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Papua New Guinea PM says 'sorry' for violence against women

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Wednesday apologised for violence against women in his country as he vowed to toughen penalties for offenders after a spate of horrific crimes. The impoverished Pacific nation has proposed death by firing squad as part of stringent new measures to combat rampant violent crime which O'Neill has said is destroying the country.

Sexual violence widespread in India: U.N. human rights official

Sexual violence and harassment is widespread in India and perpetuated in public places, in the family and in the workplace, a U.N. human rights official said Wednesday after undertaking a U.N.-commissioned study on violence against women in India. Rashida Manjoo, the U.N. special rapporteur on violence against women, said the Indian government's "inability and/or unwillingness" to acknowledge and address the core structural causes of violence against women is the main reason for the failure to prevent such incidents.

Putin laughs off topless protest, defends NGO moves

By Alexei Anishchuk and Andreas Rinke HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin laughed off a protest against him by topless women in Germany on Monday, joking that he liked what he had seen while sharply rebuffing German criticism of his human rights record. Three members of the women's rights group Femen, which has staged protests against Russia's detention of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot around Europe, disrupted his visit to a trade fair in the German city of Hanover focusing on Russian business.

Kremlin urges Germany to punish topless protest against Putin

HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) - Russia urged Germany to punish a group of women who staged a bare-breasted protest against President Vladimir Putin on Monday during a visit to a trade fair in Hanover with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Three members of the women's rights group Femen, which has staged protests against Russia's detention of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot around Europe, disrupted a visit by Putin and Merkel to an industry fair focusing on Russian business.

Topless protesters disrupt Putin visit to Germany

Topless female demonstrators shouted at Russian President Vladimir Putin as he toured an industrial fair with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday, media reported. Putin and Merkel were taking in a presentation of a new car model at the Volkswagen stand by the company's chief executive, Martin Winterkorn, when the four bare-breasted women started chanting "fuck dictator". At least one of the women seen on rolling news channel NTV had the same words painted in black ink across her torso.

Women remain 'slaves' despite UN accord: Egypt politician

Women are "the slaves of this age," according to an Egyptian politician who took a stand against the country's Muslim Brotherhood to back a UN declaration on violence against women. Mervat Tallawy, who headed the Egyptian delegation at a United Nations conference that ended late Friday, said that despite the hard-fought declaration, secured after two weeks of tense negotiations, more help must be given to women in the Middle East.

Muslim states agree to 'historic' UN statement on women

Muslim and Western nations late Friday overcame deep divisions to agree a landmark United Nations declaration setting out a code of conduct for combatting violence against women and girls. Iran, Libya, Sudan and other Muslim nations ended threats to block the declaration and agreed to language stating that violence against women could not be justified by "any custom, tradition or religious consideration."

Muslim states agree to 'historic' UN statement on women

Muslim and western nations on Friday overcame deep divisions to agree a historic United Nations declaration setting out a code of conduct for combatting violence against women. Iran, Libya, Sudan and other Muslim nations agreed to language stating that violence against women and girls could not be justified by "any custom, tradition or religious consideration." Western nations, particularly from Scandinavia, toned down demands for references to gay rights and sexual health rights to secure the accord after two weeks of tense negotiations between the 193 UN member states.

U.N. body agrees on women's rights policy, skirting sexual politics

By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. policy-making body agreed upon a declaration Friday urging an end to violence against women and girls despite concerns from conservative Muslim countries and the Vatican about references to women's sexual and reproductive rights. Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya, Nigeria and Sudan, along with Honduras and the Vatican, expressed reservations about the declaration of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, but did not block adoption of the 18-page text.
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