States around the world must act urgently to introduce new legislation to stamp out online and information and communications technology (ICT) facilitated violence against women and girls, which is yet another way in which their human rights are being violated, a UN expert has said.

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's childhood ambition was to become a doctor and cure disease. Now that she is Malaysia's most powerful female politician, she says her mission is to improve women's rights.

The 65-year-old made history this month when she was named Malaysia's deputy prime minister. She is the first woman to hold the post, and one of only a handful of female politicians in high public office in Southeast Asia.

Female lawmakers, in a country where women make up 52 percent of the population, account for around 10pc of the overall MPs in both the national and regional legislatures.

The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) yesterday expressed concern over attacks on female politicians in the country, which has manifested in many forms, including psychological violence.

A case in point being the attempted murder of MDC-T president Dr Thokozani Khupe by MDC Chamisa faction supporters at the burial of party founding president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai in Buhera in February; and the subsequent verbal abuse she was subjected to in her tussle for leadership of the party.

Former MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe in February spent most of Morgan Tsvangirai’s funeral holed up in a hut, fearing for her life, as party youths threatened her with violence.

That same month, Zanu PF’s Zalerah Makari, the Epworth National Assembly member, escaped death by a whisker when thugs pelted her with stones while campaigning.

Democratic state Comptroller Susana Mendoza says the party’s panel on sexual harassment issues will go beyond that subject to look at ways to recruit more women to run for public office.

Mendoza serves on the panel dealing with “anti-harassment and equal access” that House Speaker Michael Madigan appointed months ago amid harassment and bullying complaints in the party that he chairs.

Women across the UK have marched together to create a living artwork, to mark 100 years since the first British women won the vote.

Women in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London donned the colours of the suffragette movement - green, white and violet - as part of a mass procession.

One hundred female artists worked with local communities to create banners for the marches in the four cities.