January 2012 Blog Posts (5)

'The Raising Her Voice model law, the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill has passed through its first reading on the 26th of January 2012 in Nigeria's Kogi state HOA. Kogi state joins Imo (Imo has already passed the Bill) and Anambra (awaiting signature of the Governor) in their progressive step in promoting the rights of women through the GEO Bill. The Bill is sponsored by Hon Yakubu Yinusa (Majority leader) and Hon Abdullah Bello (co-sponsor) 

A powerful statement of support for Malawi's women from RHV's Pan African partner the Solidarity of African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition:

'The 39 members of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition based in 18 African countries vehemently condemn the stripping of women wearing trousers and short skirts by male vendors in three major cities in Malawi namely Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre.

Women’s rights in Malawi are guaranteed in the Universal…

Pakistan's track record for women's rights is dismal at best. A recent poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation named Pakistan the third most dangerous country for women based on a documented history of acid attacks, child marriage, honor killings and rampant domestic violence. In recent years, the national government of Pakistan has made some effort to provide women with more rights by attempting to amend laws related to…

* Forced marriages, acid attacks, physical violence, sexual torture against women made non-boilable, non-compoundable acts

* Offenders to get 14-year jail term

The Senate of Pakistan on unanimously passed the Women Protection Bill and Anti-Acid Throwing Bill, which envisage heavy penalties for offenders.

Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar, who had presented the bills, thanked the House for passing them without objection. The bills criminalise forced marriages and abuses like…