by Susan Enuogbope Majekodunmi
-USA-

My maternal grandfather’s mantra was, “Educate a woman, and you feed and educate her family.” He educated his daughters when Nigerian fathers rarely did. My grandfather was also very interested in my education and often questioned me about it. It is a shame his passion for educating women is not emulated by some African governments.

In Nigeria, as in much of Africa, women are the greatest underutilized resource. As a continent of developing countries, African governments are not effectively advancing women’s skills even though women constitute roughly 50 percent of the population.

by Paromita Pain
-India-

Gropes, stealthy fingers that pinch and leave bruises, catcalls, severe beatings, systematic starvation, emotional torture and worse – harassment against women takes many forms, and like issues of hunger and poverty, it is global in scope.

The recent report, "Violence against Women Prevalence Data: Surveys by Country March 2011,” compiled by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women), says that most women will face harassment from either close partners or strangers at least once in their lifetime.

by Rachel Muthoni
-Kenya-

In a bid to retain culture and due to the greed of men who profit by marrying off their daughters, some communities in Kenya still practice Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Section 14 of The Children’s Act of 2001 in Kenya protects children against harmful cultural practices under which FGM falls. Though this law has been in place for a decade, the practice is still rampant, especially among pastoral communities where even a girl may demand FGM since she has been brought up believing it to be part of her initiation to maturity.

by Jessica Mosby
-USA-

Before 9/11 Shannen Rossmiller was a judge, wife, and mother of three living in Montana. That fateful September day became the impetus for her to become a counter-intelligence expert focused on infiltrating jihadists’ networks. Rossmiller’s memoir The Unexpected Patriot, written with Sue Carswell and published by Palgrave Macmillan, details this journey.

by Katharine Daniels and Alexandra Daniels
The WIP

Looking back we remember Felicia, our Brooklyn sister and loyal friend. The woman who always greeted you with a big smile and a sincere “Hi there sweet cheeks.” Every year, we put on a little Maxwell and dance around the living room, pretending for just a few minutes that she is still here dancing with us.

by Tess Bacalla
-Philippines-

Thirty-nine years ago this month, the Philippines found itself plunged into darkness when then-President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. Ostensibly to modernize the country and prevent a communist takeover, the multi-headed hydra that was the brutal Marcos dictatorship snuffed the life out of a nation that was once the envy of its Asian neighbors for its vibrant economy and thriving democracy. Fourteen years later, in 1986, the Philippines mounted a peaceful uprising that toppled him from power.

by Rita Banerji
-India-

In January, a Toronto police constable told a group of students at a school safety forum that to prevent being sexually assaulted they should “avoid dressing like sluts.” This victim-blaming message sparked a global grassroots protest movement called ‘SlutWalks.’ –Ed.

India wrote off the SlutWalk organized in Delhi as a terribly insignificant event. According to a police report, there were about 700 attendees in all, including 400 police personnel and 200 media people. That means the actual number of participants was probably not more than a 100 – a ridiculously miniscule number in a country with a population of a billion plus.