Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarms over an increase in violence targeting women, children, and religious minorities in Bangladesh as the country prepares for the 13th National Parliamentary Elections scheduled for February 12.

This week, the Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family, Naïma Ben Yahya, announced the launch of a national campaign to raise awareness about women’s political participation.

The political structure and processes in Bangladesh remain predominantly patriarchal and under male control.

On Saturday, January 17, the Ministry for the Status of Women and Women's Rights (MCFDF) took a decisive step for 2026. The Ministry launched a three-day strategic and professional retreat at the Montana Hotel in Pétion-ville.

It has been more than 40 years since I was imprisoned in Iran for speaking out against human rights abuses and state executions, and for defending women’s rights. I spent eight years behind bars in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. I was tortured. I remember it as if it happened yesterday.

India has established a comprehensive legal framework to protect women’s rights and ensure their safety, dignity, and equality. These laws address various forms of discrimination, violence, and exploitation that women face in society.

The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, today highlighted India’s experience of women’s participation in governance across the three-tier democratic framework, comprising Parliament at the Union level, State Legislatures, and Local Self-Government institutions.