• Female Circumcision 'Not Islamic'. [BBC News, UK] Egypt's top Muslim clerics have attempted to distance Islam from the practice of female genital mutilation, saying the religion does not need it. The head of the al-Azhar mosque, Sunni Islam's top authority, told a meeting in Cairo the practice, also known as female circumcision, was not a "must". And Egypt's top official cleric, Ali Gomaa, said the Prophet Mohammad had not circumcised his daughters. Female genital mutilation is widespread in parts of Africa and the Middle East. The practice, which typically involves surgically removing the clitoris of a young girl, has been criticized as an infringement on the rights of women and a threat to their health.

• Old Women Step Forward as 'Martyrs'. [Guardian Unlimited, UK] Other old women now want to become suicide bombers. The family talks of why she did it. Perhaps it was her grandson's death. 'My son, Adil, was 18 when he was killed,' says Fathiya, 52, Najar's eldest daughter. 'He was throwing stones at the Israelis.' Then there was Fathiya's other son, Sha'aban. He attacked an Israeli soldier with a knife. He was shot 72 times, lost a leg and is paralyzed. The family shows a photo of Fatma, a sweet-faced woman in a white cotton scarf. Neighbors crowd in with stories of her generosity, how she gave sweets to local children, told stories, played.

• Muslim Women Gather To Plan Council. [Free Market News Network, FL] An international group of Muslim women has met in New York to plan the first all-female council formed to issue fatwas, opinions based on religious reasoning. The women, from 25 countries, hope to give the female perspective on Islamic Law on issues including domestic violence, divorce and inheritance, the Christian Science Monitor reported Tuesday.

Afghanistan

• Female Afghan Minister Pushes for Rights. [Washington Post] Five years after the Taliban's fall, women aren't beaten if they leave home without a male relative. Girls can go to school, and a quarter of Afghan parliamentarians are women _ as mandated by law. But life remains bleak: Many women and girls face domestic violence and forced marriage in this conservative, violence-plagued country. In many provinces where the government wields little power, life for women remains as it was during the rule of the Taliban. "We've had three decades of war in Afghanistan, which have had very bad consequences for women," Minister for Women's Affairs Hussn Banu Ghazanfar said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It takes time to solve these problems." Ghazanfar, the fourth female minister since the fall of the Taliban, was appointed by President Hamid Karzai in August. But like her predecessors, she is up against provincial warlords who continue to refuse women and girls the right to education and even to leave their homes.

• Afghanistan's Only Female Minister Takes on Domestic Violence. [The Associated Press] Decades of civil strife and rule by the hard-line Taliban regime have left most Afghan women and girls battered and illiterate. The country's only female government minister faces the daunting task of providing them with education and protection in the face of repressive social customs that would deny them both. "We've had three decades of war in Afghanistan, which have had very bad consequences for women," Minister for Women's Affairs Hussn Banu Ghazanfar said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It takes time to solve these problems." Five years after the Taliban's fall, women are no longer beaten if they leave home unaccompanied by their male relatives. Girls can go to school, and 25% of Afghan parliamentarians are women — as mandated by law. But life remains bleak for women, who are still regarded as second-class citizens. Many women and girls face domestic violence and forced marriage, and are kept on short leashes in the conservative, violence-plagued country.

• Desperate to Flee Abuse and Hardship, Afghan Women Commit Suicide by Fire. [The Associated Press] Blood dripped down the 16-year-old girl's face after another beating by her drug addict husband. Worn down by life's pain, she ran to the kitchen, doused herself with gas from a lamp and struck a match. Desperate to escape domestic violence, forced marriage and hardship, scores of women across Afghanistan each year are committing suicide by fire. While some gains have been made since the fall of the Taliban five years ago, life remains bleak for many Afghan women in the conservative and violence-plagued country, and suicide is a common escape. Young Gulsum survived to tell her story. Her pretty face and delicate feet were untouched by the flames, but beneath her red turtleneck sweater, floral skirt and white shawl, her skin is puffy and scarred. More than a month after her attempt, her gnarled hands still bleed.

• Afghan Women Seek to Outlaw Domestic Violence. [Reuters AlertNet, UK] In Afghanistan it is perfectly legal for a man to beat up his wife, but more than five years after the fall of the hardline Taliban, a group of women parliamentarians is trying to change that. A United Nations report this year said violence against women in Afghanistan was "hugely under-reported" and "acts of violence against women are taking place with impunity". It also accused the government of not doing enough to prevent it. "We grew up with domestic violence without understanding that it is a crime," Shukria Barakzai, 34, an Afghan woman member of parliament, told Reuters in an interview. "We respected a husband's right to punish without any understanding that he hasn't got this right."

