By Katerina Zacharia, Role Reboot, US - As we drank our coffee that night, I tried to see my life and career through his eyes. I realized that when he worked in the city, women weren’t at dinner meetings. And women who were, well, that was not the scenario into which he wanted to insert his daughter. He struggled enough to make sense of my life as a single mother, sole parent living far from her family.

by Rebecca Solnit, Middle East Online, UK - Ten years ago, my part of the world was full of valiant opposition to the new wars being launched far away and at home -- and of despair. And like despairing people everywhere, whether in a personal depression or a political tailspin, these activists believed the future would look more or less like the present. If there was nothing else they were confident about, at least they were confident about that. Ten years ago, as a contrarian and a person who prefers not to see others suffer, I tried to undermine despair with the case for hope.

A decade later, the present is still contaminated by the crimes of that era, but so much has changed. Not necessarily for the better -- a decade ago, most spoke of climate change as a distant problem, and then it caught up with us in 10,000 ways. But not entirely for the worse either -- the vigorous climate movement we needed arose in that decade and is growing now. If there is one thing we can draw from where we are now and where we were then, it’s that the unimaginable is ordinary, and the way forward is almost never a straight path you can glance down, but a labyrinth of surprises, gifts, and afflictions you prepare for by accepting your blind spots as well as your intuitions.

by Kathleen B. Jones, Open Democracy, UK- It is time to give Firestone her due. Rereading her today, more than forty years after her work made its best-selling debut, I am struck (again) by the visceral power of her argument and the urgency with which she proffered her case for feminist revolution. It’s no wonder that many women, myself included, credit this book with changing their lives. Even if we disagreed with some of her most imaginative musings, she opened our eyes to the deep-rootedness of women’s oppression.

by Leisa Sánchez, IPS News, Italy - At the age of 20, Damián Valencia speaks knowledgeably about every aspect of gender equality. He is a member of Cascos Rosa, a young people’s initiative working for cultural change against machismo and violence against women in Ecuador. “We seek and promote gender equality and equal rights and opportunities for men and women,” said Valencia, one of the founders of the network of young people – originally all men – united against machismo, whose members call themselves Cascos Rosa (Pink Helmets).

by Asel Kalybekova, EurasiaNet, USA - Seven years ago Aijan was walking home from her waitressing job in central Bishkek with two girlfriends. They did not notice the three men following them. As two men tackled the other women, one dragged Aijan, 21 at the time, into a waiting car.

by Janet Gunter, Global Voices, Netherlands - Against a backdrop of growing concern about ‘land grabs‘ in Africa and the conversion of smallholder agriculture to large-scale commercial agriculture, a leak from a controversial economic development plan has raised alarm in Mozambique, as well as Brazil and Japan, two key donors.

by Shahira Amin, RIA Novosti, Russia - Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter on May 5, and crowds thronged the streets near the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo’s Abbassiya district. Traditionally, Easter is a time of celebration and joy here, as Coptic Christians mark the resurrection of Christ, and end their forty day fast. But the mood this year was somber, marred by the memory of a brutal attack on the Cathedral by security forces a month ago.

by Ángela Meléndez, IPS News, Italy - The Constitution of Ecuador adopted in 2008 establishes a broad range of rights for indigenous peoples and nationalities, including the right to prior consultation, which gives them the opportunity to influence decisions that affect their lives. Nevertheless, recent mining and oil drilling projects have put the government’s commitment to respecting the right to consultation to the test, and spurred indigenous organisations to take action.

by Lys Anzia, Women News Network, USA - Standing on top of centuries of history within Tibetan Buddhism the Nobel Peace Laureate known privately as Tenzin Gyatso, and publicly as a monk called His Holiness The Dalai Lama, has once again voiced his controversial wishes that the next choice for the 15th Dalai Lama after his death should be a woman. It does not come as a surprise by many of his supporters that the Dalai Lama is innovative in his approach to the old tradition. The Dalai Lama has been an avid supporter for many years of women who are working for human rights, compassion and a better world.

