Asia and the Pacific

When one turns on the television, reads the newspaper or listens to the news on radio, one cannot help but notice that much of the news is focused on the negative events that are happening to our country. Thus, it wouldn’t be a surprise if many Filipinos have already made a conclusion that we no longer have government leaders who are committed to promoting good governance and leadership with integrity in our country.

Photos-AP and Reuters

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's appointment of a record number of women to his cabinet highlights efforts to power the economy by boosting the female workforce -- but he faces myriad challenges turning that vision into reality.

On Wednesday, Abe gave key jobs -- including the justice ministry and oversight of the embattled nuclear power sector -- to women, who now make up more than a quarter of the 18-strong cabinet.

Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER) is gravely concerned with the quality of the debate going on regarding a woman candidate for the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) post.

Impossibly high moral standards are placed on Wan Azizah. We have heard from many quarters criticisms such as: she is Anwar Ibrahim’s wife and thus his puppet; that she purportedly has no clout; she is not competent enough; and that she does not have the “wow” factor. On this basis, critics have shunned her as a potential candidate for the MB’s post.

The worth of any civilisation can be judged from the position it gives to women, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today said as she asked countries to accord top priority to women's empowerment, key to a better life for all.

Wai Wai Nu is a diminutive 27-year-old with pro-democracy activism in her genes and a quarter of her young life spent behind bars.

The former political prisoner is now working to end the persecution faced by her people, the stateless Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar.

The mistreatment she and her family have suffered is just one example among many of abuse aimed at the Rohingya, a minority of around 1.33 million living mainly in Rakhine State. Most are denied citizenship despite having lived in Myanmar for generations.