• Problem of Violence against Women Discussed in Azerbaijan. [TREND Information, Azerbaijan] On November 23, a conference was held in “Europe” Hotel on the project “Prevention of violence against women” realized by the State Committee for Problems of Families, Women and Children of Azerbaijan, UNFPA and Youth Organization of Refugees and Internally displaced Persons. The conference brought together the representatives of relevant state bodies, ministries, courts, parliament and NGOs. The results of the project “Prevention of violence against women” were also dedicated to the International Day of preventing violence against women – November 25. During the conference, the Chairman of the State Committee for Problems of Families, Women and Children, Hijran Huseynova spoke about transformation of the violence against women into a serious problem of the society. The Deputy of the Azerbaijani Parliament Gular Ahmadova made a speech on the topic “Women rights in international standards”. The Chairman of the Nasimi District Court Aladdin Jafarov gave a speech on the topic of “Court experience on cases linked with violence against women”.

• OSCE States Necessity to Increase Number of Women in Azerbaijani Law Enforcement Department. [TREND Information, Azerbaijan] Ingrid Angela, the adviser on Democracy for the Baku office of the OSCE, informed a news conference on 24 November that the Baku office of the OSCE will organize a conference dedicated to women rights in Azerbaijan in Baku on 27-28 November 2006, Trend reports. She noted that the event will bring together experts from the United States, Germany, UK, Austria, Macedonia, Iran, Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, as well as local specialists. MPs, representatives of the Constitution Districts and Economic Courts of Azerbaijan, the State Committee on Family, Woman and Child Problems and the Justice Ministry and 10 female police are also amongst those invited. An official of OSCE noted that there was insufficient number of women being represented in the law enforcement Department.  50% of the students in the legal faculties of the universities are women yet after graduation they are unable to find jobs by profession and are obliged to work for NGOs or in the business sector.

• Network of Women Lawyers Created in Azerbaijan. [TREND Information, Azerbaijan] A new network of women lawyers has been created in Azerbaijan. Such a decision was made on 28 November at the conference dedicated to the rights of women in Azerbaijan. The conference was made possible through the support of the OSCE Baku Office. The OSCE Baku Office, will, together with experts from the USA, support this initiative of the women lawyers of Azerbaijan, the Advisor of the OSCE Baku Office Head for Democracy, Ingrid Angel Kissinger, informed Trend. The OSCE representative stated that they intend to hold negotiations with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Justice with regard to this issue. Kissinger stressed that the development of this organization will depend on the level of the interest and co-operation from the women lawyers within this association.

• Big Setback for Women. [Gulf Daily News, Bahrain] Clerics are being blamed for women candidate's disastrous performance in the parliamentary and municipal council elections. Seventeen women ran for parliament and four for municipal councils, but only one got in. Latifa Al Gaoud became Bahrain's first female MP when she was elected unopposed to Southern Governorate constituency six, which includes Hawar and surrounding islands. None of the others made it through to the second round of voting in either parliamentary or council elections.  Religious leaders have allegedly been telling voters that it is against Islam for women to be elected as politicians. Now women candidates and rights campaigners are calling for a quota in the next parliamentary and municipal elections. They also want the government to crack down on those who actively support sex discrimination in politics.

• Female Hopefuls Counter Traditional Roles. [Gulf News, United Arab Emirates] They are smart, ambitious and highly educated. They also have a growing sense about the role of literate women in confronting traditions and working on par with men to create a more positive reality for them. They are women whose exceptional fortitude has brought vociferous female voices to male-dominated campaigns in the last five weeks. Dr Jameela Al Sammak did it with extraordinary panache. In fact, she took the battle to a public ground and did not hesitate to tell the people about the relentless onslaught on her and on her team. "When I announced my decision to run in the polls, I was subjected to tremendous pressure to withdraw my candidature for the sake of another candidate. I was told that by running in the elections, I was dispersing the votes in the constituency which, they claimed, was theirs," she said.

• Women 'Are Still Facing Jobs Bias'. [Gulf Daily News, Bahrain] Bahrain may be a leading Arab country in terms of women's rights, but companies are still snubbing female workers because they expect them to take more time off than men to look after families. President of the Contemporary Women's Association, Faezah Al Zayani, told the GDN that many female jobseekers qualified and capable of filling important roles were being ignored as a result of continuing prejudice. "They (companies) are employing less women because they are thinking about how much time they will have off for maternity leave and to look after her children," said Ms Al Zayani. "This is unfair because this is the right they have to raise their children.”

• First Female Judge Appointed in Bahrain. [The Media Line] Bahrain’s King Hamad Bin 'Isa Al Khalifa has issued a decree appointing Mona Jasim Al-Kawari as the first female judge in the history of the Persian Gulf states. "I am very proud to be the first woman judge in Bahrain," said Al-Kawari following her appointment to the Higher Civil Court. "This nomination does not surprise me though, because his majesty has been encouraging women since the launch of reforms," said the new judge. Al-Kawari thanked King Al Khalifa, and said his move showed his keenness on ensuring equality between men and women, as was declared in Royal Decree No. 42 of 2002.

