Republican Senator John McCain, campaigning through poverty-stricken cities and towns, said he opposes a Senate bill that seeks equal pay for women because it would lead to more lawsuits.

President Bush presided at a White House ceremony Monday honoring women around the world who are fighting for freedom.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has launched a multi-year campaign to end violence against women and girls. From U.N. headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

The U.N. Development Fund for Women has launched a new advocacy campaign to end violence against women. The fund has recruited Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman to help promote the campaign, which is an internet-based initiative that asks people to sign a "virtual book" that promotes women's rights.

Have you ever felt outnumbered? Like there are just not that many people like you around? We’ve all felt outnumbered in one situation or another and walking into a situation in which you sense the possibility of being ostracized or isolated can be quite threatening.

The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has condemned the brutal murder of two prominent female journalists in Afghanistan.

Condoleezza Rice said Thursday at a conference on women's peace efforts in the region that democracy in the Middle East will not flourish until women gain greater rights and roles.

The status of women in the Middle East was the focus of a conference held at the Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston Tuesday. Several panels including a total of 20 scholarly experts discussed such issues as education, politics, marriage, sexuality and reproductive health at the day-long event.

A U.S.-based human rights group has criticized Iran for imposing lengthy jail sentences on six women activists. In a statement Thursday, Human Rights Watch is appealing to the head of Iran's judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi Shahrudi to immediately overturn the convictions and in the group's words, "end the persecution of all such human rights defenders."

A prominent international media rights group says Iran has launched a crackdown on women journalists. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says two journalists -- Mahbubeh Hosseinzadeh and Nahid Keshavarz -- have been arrested and held for nearly two weeks after covering a demonstration calling for the repeal of laws that discriminate against women.