Smith welcomes UN’s rape during war call

“Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith has welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s decision to make rape a war crime.

Mr Smith says Australia participated in the open debate, and the unanimous resolution was passed overnight.”

The Age

Australia assisting Bangladeshi women with dress making, hand embroidery training

“Australia has recently extended support to Access toward Livelihood and Welfare Organisation (ALWO) for its existing project on dress-making and hand-embroidery training to destitute women.”

Improving girls’ access to education focus of UN Asia-Pacific meeting

United Nations officials, government leaders and education experts are gathering in Kathmandu, Nepal, today for the start of a two-day conference examining how to improve gender equality in schools across the Asia-Pacific region.

UN News Centre

Norway’s big stick for getting women on boards

“In December 2003 the Norwegian Parliament amended the Public Limited Companies Act to give public limited companies five years to either ensure that women held 40 per cent of the seats of each listed company listed or risk closure. The requirement came into effect on January 1 this year, and the Government is considering extending the law to cover family-owned companies as well.”

ABC News

Obviously not an Australian story but one that I thought was really interesting. Nice to see a government that isn’t bowing the pressure from big business.