• Bahrain Ready for Women Leaders. [Gulf Daily News, Bahrain] Bahrain is ready for women leaders in parliament and the municipal council, say residents in the Muharraq Governorate. Bahraini women are smart, able and excel in various fields, including education, engineering, medicine, business and the banking and financial industry, said Busaiteen resident Waheed Mannai. "Why shouldn't women do well in politics?" the 58-year-old father-of-six asked outside the Shaikh Khalifa Institute for Technology. "I am happy that there are many women running for posts in this year's elections. In my opinion, more women should have run because Bahrain is ready, more than ready, for women leaders."

• Muslim Clerics Vs. Female Genital Mutilation. [Ynetnews, Israel] Are Germans changing the face of Islam? A German human rights activist organized a rally of Islamic clerics in Cairo, which ended with a joint statement by the clerics that female genital mutilation will be considered a crime against humanity. "This is a historic change," Rüdiger Nehberg told Ynet after ensuring that leading Sunni clerics condemn the phenomenon of female genital mutilation. He initiated a conference at the al-Azhar University in Cairo, which ended with a statement issued by 20 clerics: "A Muslim must not hurt a Muslim. Therefore, the genital mutilation must be considered as criminal aggression against mankind." The rally was sponsored by the most esteemed religious establishment among the Sunnis, and was fully supported by the Egyptian Ministry of Religion.

• Women's Rights Activists Hail Verdict. [Gulf News, United Arab Emirates] Women's rights activists on Wednesday hailed a ruling by India's top court that divorced women who remarry will no longer automatically lose custody of their children. The ruling made on Tuesday overturns a lower court decision that upheld the practice based on Hindu family law, which favors the father as the natural guardian of children. "This is a step in the right direction and will allow women to make more choices and better choices," said Ranjana Kumari of the New Delhi-based Centre for Social Research, who hailed the move as a radical shift in attitudes towards divorce and the rights of divorced women.

• Report: India's Shiite Muslim Women Can Initiate Divorce. [International Herald Tribune, France] Leaders of India's Shiite Muslim community have approved changes to the community's marriage laws to give women more grounds for divorce, a news report said. The All India Shia Personal Law Board said women can seek divorce on grounds of mental or physical torture, adultery, or being barred from studying or taking up a job, the Hindustan Times reported. The law board, which is the top body for India's Shiites, rules on personal matters such as marriage, divorce and child custody. India's constitution lets the country's main religious minorities — Christians and Muslims — use their own religious laws for personal matters.

• Code Gives Shia Women Equal Rights. [Times of India] Leaders of India’s Shia Muslim community have approved changes to the community’s marriage laws to give women more grounds for divorce, a news report said. The All India Shia Personal Law Board said women can seek divorce on grounds of mental or physical torture, adultery, or being barred from studying or taking up a job, the Hindustan Times reported. The law board, which is the top body for India’s Shias, rules on personal matters such as marriage, divorce and child custody.

• Mulayam, Sharad and Lalu Against Women Reservation Bill. [Daily News & Analysis, India] Twenty-four hours after parliamentary affairs minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi announced that the government would introduce the women’s reservation bill in Parliament, the move has run into trouble in the Hindi heartland. After a UPA-Left meeting on Wednesday night, Dasmunshi announced the government’s resolve to introduce the bill, providing 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. However, the railways minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav have decided to oppose the bill in its present form.

• 50% Reservation for Women in Elected Bodies. [Daijiworld.com, India] A legal workshop for women was organized by the District Legal Services Authority in association with Indian Federation of Women Lawyers at Karavali College. Speaking on the occasion, Justice R Gururajan, state High Court, said women must exercise the rights laid down by the constitution. Equality is conserved as a value in Indian constitution. Advocates should construe the existing legal provisions to guarantee justice to the oppressed so that the legal dominion does not remain suppressed. He also expressed the need for the Federation to set up legal aid camps in rural areas. He suggested the introduction of 50% reservation for women in elected bodies and said that the media has an important role in spreading awareness on legal rights of women among the masses.

• 'Quotas Help Empower Women'. [Times of India, India] Advocating quotas for greater political participation of women throughout the world, a Unicef report says that it has proved to be an effective method for women’s empowerment. The report’s conclusions come at a time when the UPA-led government has all but pushed the women’s reservation Bill into cold storage. According to the Unicef’s ‘State of the World’s Children Report 2007’, women account for only 1 out of 6 national parliamentarians. However, the report notes that of the 20 countries with the largest number of women in Parliament, 17 countries are using quota in some form or the other.

• Himachal to Make Female Feticide a Crime Equal to Murder. [Hindu, India] The Himachal Pradesh Government on Wednesday said, it would consider amending the Indian Penal Code to make female feticide a crime equivalent to murder and will pay Rs 10,000 to those who give the State information about this crime in the State. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh made this announcement during a seminar on female feticide and the role of NGOs organized by the State Social Board here on Wednesday. "All those who indulge in this heinous act and who conduct it are equally responsible for this crime," he said, adding the latest available figures in the State shows a decline in female feticide, which is a good sign. He said, the State Government had also decided to give Rs five lakhs as an incentive for development works to those panchayats where the female birth would be more than boys. He also announced that his Government has decided to reward Rs 25,000 to the those families, which would adopt family planning after the birth of the first female child and to those who adopt it after the birth of two female children.