by Jasmina Babic, Global Voices, Greece - Supervisors shot and injured dozens of undocumented migrant workers from Bangladesh in the strawberry farms of southwestern Nea Manolada for demanding months of owed wages, the latest incident in a country where antipathy toward immigrants is on the rise. The horrific show of violence on April 17, 2013 sparked uproar throughout Greece, prompting netizens to launch a boycott of the “blood” strawberries that originate at the scene of the crime.

by Kalynne Dakin, Global Voices, Netherlands - Two of humankind’s most treasured resources–water and gold–have instigated a conflict between an indigenous community and a Canadian mining company over an isolated swath of Chile’s Atacama region.

by Joan Erakit, IPS News, Italy - The Global Education First Initiative stands at the forefront of this week’s Learning Ministerial Meetings in Washington, D.C., underscoring the importance of education in the development of the global economy. Josephine Bourne, UNICEF associate director and global chief of education, spoke with IPS about the upcoming meetings and the challenges of education for all. Excerpts from the interview follow.

by Sara Shahriari, Deutsche Welle, Germany - Hundreds of thousands of children work in Bolivia even though the minimum working age is 14. But as most of them have to help support their families, they depend on their jobs. Some have united to improve their lives.

by Jill Heller, International Business Times, USA - A new Mexican Barbie in Mattel’s “Dolls of the World” series, which was launched to appeal to a more “diverse generation” of customers and boasts a number of dolls from Latin America, has sparked outrage for what opponents argue is an offensive depiction of Mexican culture. In addition to her fiesta dress and pet Chihuahua, the Barbie carries a passport. "Play with your Barbie Mexicana and don’t even think of calling her indocumentada."

by Marianela Jarroud, IPS, Chile - Women are playing an increasingly important role in Chile’s mining industry, where little more than a decade ago they were not even allowed in the mines because of prejudice and superstitions that they would bring bad luck. But times have changed. “We have an ambitious goal of reaching 20 percent of women in our labour force, as operatives, heads of sections, in management and on the business side."

by Ruth Michaelson, RFI, France - Israel is home to one of the largest Eritrean communities in the world. However, they face discrimination and live in constant fear. One Eritrean woman has founded a centre to give them support.

by Andrea Germanos, Common Dreams, US - The global peasant and food sovereignty group La Via Campesina, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, was among thousands of groups at the WSF, and sees the climate justice struggle the world faces as intertwined with the stranglehood corporations have over the global population.

by Catherine Wilson, IPS, Italy - In Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, women are taking the lead in developing a burgeoning floriculture industry. At the same time, their enterprise is contributing to community resilience as rapid urbanisation exceeds employment opportunities and challenges the economic wellbeing of many urban families.

by Neena Bhandari, IPS News, Australia- Tales of violence have become all too common — almost every single week, a woman in Australia dies at the hands of a male partner or former partner, often after a history of domestic violence, according to the Australian Institute of Criminology.

by Kate Sheppard, Mother Jones, USA- The state now outlaws abortions at as early as six weeks gestation, but it doesn't stop there. Dalrymple also signed measures banning abortions sought because of genetic abnormalities in the fetus, like Down Syndrome, and another measure requiring that doctors who perform abortions at the state's one clinic have admitting privileges at a local hospital.

by Susan Tolmay, Open Democracy, UK- Women's rights activists spent two hard weeks at the Commission on the Status of Women pushing back against fundamentalist opposition and the attempt to roll back women's human rights. Susan Tolmay reports on the battles which resulted in the advancement of women's rights in this year's Agreed Conclusions.

by Ángela Meléndez, IPS News, Italy - Ecuador hopes to move forward in the fight against violence against women by typifying femicide – gender-motivated killings – as a specific crime in the new penal code. Academic studies and police reports indicate that crimes against women have increased sharply. The Metropolitan Observatory of Citizen Security reported 21 femicides in Quito in 2012 and 28 in 2011. Karina del Pozo, 20, went missing in Quito on Feb. 20. Her body was found eight days later in an empty lot on the north side of the city, showing signs of abuse and a blow to the head that caused her death.

by Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, Eurasia Review, Spain - When we occupied Freedom Plaza in October, 2011, we made the connection between US Empire and the corporate control of our political process, between unlimited military spending and cuts to necessary domestic programs. We understood the misreporting in the corporate media about the Iraq War. Kathy Kelly from Voices for Creative Nonviolence was in Baghdad during Shock and Awe. On this tenth anniversary, she reminds us of the horrible price of war and warns of never ending war as the US seems to edge toward more war in the region. The need to understand those connections grows more important each day as we see the costs of war affecting people on every level.

by Chan Myae Khine, Global Voices, Netherlands - Netizens are actively discussing the issue. Some are spreading hate comments on Facebook while others are expressing their frustration over religious clashes.

by Samar Fatany, Al Arabiya, UAE - The Ministries of Justice and Social Affairs are putting forward serious and innovative solutions to address the rising number of divorces that are threatening the social fabric of our country.

by Isolda Agazzi, IPS News, Italy - The current growth model is not sustainable. Neither the green economy nor alternative sources of energy can prevent global warming. Solutions will come from concerted actions at the local and national levels, from the adoption of instruments and practices borrowed from other disciplines like peacebuilding, and from the move to a “no-waste economy”, according to experts here.

by Brook Larmer, The New York Times, USA- China’s gender gap — 118 boys are born for every 100 girls — has become one of the world’s widest, fueled in large part by the government’s restrictive one-child policy. By the end of this decade, Chinese researchers estimate, the country will have a surplus of 24 million unmarried men

by Rowan Harvey,The Guardian, UK- Commission on Status of Women brought gains, but attitudes need to change on sex workers, identity and domestic violence

by Joan Erakit, IPS, Italy - In an effort to promote gender equality in workplaces and communities, business leaders, politicians and supporters came together during last week’s fifth annual Women’s Empowerment Principles Event to explore ways to ensure women are supported in their careers and life choices.

by Adrianna Logalbo, Diplomatic Courier, USA - On a recent trip to Kenya, I was fortunate to meet several women who are, in their own ways, combating the urgent yet often hidden problem of malnutrition, and I was reminded once again of the power women have to truly change the world. With support from individuals, partners, and the government, these women are helping their children grow and thrive, creating healthier futures for their families and communities, and nourishing the next generation.

by Marianela Jarroud, IPS, Italy - Three indigenous communities from the Chilean highlands have just received solar panels, which will be set up and maintained by unlikely solar engineers: five native women who travelled halfway around the world to India and overcame language and other barriers to bring photovoltaic energy to their villages. Thanks to this and other Barefoot solar initiatives, 450,000 people in remote villages in different regions now have light, and the carbon emissions caused by burning fuel and firewood have been reduced by 13 metric tonnes a day.

by Jaeah Lee, Mother Jones, USA- The state's health commission says Texas will see nearly 24,000 unplanned births between 2014 and 2015 thanks to these cuts, raising state and federal taxpayer's Medicaid costs by up to $273 million.

by Rosemarie Jackowski, Countercurrents, India - Recently two remarkable women have been in the news promoting their books. Both women are brilliant, hardworking, dedicated, focused and very accomplished. They have much in common - but it appears that they have very different world views. They hold opposing philosophical belief systems.

One woman is the COO of Facebook. She is a beautiful, politically well-connected Harvard graduate. Sheryl Sandberg's book, Lean Foreword: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, has stirred up some controversy. Why is it considered a good thing to 'lead'? Does that view promote a self absorbed and narcissistic life style? The implication of that statement, on the front cover, is that if some should lead, some should follow. Really? Who should the followers be? Why should they follow? Are they inferior? Is endorsing a pecking order in our culture a good thing? Isn't this why we have a 'bullying' problem in our schools? Maybe we already have too much prejudice and 'one-upsmanship' in schools, the workplace, and society in general.

by Maryam Hasan, Voice of Syria, Syria - Like sardines packed into a can, men, women and children share space in a tiny emergency ward. Some cry, and a few others bear the pain quietly, but their facial expressions say it all. Huda is just one amongst dozens in the room suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis, locally called ‘Habat Halab’ or Aleppo boil. The symptoms of leishmaniasis are skin sores which erupt weeks to months after the person is bitten by sand flies. The patient suffers from fever, and the virus damages the spleen and liver as well as causing anemia. Delay or lack of treatment may cause death.

