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When several international NGOs launched in 1995 the World Rural Women’s Day during the 4th United Nations (UN) World Conference on Women in Beijing, women’s organisations thought rural women would get the development attention they deserve. Various events take place in more than 100 countries around the world every October 15 with the united aim of uplifting rural women’s lives.

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The Indonesian Government has officially banned female genital mutilation.

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Two young Pakistani women, aged 19 and 20, died in February and June this year. Zarmina Bibi, 19, married in February 2006, was allegedly shot dead by her brother-in-law two months after her marriage. Tayyaba Begum, 20, who died a month and a half after her marriage in June 2006, was said to be poisoned by her in-laws. Both women are believed to be murdered by their in-laws, said Samar Minallah, an anthropologist, human rights activist, and head of Ethnomedia and Development, a non-government organisation based in Pakistan.

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Anti-abortion advocates in South Dakota are using women-centred messages in their campaign—highlighting a woman’s right to motherhood rather than a fetus’ right to life. Nevermind that the ban impinges upon women’s right to free choice, especially with regard to taking control over their own bodies.

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On 19 September 2006, a military coup replaced Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister of Thailand. Isis International-Manila spoke to Pawadee Tonguthai, Vice-President for International Affairs of the Thai Women Watch and co-convenor of the Asia-Pacific Women Watch, to get her views on the regime change and what it bodes for human rights and women's advocacies in the country.

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The Gender Studies Project at MADA Al-Carmel: Arab Center for Applied Social Research, is appealing for support to their campaign for the defence and respect of the right to education for Palestinian students in Israel.