Violence Against Women Remains Endemic, UN Expert Reports

 Women around the world continue to endure violence, abuse and discrimination and often have no recourse to justice, an independent United Nations human rights expert told the General Assembly today as she urged Member States to make greater efforts to record and publicize violations.
"In spite of considerable achievements, violence against women persists in every country as a pervasive and universal violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality," said Yakin Ertürk, the outgoing Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences.  more

Rajani Majhi, gang-raped and burnt alive'

'She was gang-raped before being burnt alive'

IANS

Saturday, October 04, 2008  15:11 IST

NEW DELHI: Rajani Majhi, a 20-year-old Hindu, was gang-raped before being burnt alive by a mob at the church-run orphanage in Orissa's Bargarh district where she worked, says a senior priest. They mistook her for a Christian.

"I am willing to testify in any court of law," T.V Peter, procurator of the Sambalpur diocese in the western part of the state, said. The incident took place Aug 25 as anti-Christian violence engulfed the state.

"Some policemen and locals were witness to the atrocities by a mob led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal at the orphanage in Padampur village in Bargarh district. I went to the spot immediately afterwards and spoke to the witnesses.