According to Syrian medical volunteers, over 300 cases of leishmaniasis are reported daily in Aleppo from areas like west of al-Zahraa, Quiq River basin and the countryside regions of al-Bab and Safira. The infection has spread mainly among children.

by Maha El Nabawi, Worldcrunch, Egypt - The 2013–2014 editions of the Egyptian National Education textbooks have been edited to delete the picture of Doriya Shafiq and pictures of those killed during the Jan. 25 revolution. Shafiq’s image was removed from the high-school textbook because she was not veiled.

by Suvendrini Kakuchi, IPS, Italy - Japan prepares to mark the second anniversary of the Mar. 11 triple disaster – an earthquake, tsunami and a critical nuclear reactor accident – with much soul searching across the country.

by Heidi Basch-Harod, Open Democracy, UK- On February 12, 2013, women of the Middle East, in the region and in the Diaspora, officially and publicly re-appropriated shame and honour. Suddenly, they are wearing the experience of surviving sexual terrorism and violence as a badge of honour, using their tragedy to fight for an end to violence against women.

by Julie Noce, Reuters, USA- A woman in Pakistan exemplifies the hardworking spirit of women around the world ahead of International Women's Day

by Shannon O'Neil, BBC, UK - After fourteen years in power, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez lost his long and secretive battle with cancer. Many now wonder about his domestic and international legacy. For the U.S., one of the important questions is whether his bilateral foreign policy approach will continue without him.

by Miriam Gathigah, IPS, Italy - On Monday, Mar. 4, Betty Amollo was one of the millions of Kenyans who turned out in large numbers to cast her ballot in the country’s first general election since the 2007 disputed polls left almost 1,200 people dead and displaced 600,000 in the resultant inter-ethnic violence.

by Shahla Sultanova, IWPR, UK - Azerbaijan has tightened restrictions on religious literature – both imported and locally published– in a move that reflects official worries about Sunni radicalism and also about interference by the Shia theocracy in neighbouring Iran.

by Charlotte Silver, Al Jazeera, Qatar - Israel's policy of torture has left many dead, and rationalising its failure to comply with the most basic requirement of recording interrogations, the State maintains that it is in the interest of "national security" that its interrogation techniques not be made public.

by Ivet González, IPS, Italy - Each of Cuba’s 168 municipalities faces the challenge of designing its own strategic development to minimize the impact of problems caused by global warming, and Cuba's ongoing reform aims to empower local governments legally, economically and operationally.

by Jasmina Kuzmanovic & Gordana Filipovic, Bloomberg, USA - Slovenian lawmakers elected Alenka Bratusek, the country’s first female premier, to replace Prime Minister Janez Jansa to quell a political crisis as the Alpine nation battles a recession and the threat of becoming the sixth euro member to need a bailout.

by Srilatha Batliwala, Open Democracy, UK- Among all the social movements of the past century, the struggle for women’s rights and gender equality has been the most transformative in terms of the deep tectonic shifts it has created in the social terrain, yet skepticism about the value of funding women's rights work persists.

by Stephanie Coontz, The New York Times, USA- Today the main barriers to further progress toward gender equity no longer lie in people’s personal attitudes and relationships. Instead, structural impediments prevent people from acting on their egalitarian values, forcing men and women into personal accommodations and rationalizations that do not reflect their preferences.

by Sertaç Sehlikoglu, Open Democracy, UK- In late May 2012, the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, made a striking statement about abortion while addressing the third annual congress of the women’s branch of his party.

by Jill Filipovic, The Guardian, UK- We may speak different languages, have different belief systems and face different and intersecting oppressions, but physical and sexual violence against women is sadly universal.

by Anjana Pasricha, Voice of America, India- In India, the government has passed tough new laws to tackle sexual violence against women. Demand for new legislation was sparked by a brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman in India’s capital in December.

by Heather McRobie, Open Democracy, UK- Last week saw the lifting of the ban on women in combat in the US military. How will this change the dynamics within and perceptions of the American military, and will it help reduce the current epidemic levels of sexual harassment and sexual assault within the armed forces?