• Mangalore: Decline in Female Sex Ratio in DK District. [Daijiworld.com, India] There were several contradictions with regard to the position of women in Dakshina Kannada district. The practice of dowry for instance was rampant, in spite of high levels of education and awareness among women, A.K. Monappa, director of Women and Child Welfare Department said after inaugurating a seminar on "Girl Child and Education" here. Although Dakshina Kannada district was the only region apart from Kerala that had a positive female sex ratio in the country, there had been a decline in the ratio in the last few years. This should be seen as a warning signal, he said. Juvenile sex ratio was a cause for concern throughout the country. While the adult sex ratio was 964 women for a 1,000 males, the juvenile sex ratio was 910 girls for a 1,000 boys, he added. Referring to the cases of child trafficking, he said the Government planned to set up a child tracking system. Shantha Mohan, head of the gender studies department, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, said although there has been progress in the levels of education got by women, the gap in the success of men and women had not reduced. The seminar began with college students taking an oath against dowry. Centre for Women's Studies of Mangalore University, Magu Madhura Kalike, District Institution of Education and Training, and Development Education Service jointly organized the seminar.

• Youth Brigade to Keep Check on Female Feticide at State. [Lucknow Newsline, India] Aiming to curb the menace of female feticide in the state, representatives of various NGOs working on the issue formed a ‘Youth brigade’ on Thursday. The youth brigade, titled Rapid Fire, will now be keeping a check on Ultrasound Clinics in the state capital and would be reporting to appropriate authorities about the violation of the PNDT act and sex determination tests. Consisting of representatives of various NGOs and students of the Lucknow University, the youth brigade was formed at the state level strategy planning meeting of the female feticide campaign of Vatsalya, organized at the Bandhan guest house on Thursday.

• Independent Women Too are Victims of Domestic Violence. [Times of India, India] The recent expose by a local newspaper in Mumbai on the alleged beating of Shweta Mahajan, a pilot married to Rahul Mahajan, has opened a fresh debate on the issues of domestic violence. It also reinforces the view that violence do exist in the upper strata of society. The couple, however, has denied any ripple in their marriage. About a decade ago, a documentary film Char Diwari by Rinki Bhattacharya, a victim of domestic violence herself, showed how educated and financially independent women suffered physical and mental abuse at the hands of their husbands. Some of them did not have the courage to either separate from them or seek divorce. It exposed the myth that violence exist only in the lower strata of society.

• Women Urged to be Aware of Domestic Violence Act. [Hindu, India] Chennai : Madras School of Social Work conducted a workshop on the Domestic Violence Act to promote awareness of the law among police personnel, representatives of non-governmental organizations and students. At the inauguration, Justice S. Mohan, former Supreme Court Judge, termed the Act a landmark law to bring civil remedies to women who faced physical, sexual, verbal and economic violence at home. S. Vimala, District Judge and Director of Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy, urged women to be aware of the protection that the Act offered them. The Act offered them shelter, right to custody of children and support to fight violence. The procedure to seek help under the Act was fairly simple, Ms. Vimala said. A victim could fill up a standard form and submit it to a Magistrate. She would be given legal help free of cost if she could not afford it. A protection officer would assist the victim. Women in live-in relationships were also covered by the Act.

• Improve the Lot of Indian Women, Fast. [Economic Times, India] It would be facile to claim there is any connection between the government’s decisions to introduce the Women’s Representation Bill during the current session of Parliament just a day after the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked India a dismal 98 out of 115 countries in its latest Gender Gap index. The coincidence is, nonetheless, uncanny as the WEF report shows up just how much Indian women trail, not only their men folk but, increasingly, their counterparts elsewhere in the world. Though pride of place, predictably, went to the Scandinavian countries that have a long tradition of gender equality, what is truly disappointing is how far India lags behind, even against other developing countries like Philippines and, closer home, Sri Lanka.

• Indian Women Want to Stick to Two Children. [Daily News & Analysis, India] An increasing number of Indian women want to limit their family size preferring to have two children. The primary facts from the 2005-06 National Family Health Survey from five states have shown that some health and family welfare indicators have improved in the past seven years since the last survey was conducted in 1998-99, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday. Fertility has continued to decline in the states of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab, the minister said adding this is consistent with a desire among women to limit their family size.

• India Among Countries With Skewed Sex Ratios in Favor of Boys. [Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran] UNICEF State of the World's Children report says, "India finds itself among countries with skewed sex ratios in favor of boys. Some 7,000 fewer girls are born in India daily, mainly due to female feticide." Compared to 1991 when only two districts -- Salem (Tamil Nadu) and Bhind (Madhya Pradesh) -- had adverse female sex ratio, as many as 51 districts in India now have more male babies born compared to female child. As against the global sex ratio of 954 girls to 1,000 boys, there are only 882 girls per 1,000 boys in India. "In 80% of districts in India, the situation is getting worse," says the report, which marks the 60th anniversary of the UN body. In 14 districts of Haryana and Punjab there are fewer than 800 girls per 1,000 boys. Surprisingly, these are some of the most affluent areas in India, with a higher access to advanced prenatal diagnostic techniques, leading to the widespread termination of female fetus, according to the report.

