have been violated. Today, we see that women are ahead of men in the rightful protests. No matter what results from the current crisis, majority of them believe that women, who make up about 65 percent of Iran's university students, will keep pushing for more rights.

This morning, leading women's rights activists reiterated their position that the Afghan government's impending takeover of women's shelters will be a human rights disaster and stressed the need for international solidarity and diplomatic support for their cause. UN Dispatch was there.

The activists' main points:

It all began on February 12, 1983, when outspoken lawyers, doctors and activists stood up against the discriminatory treatment meted out to women in the country.

“It wasn't like the way people struggle these days. That movement stood for education of women, alleviation of poverty,” reminisced Rights and Social Activist Nageen Hyat, who was part of the movement back then.