Tag: women rights
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UAE to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will now legally permit abortion in cases of rape and incest for the first time. Under a cabinet resolution, abortions will be permissible in cases where pregnancy stems from rape or incest, contingent upon the incident being reported and validated by public prosecution, and if the fetus is under 120…
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In historic first, Mexicans expected to elect woman president
Millions of Mexicans are expected to vote for their first woman president in a landmark election Sunday, following a long and sometimes acrimonious race overshadowed by soaring political violence. In a watershed for a country with a long history of gender discrimination, two women have dominated the contest to lead the world’s most populous Spanish-speaking…
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Passports to have box for former husband’s name: DG Passports
Directorate General of Immigration & Passports Mustafa Jamal has recently revealed that a married woman must have her husband’s name on her passport as per law. He revealed that modifications will be made in the passports, with an addition to a section to insert a former husband’s name. While talking on Geo Pakistan, Jamal also said…
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Nearly 230,000 children, new mothers risk dying of hunger in Sudan: NGO
Without critical action, nearly 230,000 children and new mothers in war-ravaged Sudan are “likely to die from hunger”, Save the Children warned on Wednesday. Nearly 11 months of fighting between the forces of two rival generals has killed thousands and displaced eight million people in the northeast African country, the United Nations says. The bombing…
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Mark your calendars: Aurat March is around the corner!
March is finally here which means that 8th of the month is Women’s Day around the world and in Pakistan, Aurat March in major cities will walk through the streets to remind the state and the society of the due rights of women and minorities of the country. Where and when to join Aurat March?…
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UN experts urge probe of Israeli abuses of Palestinian women, girls
Geneva, Switzerland – UN rights experts called Monday for an independent probe into alleged Israeli abuses against Palestinian women and girls, including killings, rapes and sexual assault. The statement by the seven independent UN experts prompted an angry reaction from Israel, which rejected the “despicable and unfounded claims”. The experts voiced alarm at “credible allegations of…
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In a first, man sentenced to three years in jail for marital rape
In a legal first, a man has been sentenced to three years in jail after he was found guilty of having non-consensual sex with his wife, a punishable act under Section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Pakistan Penal Code, The News has reported. Additional Sessions Judge (South) Ashraf Hussain Khowaja announced the reserved judgment in…
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Rates of violence against women, children remain alarming in 2023
2023 was another difficult year for the women of Pakistan who routinely have to battle against violence and discrimination. In November, UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2023 report revealed that 245 million women and girls are subjected to physical and/or sexual violence from their intimate partners each year, adding that a “staggering 86pc of women and…
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Women still need men’s permission to exist in Pakistan
Zainab*, 25, has been working as a domestic servant for as long as she can remember. Her father died when she was young and her mother remarried, leaving Zainab and her sister at the mercy of extended family. Every month, she would send her salary back home for safekeeping but when she would ask for…
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Lady health workers standing up for their rights
“Lady Health Workers (LHWs) should not be asked to do security duty during elections,” said Bushra Arain, Founder and Chairperson of the All Lady Health Workers’ Programme Union (ALPU). Acknowledging that other government workers are called in for duty, Bushra Arain pointed out that they are given easier tasks and are trained before the elections.…