• Short Story Contest for Indian Women Launched. [Telugu Portal, India] Renowned social activist and Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi has launched a short story contest for Indian women here. The contest by the Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) and Roli Books is on the theme 'Mother' and was inaugurated by Ebadi. It is open to all Indian women in India and abroad. Non-resident Indian women, who still carry Indian passports, may also apply. "The objective of the contest is to reward and recognize Indian women to write about themselves, their very full lives and experiences," an IWPC press release stated.

• Indian Women are World's Best Boxers. [Times of India, India] Just a day after our glorified cricketers staged an abject surrender in Durban, some unheralded women boxers took it upon themselves to dispel the gloom and show all was not lost in Indian sports. The boxers punched their way to four gold medals as India reigned supreme in the fourth World Women's Boxing Championship which ended in New Delhi on Thursday. Led by star boxer M C Mary Kom, who completed a hat-trick of world titles, the Indian contingent surprised strong nations like Russia, Korea and China to seize the team championship at an ecstatic Talkatora Indoor Stadium.

• Iraqi Women Killed in Raid. [Scotsman, UK] Coalition forces backed by US aircraft killed eight al-Qaida insurgents in Iraq this morning during a raid that also left two Iraqi women dead, the US said. The attack raised to seven the number of Iraqi females, including an infant, who have died during US raids in Iraq during the last two days. The attack near the northern city of Baqouba was aimed at detaining Iraqis who were running a known cell of insurgents.

• Appalling Conditions of Women Prisoners Disputed. [Reuters AlertNet, UK] Conflicting opinions exist within the Iraqi government on how female prisoners are treated. According to the Iraqi Minister of Women's Affairs and local NGOs, female prisoners in Iraq are held in appalling conditions, often without charge, and are sometimes raped and tortured. "We don't know the exact number of female prisoners but there are many being held in different prisons - even though the [other ministries in the] government and US forces deny it. They are afraid of a counterattack from the country's conservative society," Faten Abdul Rahman Mahmoud, Minister of Women's Affairs, said. Sarah Abdel Yassin, spokeswoman for the Baghdad-based Organization for Women's Freedom (OWF), said she agreed with the minister and had met many women who had been tortured in Iraqi jails.

• Iraqi Women's Stories. [TPMCafe, NY] This story is a good reminder of the reality that often gets missed in the headlines about bombings and militias and diplomacy. What is life like for women in Iraq today? The interviews, collected with difficulty, provide a powerful corrective to the anti-intellectual stripe of conservatives (and liberal hawks) who, to this day, with utter ignorance or shamelessness, will tell you that mostly, it's only Baghdad that's beset by violence and that most provinces are really doing rather well. If that's true, why are so many of these women, who love their communities and their country, contemplating leaving not just Baghdad but Iraq? Why? The story also, I think, says something cautionary, albeit indirectly, about the use of violence to implant freedom in other societies. In real, rather than trumped-up emergencies, the attempt may be necessary--but it's never something to be done cavalierly, not least because the effort can lead freedom and safety to deteriorate rather than grow. The intervention can make fear and violence even more the central currency of social relations than it had been before, leaving the average person with even fewer options for living.

• Jihadis and Whores. [Iran Press Service, France] To understand Iranian politics, cherchez les femmes: the fate of Iranian women sheds light on the eccentricity of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. By Spengler's Universal Law of Gender Parity, the men and women of every place and every time deserve each other. A corollary to this universal law states that the battered Iranian whore is the alter ego of the swaggering Iranian jihadi.

• Women's Rights Movement and the One Million Signatures. [Payvand, Iran] In the midst of all the horrible and worrisome news of violence, war and massacres coming from the Middle East these days, it is news about women whose humane creativity, civic movements, and life-promoting and peace-seeking activities that bring hope for the future of this bloody and turbulent region. One example is the news of the Palestinian, Israeli and Lebanese women who have come together to promote dialogue and negotiation in an effort to end the prolonged wars and conflicts by finding a just and practical solution.

• Iran to Launch Women-Only Taxi Company for Tehran. [Reuters] Iran will launch a women-only taxi company in Tehran aimed at women who feel uncomfortable riding in close proximity with members of the opposite sex. "The Ladies' Safe Trips" taxi company, due to open for business in the next few weeks, will be the first such private sector firm in the capital. Similar taxi lines have been operating in some provincial cities for several years. The company will only employ female drivers who will wear uniforms and must be married, the Tehran-e Emrouz newspaper said.

