Asia and the Pacific

The story of Bhavana Damor, the woman sarpanch (village council head) of Rampur Mewada Gram Panchayat in southern Rajasthan is as inspiring as it is rare, considering she hails from the predominantly tribal district of Dungarpur.

Guam Congresswoman Bordallo spoke at the official opening ceremony for 20th Convention of the Federation of Asia-Pacific Women’s Association [FAWA].

Guam is hosting this year's FAWA Convention for the 5th time. It is taking place this weekend at the Hyatt. 

Over 110 off-island delegates and over 100 Guam delegates are in attendance.

All-China Women’s Federation ( ACWF) Vice President Meng Xiaosi said Thursday that Chinese women would be more than happy to join hand with women of East Asia countries to promote gender equality and environmental sustainability.

Meng made the statement during the ongoing fourth meeting of the ASEAN plus Three Committee on Women (ACW+3) held in Lao capital Vientiane.

Guam will be hosting the FAWA International Convention for the 5th time October 25-28, 2012. Over 110 off-island delegates and over 100 Guam delegates will be in attendance. The Opening Ceremony is a formal event and we are inviting all media. Our formal flag procession of nations will commence soon after we begin at 9am. Our Guam leaders will be in attendance as well.

A United Nations (UN) report which called for legalizing prostitution as a way of preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in Asia and the Pacific was condemned on Monday by a Philippine non-government group advocating women's rights.

Gabriela, the National Alliance of Women in the Philippines, said prostitution is the "worse exploitation that can be done to women."

In partnership with Governments across South Asia, UN Women’s Executive Director Michelle Bachelet and four elected women representatives from South Asia launched the first ever knowledge hub for elected women representatives in rural areas across the region.

Unveiled in the presence of more than 200 women leaders, experts and policy makers, the knowledge hub will use audio and video content in different languages to reach women leaders in remote areas, cutting past literacy and linguistic barriers.

The key issues of women's access to parliament and to internal parliamentary structures kicked off an engaged and lively debate at the 7th IPU Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament in New Delhi on 3rd October.