More than 700 women killed as witches in 2013

Zimbabwe: Child Brides Challenge Early and Forced Marriage in Court, March 31, 2015
Two former child brides have asked a court in Zimbabwe to declare child marriage "illegal and unconstitutional." In their landmark case, the two women argue that the Zimbabwe Marriage Act discriminates against women and girls because the minimum age for marriage is 16 for girls and 18 for boys. They also claim that child and early marriage violates Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution as well as international and regional treaties forbidding the practice. They emphasize that child marriage exposes girls to physical and sexual violence, traps them in poverty and deprives them of an education. According to Reuters, the case has generated considerable interest in many parts of Africa due to the prevalence of child marriage in the region. For more information, please see the Forced and Child Marriage section of StopVAW.org.

Afghanistan: Thousands March in Kabul to Honor Woman Killed by Mob, March 25, 2015
Thousands of women and men gathered in Kabul, Afghanistan over two days to protest the brutal mob killing of a young Afghan woman last week. The protests are considered some of the largest in the Afghan capital’s history, drawing attention to the country’s struggle against mob justice, “street violence, violence against women, lawlessness, extremism and, especially the injustice suffered by women.” As reported by the Associated Press, the Afghan Interior Ministry has announced the arrest of nearly 30 men in connection with the woman’s murder, as well the suspension of several police officers. For more information, please see the Afghanistan country page of this website.

United States: New York Approves New Human Trafficking Law, March 18, 2015
The New York State Assembly has joined the state Senate in approving a new law to combat human trafficking and protect victims. The bill, called the Trafficking Victims Protection and Justice Act (TVPJA), would increase criminal penalties for persons convicted of sex or labor trafficking. Perpetrators who buy sex from children under the age of 17 would also face harsher criminal penalties. The TVPJA will allow victims to sue their traffickers in civil court for damages and would require law enforcement training in detecting and combating human trafficking. The Governor of the state of New York has said he will sign the bill into law.

"Astonished, I turned around to look at Rosalyn Park, director of The Advocates’ Women’s Human Rights Program; she knew those words, too. The look on her face probably mirrored mine. Simply put, we were thrilled."

Find out what astonished the author, The Advo- cates' volunteer Julie Shelton, and Rosalyn Park by reading Shelton's blog post, "Out of the Mouths of The Advocates."

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A forum for change, the Stop Violence Against Women website (StopVAW) provides information and advocacy tools for ending violence against women.

WAVE Releases 2014 Report on Services for Women Victims of Violence, March 24, 2015
Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE), a network of European women’s NGOs dedicated to combating violence against women and children, has released its 2014 European statistics report documenting support services for women victims of violence in Europe, including women’s shelters and helplines. The report indicated that, in total, European countries provided only 34% of the Council of Europe's recommended shelter spaces for women and children victims of violence. The report also found that women could more easily access shelters in European Union (EU) countries than in non-EU countries. WAVE said that national women’s helplines are available in 67% of European countries, although many helplines do not operate 24/7 and/or free of charge. For more information, see the Domestic Violence and Housing and the European Human Rights sections of Stopvaw.org.

Violence and Discrimination Against Women Linked to Increased Child Mortality, March 20, 2015
A recent study published in the journal BMC Public Health found a strong correlation between gender inequality and the rate of child mortality. The more unequal the position of women in a particular country, the more likely their children are to die. The researchers said this result may be attributed to several factors, including domestic violence, poor nutrition, lack of education and lack of control over family finances that deprive infants and children of proper health care, education, protection and nourishment. The researchers concluded that efforts to combat child mortality should include efforts to improve the status and well-being of women and girls. For more information, see the Effects of Domestic Violence on Children section of StopVAW.org.

UN Personnel Accused of Sexual Violence and Trafficking, Thursday, March 26, 2015

Study Finds High Rates of Violence Against Women Across the Globe, March 10, 2015

Girls Not Brides Releases Toolkit to Help End Child and Forced Marriage, March 03, 2015

The Advocates for Human Rights provides commentary on laws and amendments relating to violence against women, trains legal professionals, researches the implementation of law, and educates our community and the world on violence against women issues.

"We partner with governments and non-government organizations around the world to work on domestic violence legal reform, including trainings for legal professionals," said Rosalyn Park, director The Advocates for Human Rights' Women's Human Rights Program. "We conduct extensive research and write reports that monitor domestic violence laws and implementation in partner countries."

To inquire further, please contact Rosalyn Park at rpark@advrights.org .