![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/2011-YE-generic-donatepg.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/h4>\nAs millions rose up last year demanding justice, women were on the front lines and behind the headlines pushing to advance human rights.<\/strong><\/h4>\n Global Fund for Women celebrates International Women\u2019s Day with ten victories won by our grantee partners in 2011. From securing bodily rights to delivering justice to rape survivors, women are indeed ushering in peace and justice for all.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/h3>\n1 UN Recognizes Human Rights of LGBTI People<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/01_un_resolution_lgbtqi_126x92_fnl.jpg\")
Last June, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community won a major milestone in a long struggle for equality and justice. In a 23 to 19 vote, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the first everresolution to explicitly recognize and protect the human rights of LGBTI people<\/strong><\/a>, affirming LGBTI rights are indeed human rights.\u00a0More \u00bb<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n2 \u00a0A Feminist Women\u2019s Court for Peace and Justice<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/02_womens_court_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"02_womens_court_126x92_fnl\\"")
After a decade of planning, seven women\u2019s groups from five Balkan countries officially launched the Women\u2019s Court Initiative for the former Yugoslavia. This groundbreaking effort aims to seek justice for thousands of women survivors of violence, many of whom have cases still unresolved from the region’s wars 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n3 \u00a0<\/span>Uruguay on the Cusp of Legalizing Abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/03_abortion_uruguay_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"03_abortion_uruguay_126x92_fnl\\"")
On December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/04_morocco_constitution_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"04_morocco_constitution_126x92_fnl\\"")
On July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/05_congo_colonel_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"05_congo_colonel_126x92_fnl\\"")
\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/06_srilanka_workers_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"06_srilanka_workers_126x92_fnl\\"")
In May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/07_egypt_virginity_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"07_egypt_virginity_126x92_fnl\\"")
Egyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/08_pakistan_rape_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"08_pakistan_rape_126x92_fnl\\"")
In Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/09_nobel_126x92.jpg\" "\\"09_nobel_126x92\\"")
In 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/10_eu_violence_126x92_fnl.jpg\" "\\"10_eu_violence_126x92_fnl\\"")
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
See more here:<\/p>\n
<\/h4>\n<\/h3>\n1 UN Recognizes Human Rights of LGBTI People<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Last June, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community won a major milestone in a long struggle for equality and justice. In a 23 to 19 vote, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the first everresolution to explicitly recognize and protect the human rights of LGBTI people<\/strong><\/a>, affirming LGBTI rights are indeed human rights.\u00a0More \u00bb<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n2 \u00a0A Feminist Women\u2019s Court for Peace and Justice<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After a decade of planning, seven women\u2019s groups from five Balkan countries officially launched the Women\u2019s Court Initiative for the former Yugoslavia. This groundbreaking effort aims to seek justice for thousands of women survivors of violence, many of whom have cases still unresolved from the region’s wars 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n3 \u00a0<\/span>Uruguay on the Cusp of Legalizing Abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\nOn December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nOn July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nEgyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
See more here:<\/p>\n
1 UN Recognizes Human Rights of LGBTI People<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
Last June, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community won a major milestone in a long struggle for equality and justice. In a 23 to 19 vote, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the first everresolution to explicitly recognize and protect the human rights of LGBTI people<\/strong><\/a>, affirming LGBTI rights are indeed human rights.\u00a0More \u00bb<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n2 \u00a0A Feminist Women\u2019s Court for Peace and Justice<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After a decade of planning, seven women\u2019s groups from five Balkan countries officially launched the Women\u2019s Court Initiative for the former Yugoslavia. This groundbreaking effort aims to seek justice for thousands of women survivors of violence, many of whom have cases still unresolved from the region’s wars 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n3 \u00a0<\/span>Uruguay on the Cusp of Legalizing Abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\nOn December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nOn July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nEgyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
See more here:<\/p>\n