• Amnesty International Condemns Violence Against Women Demonstrators. [www.lastsuperpower.net] Amnesty International condemns the violent action taken by Iranian police, Revolutionary Guards and others on 8 March to forcibly disperse about 1,000 women who had gathered peacefully in Tehran to commemorate International Women’s Day. Scores of women are reported to have been beaten by the police and those assisting them. The women had gathered in Daneshjoo (Students) park, where they began a peaceful sit-in and displayed banners with slogans such as ‘discrimination against women is an abuse of human rights’, ‘women demand their human rights’, and ‘Iranian women demand peace’. Initially, there were about 100 police present but as the protest continued busloads more police and also members of the plain clothes Basij militia, and special anti-riot forces belonging to the Revolutionary Guards, arrived at the park. They filmed and photographed the women protestors and then ordered them to disperse, on the grounds that the gathering had not been officially authorized. However, the protestors did not do so and at 4.20pm, after one of them read out a statement calling for greater rights for women, the security forces charged them and began assaulting them. Many were beaten with batons, some by teams of security men. For example, Simin Behbehani, an elderly feminist poet with poor sight, was beaten with a baton and kicked repeatedly by security forces. Journalists present at the protest who had filmed the event were reportedly arrested, only released from custody after their film and photographs were confiscated.

• 68-Year-Old Female Bomber Attacks Israeli Troops on Northern Gaza. [USA Today] A 68-year-old Palestinian grandmother blew herself up near Israeli troops sweeping through northern Gaza on Thursday, accenting a day of clashes and rocket fire that threaten to derail fragile efforts for a cease-fire. As Israeli forces were moving through the Jebaliya refugee camp north of Gaza City, they spotted a woman acting suspiciously, the military said. Soldiers threw a stun grenade, a weapon that makes a loud nose but causes no damage. Then the woman set off explosives she was carrying, killing herself and slightly wounding two of the soldiers. The militant Hamas, which is in charge of the Palestinian government, claimed responsibility and identified the bomber as Fatma Omar An-Najar. Her relatives said she was 64 — by far the oldest of the more than 100 Palestinian suicide bombers who have attacked Israelis over the past six years.

• Female Suicide Bomber Thwarted in Gaza. [Arutz Sheva, Israel] Eight IDF soldiers were wounded in action Thursday in military operations aimed at preventing Kassam rocket attacks continued in northern Gaza. Three Givati Brigade soldiers were injured shortly after 5:00 p.m. while stopping a female suicide bomber. The soldiers were wounded after the Hamas terrorist approached them with explosives strapped to her body. The troops stopped the attack by throwing a stun grenade at the woman, identified as 57-year-old Fatma Omar An-Najar, detonating the explosives. The soldiers were injured by the flying shrapnel. Soldiers received an intelligence warning earlier in the day about an impending suicide attack. According to Palestinian Authority sources, the woman was assigned by the Hamas terror organization to carry out the attack.

• TA Gym Starts Self-Defense Course to Help Women Fight. [Jerusalem Post, Israel] A reported rise in the number of rapes countrywide has spurred Tel Aviv gym Go-Active, part of a countrywide chain, and a former martial arts trainer for the IDF to offer Tel Aviv women a chance to learn the basics of self-defense. "Hopefully the course will teach women how to take their shock adrenalin and turn it into positive power," teacher Dor Poles told The Jerusalem Post, explaining how the four-week course was not designed to make women experts in karate but rather to give them instant tools to fight off potential attackers.

• Women Worth More. [Ynetnews, Israel] Salary gap between men, women in public service bridged. Growing numbers of women seek higher education, bring advantage for women in work place A recent study conducted by Yuval Mezer from the Bank of Israel’s research department revealed that the gap between men and women’s salaries in public service positions has been bridged over the past 16 years. According to the data, men’s average salaries in the early 90’s were between 17-20% higher than that of women’s. However, since 2001 there has been no difference between the salaries of men and women in public service positions. Conversely, other reports in recent years showed that the gap between men and women’s salaries in the business world continued.

• Women: Beasts of Burden. [Washington Post] Blaring headlines -- arriving almost on a weekly basis now -- announcing yet another 'honor' killing or yet another rape victim detained while the perpetrator goes free show just how much the odds continue to work against the Pakistani woman. Recently, the government decided to finally amend the criminal code of Pakistan's controversial rape laws that said a raped woman could be accused, in the absence of evidence of four male Muslim eyewitnesses, of adultery or fornication. Women activists took to the streets, rejecting the amendment and calling for the complete repeal of the Hudood Ordinances, a bizarre set of Islamic laws devised by a military dictator in the 1980s in a bid to legitimize authoritarian rule by packaging it in "Islamisation". So long as these bad laws remain on the books, say activists, they will undermine the security of Pakistani women, resulting in grave miscarriages of justice. Some critics of the opposition say to accept moderate improvements and "realize half a loaf of bread is better than none at all." In the 21st century, Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world with fewer women in its population than men. In rural Pakistan, women are treated as beasts of burden. They are fed on scraps but expected to do the bulk of the work. In urban society, women are considered a social burden, forced to leave school or employment after marriage.

