Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) - – Although the UN established International Women’s Day only in 1977, the Day, which falls on Sunday, has its roots in an action of women factory workers in the United States more than a century ago. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) – The United Nations -believes men have essential ro les to play in ending violence against girls and women. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The UN Conference on Development and Trade (CNUCED) begins a two-day conference on Tuesday in Geneva to bring together experts to look into integration of parity issues into commercial policies as its programme for this year's International Women's Day. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says the global economic crises will increase the number of unemployed women by up to 22 million in 2009. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says the globa l economic crisis will increase the number of unemployed women to 22 million in 2 009. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, has called f or effective use of national legal systems to eliminate discrimination, promote g ender equality and stop violence against women. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- Nigeria's Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development , Mrs. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- Gambia's Vice President, Ms. Full text...

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- Youth leaders from 16 countries are gathered in Nairobi, the headquarters of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to voice the concerns a nd aspirations of young people around the world in relation to a host of pressin g environmental issues, including climate change. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- UNICEF has appealed for over US$ 1 billion to fund its eme rgency relief operations for thousands of vulnerable women and children, who die from hunger, disease, violence and poverty. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- UNICEF has appealed for over US$ 1 billion to fund its eme rgency relief operations for thousands of vulnerable women and children, who die from hunger, disease, violence and poverty. Full text...

Rabat- Morocco (PANA) - – Morocco on Wednesday announced the abolition of all form s of discrimination against women. Full text...

Rabat- Morocco (PANA) -- Some 14,617 Moroccan women suffered violence in 2008, of which 80 per cent were from their husbands, according to the statistics of the M inistry of Social Development, of the Family and Solidarity. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- African countries cannot tap the economic potenti al of women because most of them are stuck in low-paying jobs, making it impossi b le for them to benefit from economic boom, an International Labour Organisation ( ILO) report says. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- The third edition of the campaign against gender-based v iolence, called Festival of the Panafrican Gender-Based Violence (GBV), began We d nesday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Full text...

Cairo- Egypt (PANA) – Egyptian lawyer Nagla Al Ima-m told Al Arabiya news network that Arab men should "sexually harass Israeli girls wherever they may be and us i ng any possible method, as a new means in the resistance against Israel". Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Gambian Vice President, Isatou Njie-Saidy, on Thursday c alled for concerted action towards reaching the goals of women empowerment and g e nder equality in Africa, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) said in a statement received by PANA in Dakar. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Gambian-born Executive Secretary of United Nations Econo mic Commission for Africa (ECA), Abdoulie Janneh, on Wednesday advocated women empowerment in Africa saying gender equality and women's empowerment are very es s ential for achieving sustainable and inclusive development. Full text...

Cotonou- Benin (PANA) -- The Beninese government plans to establish a National In stitute for Women, aimed at improving the welfare for women who account for more than 52 per cent of the country's population, according to a cabinet meeting sta t ement issued here Monday. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Lawyers defending the detained leaders of Women of Zimba bwe Arise (WOZA), will be given hearing in their appeal against Magistrate Chari t y Maphosa who had denied Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu bail, WOZA said i n a statement received by PANA Wednesday. Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- A UN human rights expert says women around the world will continue to endure violence, abuse and discrimination, according to a report sub m itted to the UN General Assembly here. Full text...

Lusaka- Zambia (PANA) -- African women have demanded that water should not be pri vatised but that water security and sanitation should remain government's respon s ibility. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Mozambique's Professional Education Reform Executive Commission Monday lamented the low proportion of women students and teachers in Mozambique's professional education institutions. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- Women's health and education have improved substa ntially in most countries, but progress is lagging on improving their economic o p portunities, according to a new report released Wednesday by the World Bank and t he Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- Women's health and education have improved substa ntially in most countries, but progress is lagging on improving their economic o p portunities, according to a new report released Wednesday by the World Bank and t he Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Full text...

New York- US (PANA) -- UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) says stronger accou ntability measures are needed to track progress that governments and multilatera l organisations have made in implementing their commitments to enhancing women's r ights. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- Without the dynamism and hard work of the African civil society, gender mainstreaming and women empowerment on the continent will remain a pipe dream, according to African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Jean Ping. Full text...

Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- African ministers responsible for gender and wome n's affairs are due to hold a two-day meeting here from Thursday to discuss and a dopt the African Union's gender policy, it was officially announced here Monday. Full text...

Lusaka- Zambia (PANA) -- Southern African leaders who will be meeting for a regio nal summit this weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa, have been urged to act on equality for women by adopting the proposed Gender and Development Protocol afte r amending it to include crucial provisions deleted in 2007. Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Training for women must be directed at technological areas, where their contribution may mean added value, says a report from Mozamb i que's National Employment and Professional Training Institute (INEFP). Full text...

