women's rights

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women will work for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

It must have been awkward, all this time, commencing cabinet meetings with the greeting: "Good morning, Lady and gentlemen".

Now the Prime Minister has doubled his number of female ministers, from one to two, he can amend his opening line to reflect the tremendous lady-abundance we now have on the front bench.

In a 100 per cent increase in female cabinet representation, Sussan Ley was promoted from Assistant Education Minister to Health Minister. She will also be responsible for Sport. She joins the Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop.

Najiba Ahmadi is quiet and unassuming – mild-mannered even. She is far from your typical revolutionary. Last week, Ms Ahmadi was among the suited government officials gathered in Britain to discuss Afghanistan’s future.

For the past five years she has been working to improve the lives of women and girls. The 32-year-old runs a shelter in Bamyan province where she offers legal advice.

SARAJEVO – Sending a message of hope to Bosnian Muslim women, a veiled woman was elected to the House of Representatives in October's elections, becoming the first woman to enter the parliament with the Islamic headscarf.

"I think my being elected is a good message for all women, especially for women who wear the headscarf," Kanela Zuko told Anadolu Agency on Thursday, November 13.

The 38-year-old Muslim woman, who was elected last October, is the first to wear hijab among the 22 females MPs in the Balkan country.

This week Schulz kicked off the spring forward for women conference, which aims to bring about ideas for encouraging political representation of women, with particular focus on women in Arab countries.

The conference comes as world leaders gear up for the 59th session of the commission on the status of women, due to take place next March at the UN headquarters in New York. At this meeting, heads of states will discuss the progress that has been made 20 years after the implementation of the Beijing platform for action - an agenda for the empowerment of women.