by Carol Campbell, Science and Development Network, UK - Research on HIV/AIDS is on the rise in South Africa, a country with the largest number of HIV infections in the world, while Western research efforts have levelled out. Only around two per cent of all research articles produced by the United States, the biggest producer of HIV/AIDS studies, are about HIV/AIDS. By contrast, 5.5 per cent of South Africa's research effort goes towards HIV/AIDS .

by Sam Pari, ABC, Australia - Should we be playing cricket with a country which is responsible for so many people fleeing on boats towards us? Would we play cricket with the Burmese Junta or the Taliban in Afghanistan?

by Liva Sreedharan, Malaysiakini, Malaysia - Men, women and children alike have been persecuted in Iran for their religious beliefs. Courts in Iran have denied the Baha'is the right to redress or to be protected against assault, killing, injury or other forms of persecution because they are not being provided for.

by Janeen Madan, Nourishing the Planet, USA - While marine fisheries are under increasing scrutiny, those based on river and lake systems rarely engage the international community- an oversight of potentially profound implications.

by Hélène Frade, France 24, France - My goal is to understand why these two communities have now found themselves not only associated with the problems of insecurity and delinquency, but also associated with each other.

by Rasa Gustaitis, New America Media, USA - Even as it disappears under water, the Republic of Kiribati, a small oceanic nation that straddles the Equator about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, it has emerged, along with other tiny island nations, as the vanguard of a growing ocean conservation movement. Yet they have drawn networks of protection across enormous swatches of the high seas and hundreds of small coastal areas. Their power to do so lies in international law, which provides that every nation has sovereignty over resources within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical miles off its shores.

by Kristin Engh Førde, Kilden, Norway - Is forced marriage an immigration problem or violence against women and children? The Norwegian authorities have not totally made up their minds.

by Alison Silveira, Santiago Times, Chile - Five-thousand new cases of political-motivated torture during the 1973-1990 military dictatorship have been reported since former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet’s administration reopened the torture report earlier this year.

by Amy Goodman, Truthdig, USA - As the 2010 elections come to a close, the biggest winner of all remains undeclared: the broadcasters. The biggest loser: democracy.

by Thelma Mejía, Inside Costa Rica, Costa Rica - Honduras must answer to the United Nations Human Rights Council this week with respect to the numerous complaints of human rights violations committed before, during and after the Jun. 28, 2009 coup d'état that overthrew President Manuel Zelaya.

by Doaa El-Bey, Al-Ahram, Egypt - Egypt is continuing to try to calm down the situation in Sudan and help the two ruling parties resolve the issues obstructing the smooth holding of a self-determination referendum in southern Sudan.

by Eva Bartlett, Inter Press Service, Italy - Dabke, the traditional Middle Eastern line dance of agile steps, stomps and jumps, is still today an important element of Palestinian culture, and is virtually imperative to wedding parties. One group has made itself known for its unique style and energy.

by Marjorie Cohn, Marjorie Cohn, USA - After a couple of days of reporting about the largest incident of whistle blowing in our history, news of the Wikileaks revelations has disappeared from the news cycle.

by Ananya Mukherjee-Reed, One World South Asia, India - Kerala, hailed as God’s own country, attributes its high development indices to the local women. Through their group, Kudumbashree, these women are not only rejuvenating the local agrarian economy but are also changing the way women are perceived.

by Sarah Jaffe, The Nation, USA - While Haley's political position may fit squarely into the conservative Republican camp, the fact that she's Indian-American allows South Carolina conservatives and the Tea Party crowd to purport racial diversity in their ranks.

By Erica George, Pacific Scoop, New Zealand - Two women from Papua New Guinea flew half way around the world this year to attend a United Nations assembly in New York – to demand their government take responsibility for the ongoing violence faced by women. But with the country’s sole woman parliamentarian set to retire by 2012, many fear the situation will get worse.

by Megan Tady, In These Times, USA - Female politicians, candidates and leaders face blatant sexism and misogyny in both corporate media and parts of the blogosphere for challenging the male-dominated political system.

by Linda Heard, Arab News, Saudi Arabia - Anyone who has been following the shameful Iraq saga since the 2003 invasion knows that US forces sometimes crossed modern-day warfare’s red lines.

by Amanda Price, Deutsche Welle, Germany - As the European Union observes "Anti-Trafficking Day", the struggle to help victims and bring perpetrators to justice is taking center-stage. Estimates say up to four million people worldwide are trafficked annually.

by Rasna Warah, Daily Nation, Kenya - Rich donors to Africa have a tendency to take credit for many of the continent’s achievements. But donor interventions in Africa are not always altruistic, and are quite often detrimental. Sceptics have often noted that aid does not reduce poverty; it is often the cause of poverty and violence in many parts of world. Massive aid flows could also be a catalyst for renewed violence, as a government flush with aid money could be viewed as “a prize by competing Sudanese factions.” Recent statements by President Barack Obama suggest that US aid policies towards Africa may be changing dramatically.

by Phoebe Kennedy, The Independent, UK - The anticipated release from house arrest of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi next month will stir a "political reawakening" in the country after half a century of military rule.

by Mona Eltahawy, Jerusalem Post, Israel - Reporting rape anywhere is difficult but in Egypt’s conservative culture, women keep quiet rather than risk arousing blame or humiliation.

by Caroline Fourest, Hurriyet, Turkey - Once again, the race for expansion guided by economic motives – a large market and low-cost workforce – has acted against political Europe.

by Brittany Shoot, Ms. Magazine, USA - Women’s aggressive behavior is often staking claim to space and identity rather than creating conflict.