Last June, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community won a major milestone in a long struggle for equality and justice. In a 23 to 19 vote, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the first everresolution to explicitly recognize and protect the human rights of LGBTI people<\/strong><\/a>, affirming LGBTI rights are indeed human rights.\u00a0More \u00bb<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n2 \u00a0A Feminist Women\u2019s Court for Peace and Justice<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After a decade of planning, seven women\u2019s groups from five Balkan countries officially launched the Women\u2019s Court Initiative for the former Yugoslavia. This groundbreaking effort aims to seek justice for thousands of women survivors of violence, many of whom have cases still unresolved from the region’s wars 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n3 \u00a0<\/span>Uruguay on the Cusp of Legalizing Abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\nOn December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nOn July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nEgyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
See more here:<\/p>\n
2 \u00a0A Feminist Women\u2019s Court for Peace and Justice<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After a decade of planning, seven women\u2019s groups from five Balkan countries officially launched the Women\u2019s Court Initiative for the former Yugoslavia. This groundbreaking effort aims to seek justice for thousands of women survivors of violence, many of whom have cases still unresolved from the region’s wars 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n3 \u00a0<\/span>Uruguay on the Cusp of Legalizing Abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\nOn December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nOn July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nEgyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
See more here:<\/p>\n
After a decade of planning, seven women\u2019s groups from five Balkan countries officially launched the Women\u2019s Court Initiative for the former Yugoslavia. This groundbreaking effort aims to seek justice for thousands of women survivors of violence, many of whom have cases still unresolved from the region’s wars 20 years ago.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n3 \u00a0<\/span>Uruguay on the Cusp of Legalizing Abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\nOn December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nOn July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nEgyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n
<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nIn 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n <\/p>\n
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n
See more here:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n See more here:<\/p>\nOn December 28, 2011, Uruguay took a giant step towards reproductive justice when its Senate voted to decriminalize abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy.\u00a0A similar bill was passed in 2008<\/strong><\/a>, but was vetoed by the former president. This time, President Jose Mujica says he will sign the bill into law.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
4 Gender Equality Cemented into Moroccan Constitution<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
On July 1, after months of massive protests in major Moroccan cities, 98.49 percent of\u00a0Moroccans voted in favor of Constitutional reforms to strengthen Moroccan democracy<\/strong><\/a>, including cementing into law women\u2019s equality to men.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
5 \u00a0Justice Served in the Congo<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\u00a0In a watershed ruling, last February a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congosentenced Colonel Kibibi Mutware, three officers, and five soldiers to 20 years in prison for a mass rape<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of some 60 women, along with men and children, in Fizi on New Year\u2019s Day 2011.<\/p>\n6 \u00a0Sri Lankan Women Workers Fight Back<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
In May 2011, over 40,000 garment workers, mostly women,\u00a0walked out of their factories in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(FTZ) to protest a wage-cutting pension bill introduced by the Sri Lankan Parliament in order to obtain a $2.6 billion IMF loan.<\/p>\n7 \u00a0Egyptian Court Bans Virginity Testsspace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Egyptian women won a significant victory last December when\u00a0a civilian court ordered the army to stop conducting virginity tests on women prisoners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
8 Breaking the Silence on Rape in Pakistan<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
In Pakistan, where rape cases are largely unreported and sensationalized by the media, a courageous survivor of rape, Mukhtaran Mai, and a women\u2019s rights organization are sparking a national debate on how media and society talk about rape. While the media\u2019s reporting is important, photos of the survivor are sometimes published, and stories often leave out critical information about the rapist and the crime.<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
9 Women\u2019s Human Rights Central to Peace<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
In 2011, the\u00a0Nobel Committee awarded their Peace Prize<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to two Liberian women\u2014peace activist Leymah Gbowee and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf\u2014and Yemeni pro-democracy activist, Tawakkul Karman, all of whom are connected with Global Fund grantee partners.<\/p>\n10 <\/span>European Women Win Domestic Violence Treat<\/span>y<\/strong><\/h3>\n
After decades of advocacy by women\u2019s groups, the Council of Europe adopted the groundbreaking\u00a0Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nPressure European leaders to ratify the treaty that criminalizes violence against women.<\/h2>\n
\u00a0Sign the petition \u00bb<\/a><\/h2>\n