February 25, 2009 Women’s News Network posted an article that features the work of Nobel Prize Winner and Iranian human rights advocate Shirin Ebad. The article gives an enlightening glimpse into the ineuqalities women continue to face in Iran and offers an inspiring story of leadership.

Read full article.

Some members of Yemen’s parliament are resisting a new law which sets the minimum marriage age at 17 years.  In Yemen, roughly half of all girls are married before 18. Last year the issue of child marriage in Yemen gained global attention as lawyer, Shada Nasser helped her 10-year old client, Nujood Muhammed Ali achieve the first legal divorce for a child in the country’s history.

• Read the IRIN News article discussing resistance to the law
• Learn more about Shada Nasser & Nujood Muhammed Ali

Co-Authored by Casey Gwinn of the Family Justice Center Alliance & Shireen Zaman of Vital Voices Global Partnership

Recently, the founder of a New York television station aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes, Muzzammil Hassan, was charged with killing his wife, Aasiya Zubair Hassan, by beheading her after a history of domestic violence and abuse.  The news story has flashed around the country and around the world as the public seeks to understand the nature of the violence and if it relates to the belief systems of Muslims and the teachings of Islam.

A coalition of Muslim organizations, journalists, community leaders, imams, and other concerned citizens have called for immediate action by American Muslim leaders to address domestic abuse and violence in America including that found in the American Muslim Community.  A number of imams and religious leaders across America have been asked to speak out against domestic violence to their congregations and to remind congregants of the Prophet Muhammad’s rejection of harshness, abuse, and violence in the family and emphasize solutions that strengthen families and ensure all family members are treated with fairness and respect, free of fear of abuse and violence. Continue Reading »

The United Nations released a new report on February 20, 2009 that explores the importance of accountability to achieving gender equality goals. The report, entitled “Who Answers to Women? Gender and Accountability,” was launched in Liberia at an event that included remarks from first democratically elected female head of state in Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Read the UN Press Release.

On February 14, King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz appointed Saudi Arabia’s first female deputy minister. In a country where women hold little political power, this decision represents a significant step towards the empowerment of women. Noura Al Fayez will serve as the Deputy Minister of Women’s Education. Her appointment, along with that of Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammad as the Minister of Education, illustrates the King’s effort for reforms to promote anti-extremist education policies. Continue Reading »

The New York Times recently published an article that details changes in Iran’s social landscape. Women are increasingly seeking higher education and filing for divorce in marriages of divorce and neglect. They are also making use of new technology to explore the rights women enjoy in different parts of the world. The article indicates that these actions are being taken by women of different socio-economic classes and that some men have begun to challenge traditional concepts of marriage.

Read the article, Starting at Home, Iran’s Women Fight for Rights.

Today, Vital Voices staff members are in Accra, Ghana facilitating a workshop for African women artisans to equip them with the skills and resources they need to build successful businesses.

In less than ten days from now, Vital Voices alumnae will launch a Mentoring walk in Ghana to strengthen women’s leadership by promoting mentoring relationships between emerging and established women leaders.

With all of these activities on the horizon, today’s Women’s eNews article Female Pols in Ghana Reflect on Recent Power Drain, provides an interesting parallel to our work.  The article gives an insightful perspective on the challenges women face in Ghana’s political sector.

More…

Islamabad: The Pakistani Government has given the control of the Swat Valley region to the Taliban but voices of dissent against the truce and imposition of Sharia are also rising.

A woman, who fled the Swat Valley, says nothing good will come from the government-Taliban deal.

Fighting back tears, the woman, Gul Bibi, says she’s already seen one very close family member executed by the militants and fears more killing is still to come.

Full story - IBNLive.in.com

Under a two-year pilot program, Nigerian police officers will be deployed with their Italian counterparts at Italian border checkpoints, international airports and harbors to help identify and dismantle human trafficking rings between the two countries.

Full article - International Herald Tribune

Saudi King Abdullah has appointed a woman to the council of ministers for the first time as part of a Cabinet reshuffle, networks including Saudi state-run Channel One reported Saturday.

King Abdullah announced a new supreme court chief, minister of health, justice minister and information minister as part of the reshuffling, according to Channel One.

King Abdullah appointed Noor Al-Fayez to the Saudi Council of Ministers. She will serve in a new position as deputy minister for women’s education.

Full story - CNN

Related stories

Saudi activist: Female minister ‘first step’ but more needed - CNN

Analysis: Female minister just one of Saudi king’s steps forward - CNN

Saudi Arabia: Change We Can Believe In? - NY Times