• Pamphlets Warn Against Female Education in Bajaur. [The News - International, Pakistan] Pamphlets carrying warning of strict action were distributed in Bajaur agency asking people to avoid sending their girls to schools as well putting ban on female teachers entering the agency. Copies of the pamphlets were provided to the press at the Parliament House by officials of the Interior Ministry. It contained five announcements by an Islamic group named "Jabh Khalid bin Walid" and warned NGOs working for women against entering the area. It asked the people to avoid them otherwise they will have to face serious consequence.

• 80% Women in Pak Face Violence in their Lives: Oxfam. [Zee News, India] Oxfam's representative in Pakistan, Farhana Faroqi has said that nearly 80% of the women in Pakistan faced domestic violence at one state or the other in their lives, and that seven million of them were missing. Farhana stated this while speaking at a seminar on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, here last evening. Pakistani women experience violence in many forms, including rape, sexual assault, domestic violence, exchange marriages and honor killing, while the violators largely go unpunished due to administrative incompetence, rampant corruption and a societal taboo, The Nation quoted her as saying. Pakistani women, she said, were also marginalized and discriminated economically. They form 28% of the economically active population, added the Oxfam representative. Appreciating the Women Protection Bill promulgated by the government, she said that the situation in Pakistan was much better now as the government seemed concerned over such issues.

• Pakistani Islamists Protest Against Pro-Women Law. [Hindustan Times, India] Thousands of Islamist protesters demonstrated in southern Pakistan against a new law that reduces the burden of proof on rape victims by allowing them to seek justice without the need for four male witnesses. The Women Protection Bill, signed into law in November, was seen as a key test for President Pervez Musharraf's philosophy of "enlightened moderation" for his predominantly Muslim country. The protest in the country's biggest city of Karachi came a day after Musharraf ruled out any changes to the law despite calls from the Islamists. Some 10,000 supporters of the Islamist parties, chanted slogans of "Down with Musharraf" and "Down with the Women Protection Law" at the rally and demanded the government scrap the law.

• WPB a Major Step Towards Protection of Women.[PakTribune.com, Pakistan] Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the Women Protection law which has now come in force is a major step towards giving more protection to women in Pakistan and said that government is committed to taking more legislative measures to end discrimination against them. The Prime Minister said that it is gratifying to note that the government of PML and its allies is the first one in the country's history which has taken a number of steps to protect the rights of women including allocating 33% seats for them in the local government which are filled through direct elections. In addition to this, he said, seats are reserved for women in all provincial and national assemblies while their quota in federal government jobs has also been increased.

• CII Endorses Women’s Rights Bill. [Pakistan Dawn, Pakistan] The Council of Islamic Ideology has supported the government’s move on the Protection of Women’s Rights Bill and termed it a step in the right direction. During a meeting with President Gen Pervez Musharraf, the CII chairman and members said the law would remove anomalies in the existing laws on women’s rights, and stressed that the process of protecting women's rights should continue. They said the government should take more initiatives to protect and empower the weakest segment of the society. They said that the council strongly recommended that women should not be kept in jails and the CII would continue to review all laws and make suggestions for improvements. They said the CII was a recommendatory body and parliament, being the supreme body, has the authority to enact laws.

• Pakistan Senate Approves Amendments to Rape Law amid Islamist Protests. [The Associated Press] Pakistan's Senate overcame opposition from hardline Muslim lawmakers and amended its rape law to make it easier to prosecute sexual assault cases. Human rights activists have long condemned the rape law for punishing — instead of protecting — rape victims while providing legal safeguards for their attackers. The legislation, known as the Protection of Women Bill, comes amid efforts by Islamabad to soften the country's hard-line Islamic image and appease moderates and human rights groups who opposed the law. The amended law would drop the death penalty for people found to have had sex outside of marriage, though they still would be subject to a five-year prison term or 10,000 rupees (US$165) fine. Judges also will be able to choose whether to try a rape case in a criminal court or Islamic court which should make it easier convict rapists.

• Fireworks in Senate Over Women’s Rights Bill. [Pakistan Dawn, Pakistan] Religious parties in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) poured scorn on a new women’s rights bill at the start of a Senate debate on the draft on Wednesday, some Senators calling it "a revolt against God". The treasury benches too came out with a vehement defense of the Protection of the Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill after allowing the critics a free hand to vent out their anger in what would be a much longer debate than was held in the National Assembly last week and would continue on Thursday. The bill, seeking to protect women from the misuse of 27-year-old controversial Hudood decrees to punish sex outside wedlock, was passed by the National Assembly on Nov 15 and must be adopted by the Senate as well to become law -- a certainty in view of the comfortable majority of the ruling coalition and support from a major opposition party. MMA’s Prof Khurshid Ahmed opened the debate and made the longest speech of the day, calling the bill an attempt to change the Islamic Hadd punishments which, he said, was “not only a sin but a rebellion against God”. He said the new law would harm rather than doing any good to women’s rights and accused President Pervez Musharraf of thrusting it on the ruling party as part of a ‘Western agenda’ against Islam.

