Women's rights

Afghan Women's Fragile Gains Face Threat

Female participation in recent election reached all-time high, but hard-won gains could easily be reversed.

Herat Women in the Driving Seat

Rising numbers of female drivers despite widespread opposition and harassment in conservative city.

Temporary Marriages Stir Iraqi Sensitivities

Iraqis divided over whether short-term Shia marriage contracts assist or exploit vulnerable women.

Polygamy Promoted to Tackle Plight of Anbar's Women

Campaign encouraging men to take more than one wife draws controversy in province awash with war widows.

Iran: High Price of Flouting Marriage Rules

Women unable to obtain divorce by legal means resort to desperate measures.

Erbil Women's Driving Ambition

Growing prosperity sees more women on roads of Iraqi Kurdish city, challenging gender roles.

Coercive Sterilisation in Uzbekistan

Azeri Human Traffickers Target Vulnerable Women

Those who return are often spurned by relatives and end up in prostitution.

State-Funded Places Shrink at Tajik Universities

Dog's Life in Dushanbe