Maputo- Mozambique (PANA) -- Training for women must be directed at technological areas, where their contribution may mean added value, says a report from Mozamb i que's National Employment and Professional Training Institute (INEFP). Full text...

Kampala- Uganda (PANA) -- Debate on the Domestic Relations Bill (DRB) in Uganda c ontinued to attract controversies from the public with latest being women in the country's western region calling for the imprisonment of men who batter their wi v es. Full text...

Freetown- Sierra Leone (PANA) -- The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone has joined forces with the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) to battle sexual exploitation and assault, domestic violence, physical assault and cruelty to children in the wider community. Full text...

Lusaka- Zambia (PANA) -- Civil society groups meeting this week in Centurion, outside Johannesburg, South Africa, have vowed to put Southern African concerns on the map at the upcoming 53rd United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Oxfam, a non-governmental organization working worldwide to fight poverty and injustice, said on Saturday. Full text...

Cape Town- South Africa (PANA) -- More than 1,000 women from Alexandra, near Joha nnesburg in South Africa, Wednesday adopted a declaration of intent to work in p a rtnership with the private and public sectors to hasten development and service d elivery in their areas -- a precondition for peace and security. Full text...

Sharm el Sheikh- Egypt (PANA) -- Egyptian First Lady Suzanne Mubarak has unveiled a three-point plan, urging Africa to invest in women empowerment through educat i on, equal job opportunities and policies to boost income generation for women. Full text...

Sharm el Sheikh- Egypt (PANA) -- Women rights activists, led by Pan African Parli ament's President Gertrude Mwongela, have slated a solidarity visit to Zimbabwe, ahead the 27 June controversial presidential run-off poll. Full text...

Sharm el Sheikh- Egypt (PANA) -- African leaders must unite the entire continent in efforts to deliver on the implementation of the landmark accord on women prot e ction and empowerment while urging donors to offer more financial support, gende r activists said here Sunday. Full text...

Sharm el Sheikh- Egypt (PANA) -- Efforts to achieve Africa's economic and politic al unity goals will succeed only if the African states agree to fully implement t he Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, a pioneer gender rights acti v ist said here. Full text...

Sharm el-Sheikh- Egypt (PANA) -- Tunisian women prisoners are allowed to leave pr ison for child birth for a period of three months and are currently allowed to s e ek legal redress for gender-related attacks as a result of the African Union (AU ) -led campaigns against gender violence, women rights activists noted here Saturd a y. Full text...

Sharm el-Sheikh- Egypt (PANA) -- African gender rights campaigners meeting in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm ElSheikh, Saturday called on leaders to show poli t ical commitment to the implementation of the African Union's (AU) gender goals. Full text...

Port-Louis- Mauritius (PANA) -- Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam told Par liament Tuesday the government would soon introduce the Equal Opportunities Bill to reinforce the merit principle in employment both in the public and private se c tors. Full text...

Banjul- Gambia (PANA) -- Dr. Full text...

Banjul- Gambia (PANA) -- ECOWAS Ministers of women affairs ended their meeting h ere Thursday, adopting the 2009-2013 strategic plan of the ECOWAS Gender Develop m ent Centre. Full text...

Niamey- Niger (PANA) -- The third meeting of African and Spanish women on Wednesd ay adopted the Niamey Declaration, which is a set of political commitments under p inned by plans of action that would be implemented and evaluated next year. Full text...

Banjul- Gambia (PANA) -- Ministers of women affairs from 15 West African countrie s began a meeting here Monday, sources close to the office of the Gambian Vice P r esident and Secretary of State for Women Affairs, Mrs. Full text...

Banjul- Gambia (PANA) -- Gambian Vice President and Secretary of State for Women Affairs, Mrs. Full text...

Dakar- Senegal (PANA) -- Gambia Sunday joined the globe in commemorating the International Women's Day with President Yahya Jammeh highlighting his "governme nt's commitment" towards "women empowerment and development," national broadcaster - Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) monitored here relayed. Full text...

Kinshasa- DR Congo (PANA) -- The number of cases of sexual violence committed aga inst women increased remarkably in the province of Katanga in the Democratic Rep u blic of Congo (DRC) in the first quarter of this year, the Congolese News Agency (ACP) reported on Thursday. Full text...

Monrovia- Liberia (PANA) -- More than 300 Liberian women, representing various se ctors of the society, Monday began a five-day national women's conference here t o outline challenges facing them and ways of solving such challenges. Full text...