Violence against women

India: Report of the Court of Women on Dowry and Related Forms of VAW

Daughters of Fire, the India Court of Women on Dowry and Related Forms of Violence was held from July 26 -29, 2009 at Christ University, Bangalore. Organised by Vimochana and AWHRC India in partnership with forty women and human rights groups from different parts of the country and in collaboration with several local organisations and institutions the Court sought to open up new political spaces in civil society that would help us to bring the phenomena of dowry violence that has been made invisible, normal and routine back to the centre of public consciousness and conscience.

United Kingdom: 'Honour' crimes and namus

Today a Kurdish family hit the headlines after the father of a 15-year-old schoolgirl who disappeared without trace 10 years ago was jailed for a minimum of 22 years after being found guilty of murdering her in a so-called "honour killing". Tulay Goren was killed on 7 January 1999 after falling in love with Halil Unal, a fellow Turkish Kurd twice her age, and running away from home to live with him. Her family disapproved because he was a Sunni Muslim while they were Alevis, a different branch of Islam. Police believe Tulay's body was buried temporarily in the back garden of the family home, but her remains have never been recovered. According to media reports, the family, originally from Elbistan, in south-eastern Turkey, adhered to the code of namus, or honour, practised in many rural communities there.

Murder in the Name of Honour: The true story of one woman’s heroic fight against an unbelievable crime.

In her book, Rana Husseini recounts how she broke the silence around ‘honour’ killings in Jordan in the early 1990s, starting a national campaign to reform related laws, and laying the foundation for simultaneous international campaigns against VAW. A sample chapter is attached, courtesy of publishers, One World Publications.

Afghanistan: Extremist Threat to Women Increasing

Eight years after the fall of the Taliban, women and girls suffer high levels of violence and discrimination and have poor access to justice and education, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. The Afghan government has also failed to bring killers of prominent women in public life to justice, creating an environment of impunity for those who target women.

Palestine: Woman Killed in Gaza Refugee Camp to "Maintain Family Honor"

On Friday afternoon, 27 November 2009, Rifqa Ghazi 'Abdullah Salam, 29, from al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City, was killed allegedly "to maintain family honor." According to police sources in al-Shati, at approximately 13:30 on Friday, 27 November 2009, the woman's brother, two uncles and two cousin strangled her using a wet towel while she was sleeping at home near Hmaid intersection in al-Shati refugee camp.

Liberia: « La nouvelle guerre, c’est le viol »

Les femmes libériennes victimes de viols sont de plus en plus nombreuses à parler de leur expérience et à chercher de l’aide, à mesure que la prise de conscience de leurs droits augmente. Mais la persistance des tabous sociaux fait que même si elles réclament justice, elles ne l’obtiennent pas toujours.

Philippines: Inpeace Statement: Rage Against Impunity!

ON THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE AND THE DEATH OF ATTY. CONNIE BRIZUELA: We grieve over the death of Atty. Concepcion ‘Connie’ Brizuela, a member of our board of convenors, who was among the many victims of pre-election violence in Maguindanao province November 23. Our heartfelt sympathies go to Connie’s husband and children who have supported her advocacies through the years as former legal counsel of the Diocese of Kidapawan, as peoples’ lawyer, and as a woman human rights defender.

اليمن: منتدى الشقائق يحمل الداخلية مسئولية سلامة رئيسته وموظفيه بعد اقتحامه بصنعاء

تعرض مقر منتدى الشقائق العربي لحقوق الإنسان بصنعاء لاقتحام مساء أمس الأحد، ما أدى إلى كسر أحد نوافذ المكتب، والعبث بأدراجه وتهشيم المقفل منها. وقال ماجد المذحجي- المسئول الإعلامي بالمنتدى إنهم لا يتهمون جهة معينة, ولا يعرفون من الذي قام بالاقتحام الذي تعرض له المنتدى مساء أمس.

Philippines: Abduction and killings of journalists and politicians

Amnesty International press release, 23 November 2009: Amnesty International condemns the killings of at least 21 civilians, including journalists and members of a politician’s family, in the southern Philippines province of Maguindanao, the first reported killings linked to national elections to be held in May 2010. A group of about 45 people were ambushed and abducted by about 100 armed men, according to reports. The military recovered the bodies of 13 women and eight men—some of them mutilated.

Somalia: Somali woman stoned to death for adultery

A 20-year-old woman divorcee accused of committing adultery in Somalia has been stoned to death by Islamists in front of a crowd of about 200 people. A judge working for the militant group al-Shabab said she had had an affair with an unmarried 29-year-old man.He said she gave birth to a still-born baby and was found guilty of adultery. Her boyfriend was given 100 lashes.