IT is 5pm and it's time to go home. Chipo Swiza gently wipes off the dust on her torn clothes.

National coordinator, Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Mrs Funmi Falana has called on Nigerian women not to sleep on their right, but to challenge the violation at the appropriate quarters.

THERE was a time when gays and lesbians were regarded as "deviant groups" in the mould of "degenerates" such as drug addicts.

The Coalition of Political Party Women in Liberia (COPPWIL) is still pressing for 30 percent representation of women in government.

Wife of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mrs. Alanyingi Sylva, yesterday assured women in the state of the commitment of her husband's administration to reducing infant mortality rate in the state by 2015 and advised that such effort should be complemented with a culture of adequate breast feeding of their babies, as it has enormous benefits for both mothers and babies.

A four-man Malian medical team is expected to perform surgical operations for more than 100 patients suffering from fistula sickness in Montserrado, Nimba, Grand Gedeh and Grand Bassa counties shortly.

The grand finale for the Five Roses Thari Ya Sechaba Awards, which gives a number of deserving women recognition for their contributions to the society, is fast approaching.

The presence of pregnant women and minors in night clubs was discussed recently at a Police Public Relations Committee (PPRC) meeting here, as deliberations on whether to ban such persons from shebeens and nightclubs took centre stage.

Women under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Women Association in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have lamented their being marginalised from the party activities since 2003.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has launched a campaign to promote the sexual and reproductive rights of women during the month of August.

THE First Lady, Janet Museveni, yesterday held talks with the former president of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, at State House Entebbe.

ALTHOUGH government departments had met their race targets , progress had been slow in appointing women to middle and senior management posts, according to a Public Service Commission (PSC) state of the public service report.

The creation of a new UN agency for women would dramatically improve the international response to the AIDS pandemic, said AIDS-Free World today at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico.

Stakeholders have canvassed for mainstreaming of gender in policy issues such as international trade, economic partnerships, aids, national planning and budgeting.

Pregnant women who become infected with Hepatitis E, an acute viral disease that causes liver failure are at greater risk of death, health experts say. Hepatitis E has been ravaging parts of northern Uganda since October 2007 and has so far killed 97, while the number of those infected has reached 5,779, according to the latest update report from the Ministry of Health.

APR women side were officially crowned as the national women league champions after showing off an impressive form in their last game of season beating La Charitte 15-0 played at Ferwafa's artificial turf this Sunday.

The winds of change are blowing across the island of Mauritius, and many men in this traditionally conservative nation are working hand in hand with women to see that the common sense of gender equality prevails.

AS CELEBRATIONS for National Women's Day approach, it is enlightening to see that SA's women are making inroads into the nation's chartered accountancy profession.

Early marriage has been identified as a major cause of the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS cases among young women in the North. The Director Africa, Mac Arthur Foundation Abuja,

The European Union has launched a Shs3.8billion peace building and human rights project in the conflict affected Karamoja region.

Lauren Siebrits has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Simba, making her the first woman and South African to lead the Simba snacks business, says Arnold Veraart, the outgoing Sub-Saharan Africa General Manager.

THE Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association has noted with concern the growing number of domestic violence cases in the country despite the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.

Harare City Council has appointed its second woman head of department Mrs Christina Fundira who takes charge of the public safety department which combines the Harare Metropolitan Police and emergency services.

Maternal and infant mortality rates in the Republic of Congo have remained worryingly high despite measures to reduce them, a senior government official said.

For a very long time now, I have been monitoring several stories on the pages of some of our local newspapers about sexual attacks on young girls of school-going age and extortion from boys.