Women

Afghan Reporter Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy

A young journalist in the north of Afghanistan faces the death penalty in what observers say is a well-orchestrated campaign of intimidation against the media.

Exiled Islamist Still Attracts Following in Kyrgyzstan

In a region racked by poverty and discontent, modern technology offers extremists a way of making themselves heard.

Congo Prison Hell

Afghanistan: Not Just a Pretty Face

Political sensation Fawzia Gailani dismisses suggestions that her electoral triumph in Herat was down to her looks.

Breaking a Vicious Cycle

Unaware of their rights and with nowhere to turn to, many victims of violence suffer in silence.

Scraping a Living

Dismal economic prospects mean low paid, menial and dangerous work is often only way to make ends meet.

Defining Rights, Finding a Voice

With meaningful political influence a distant dream, the social consequences of effective disenfranchisement are dire.

Shamed Women Enter Sex Trade in Azerbaijan

As prostitutes are exploited in the cafes, police officers sit back and watch the profits roll in.

Iraq: Culture Clash for Returning Kurdish Women

Many young women who have lived abroad find it hard to adjust to social strictures as well as economic difficulties when they come back to Iraqi Kurdistan.

Alarm Over Intermarriage Health Risks in Tajikistan

Calls for restrictions on weddings between close relatives are falling on deaf ears.