• Women’s Bill to be Enforced At All Costs: PM. [Pakistan Dawn, Pakistan] Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that the women’s rights protection bill will be enforced throughout the country at all costs. Talking to media personnel at the PM’s Secretariat after attending the fourth Altaf Gauhar Memorial Lecture, the prime minister rejected statements by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s NWFP government about resisting enforcement of the bill in the province. "The bill is aimed at protecting the rights of women and no one can stop its implementation in all the provinces," he said.

• Hamas Women Push for a Bigger Role in Politics and in Fighting Israel. [International Herald Tribune, France] A grandmother-turned-suicide bomber, a small army of women marching into a battlefield, thousands of veiled volunteers hitting the streets in an election campaign — the Islamic militant group Hamas is increasingly mobilizing its network of female activists. Yet the Hamas women, known as the Sisterhood, say such high-profile missions haven't changed how the group is run: the men make decisions, the women have a supporting role, at best. But even in the rigidly conservative movement, whose manifesto defines women as "manufacturers of men," some female activists are demanding a say in politics and in Hamas' military wing, which has carried out scores of deadly attacks against Israelis in recent years. Women have started to complain. A Hamas legislator said she resented attempts by male colleagues to keep her on the backbenches. A Gaza housewife who has smuggled food and weapons to fugitives said she wants more assignments. Activists debate how to best influence the all-male Hamas leadership, based in Syria.

• Nepali Women Trafficked to Qatar. [Telugu Portal, India] Five dozen Nepali women, most of whom can hardly read or write, were trafficked to Qatar in the last few months by a Nepali tout, a television channel reported. A. Bahadur Moktan, a resident of Makwanpur in central Nepal, near capital city Kathmandu, lured the women with promises of finding them lucrative jobs in the oil-rich Islamic country as domestic help, private channel Nepal1 reported. According to the laws in the country, women are banned from working as domestic help in the Middle East countries following the furor over the death of a woman in Kuwait, who was reportedly raped and thrown down from the top of the house where she worked. However, unscrupulous brokers circumvent the ban by taking the victims to the Middle East via India, where the immigration authorities ask no questions.

• MBC4 launches a New Forum for Arab Women. [AME Info, UAE] MBC4 this week announced the launch of a new initiative for young Arab women, I Matter. Created specifically to provoke intelligent, relevant and entertaining discussions in forums launched initially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I Matter reflects MBC4's commitment to its Middle East audience as a channel known for the latest and best-rated Western entertainment for Arab women. I Matter involves a series of roadshows conducted in Jeddah universities, on-ground discussion-based events and a final competition to select the best entry outlining why women matter in society. The I Matter concept will become a permanent fixture for MBC4 through an online I Matter club and ongoing events throughout the Arab world.

Turkey

• Turkish Minister Says Women's Rights Reforms to Continue. [International Herald Tribune, France] Reforms to improve women's rights in Turkey will continue even if the European Union decides to freeze membership talks with Ankara, the country's women's and family affairs minister said Thursday. Nimet Cubukcu said the government was committed to improving the position of women, one of the EU's demands. "Efforts in the field of women's rights will continue no matter what happens" with the talks, Cubukcu told journalists at the European Parliament. She said much of the country's legislation concerning women's rights has already been aligned with that of the EU. Few women manage to make inroads in high office in Turkey, although the country did have a female prime minister, Tansu Ciller, in the mid-1990s.

• Erkoc Wins First-ever Gold Medal in Women's Boxing. [Zaman Online, Turkey] Turkish boxer Hasibe Erkoc has won the first-ever gold medal in female boxing in the Mini Flyweight category in the Fourth Women's World Boxing Championships held in New Delhi, India. Erkoc, competing in the 50 kg category, defeated Siyuan Li of in the final to become the first world champion of Turkey in women's boxing. Despite a very high fever she had in the last three days, she was able to reach the finals and eventually grabbed the gold.

• How Women Will Fare in FNC Polls. [Gulf News, UAE] Women have a strong and special presence in the UAE's first elections to choose half the Federal National Council (FNC) members. Women's enthusiasm is evident everywhere, as the number of female candidates all over the UAE stands at 65. The official support for women to go through the parliamentary elections is very encouraging. It has been emphasized on different occasions and at the highest levels of the UAE's leadership. The UAE society is also one of the most tolerant in the Gulf, known for its understanding and acceptance of women's participation in public life and parliamentary activities.

• 'It Is Men's Fault Women Are Politically Inactive'. [Gulf News, UAE] An EU official has criticized Yemeni political parties for not supporting women in the recent presidential and local elections. Baroness Emma Nicholson, chief of the EU mission, which observed Yemen's elections, blamed men in Yemen for the situation of women saying that it went against Islam. "I am very concerned about the position of women in Yemen and I have been very tough with all the men here. The situation is undoubtedly their fault, 100%," said Baroness Nicholson in an exclusive interview with Gulf News in Sanaa.