President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech at Columbia University to an audience of students and the press. In a question and answer period following his speech Ahmadinejad talks about the issue of homosexuality and women?s rights in his country of Iran.

When it comes to issues such as sexual assault, the woman is usually made to seem at fault. Women are encouraged to take self defense classes and are constantly worried about the men around them. There needs to be involvement of men. Men need to start talking to each other and letting each other know that taking advantage of girl is not right. There should be women appreciation classes for men to go along with the self defense classes for women.

Because people need to think twice about these sorts of things... It's more than just us against them and their culture, and, um, treating women like crap. Our economy is dependant on not doing anything about this.

Six months ago, 24 year old Lauand Omar became the third director to ever shoot a film in Northern Iraq. His film, "Bekhal's Tears" which takes a look at women's rights in post-Saddam Iraq, has become a lightning rod for controversy throughout the region.

Abortion has been criminalized in the state of South Dakota. A bill was signed by Governer Mike Rounds banning abortion. This case could be brought to the Supreme Court resulting in the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. We went to Planned Parenthood to gain knowledge of this horrific attack on women's rights. Music by: Woven

This is the best answer to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Ask the real Muslim Women about Islam if you really want to know about Islam but never ask a fake woman who does not know nothing about islam apart of the Name.... more inside

Actress and ActionAid Ambassador Emma Thompson went on a five day fact-finding visit to South Africa. This film shows Emma's journey as she meets people from poor communities battling with HIV/AIDS and those campaigning for women's rights.

This is a Spanish Muslim sister, she talks about Women's rights in Islam. This sister's name is Fatimah Milla - Rumayor. She is educated and bought up in Spain, she works as a linguist and is from Spain. She points out some useful information about Islam and she addresses the misconceptions that many people have about Islam and the role of women in it.

On 17th of June the helpline got launched at the Virgin of Panecillo, a hill overlooking Quito. The action was part of campaign organized by Coordinadora Juvenil por la Equiad de Genero (Coordinating Group of Youth for Gender Equity) in cooperation with Women on Waves, to gain access to safe abortion in Ecuador.

MADRE Communications Director Yifat Susskind recently had the opportunity to speak with Haifa Zangana, an Iraqi activist and author. In this video, they discuss the long history of the Iraqi women's rights movement and the impact of the US occupation.

this is a video i made to honor what all the men and women of the marines and what there doin everyday inorder to protect the freedoms and rights of this country. they give it alll so others may live

Speech by Siiri Oviir MEP (ALDE-ADLE) on : Women and science [on behalf of the Group] [Language ET original] Report: Britta Thomsen (A6-0165/2008) on women and science [2007/2206(INI)] Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality Oviir_080520_214808_obog_et

men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back. Steph Stance Store http://www.cafepress.com/stephstance Copyright © StephStance 2007. All Rights Reserved

Everybody ought to get a gun, - because shooting people can be fun! * music video * - Reviews GUN Videos on the web - Gun control/rights issues - Writer & Singer: Bob Saker - Music producer: Jack Winsley - Video by James Munro of ...

As the conference in Bali draws to a close, we thought this would be a good opportunity to recap a few of the key issues that MADRE emphasizes, such as the failure to include a gender perspective in climate negotiations and the need to employ a human rights framework in all strategies to address climate change. Amid dismal reports that US pressure has prompted negotiators to remove language referencing a specific target of 25-40% emissions cuts by 2020, this video, featuring Yifat, reminds us that the human face of climate change is a woman’s face.

A Choice for Women--a reproductive health clinic--has been targeted by anti-choice activists. Miami Clinic Access Project (MCAP) was created to defend abortion clinics and their patients. This is a trailer for the upcoming documentary.

" For centuries now, women have struggled to not only gain equality to that of men, but to ward off the status of subservient slaves. The past century has seen many gains for women in several areas, including but not limited to - civil liberties, voting rights, equality in the workplace, and gains in the field of politics.

Modern men are less fertile, more weight-obsessed and 'non-essential to parenting', so no wonder they are confused about modern masculinity, the Observer reports. In June, men discovered that their libidos are in freefall, prompting a 40 per cent increase in males seeking counselling for impotence problems. Their existential angst worsened in July, when British men discovered that they have the most unequal paternity rights in Europe. According to Nicola Brewer, chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, fathers in the UK are seen as 'not essential for parenting'. The same month saw the publication of a medical study that proved the quality of men's sperm declines to such an extent after they hit 45 that the chances of a partner's miscarriage are doubled. It's not only their internal biology; men are also succumbing to the traditionally female preoccupation of looking good on the outside, too. Sales of male beauty products have leapt 30 per cent over the past decade. Almost 20 per cent more men are having plastic surgery than ever before while, last year, researchers from Harvard discovered that a quarter of anorexia and bulimia sufferers is male. During the fashion shows, male models had their own equivalent of the size-zero debate. Every week, it seems as if there are new surveys and studies tripping over themselves to paint the grimmest possible picture of modern masculinity. They tell us that men are more neurotic and less fulfilled than ever before; that they are objectified rather than revered; that they are expected to be more in touch with their emotions and yet are criticised for it. Men appear to be confused about what they are and unsure about who they are meant to be. So with more of them feeling disenfranchised, disillusioned and disempowered, is it feasible to think of men as the new oppressed minority? Might men, in fact, be the new women? And, if so, who is to blame for making them feel marginalised? Read on at the link to find out.

This presentation addresses the current approach to women's empowerment, fostered by the World Bank. Microcredit programs, seen by the development community as a single package to both tackle poverty and deliver rights to women, are here criticized for subverting the women's movement. Kalyani Menon-Sen gives an analysis of micro-credit that sees it as providing a safety valve for the current world economic system, by providing entry for capital into new decentralized markets, that is, to poor women. It has done this in the name of womens justice, while not actually talking about women's rights. Rather, it sees women as economic actors who are the most cost effective and flexible means to buffer the shocks of reduced social spending. In the process, real changes for women that address social and cultural contexts as well as economic aspects, are ignored and more fundamentally undermined.

font new='' roman and #39;='' face=''Times' This program covers the life of acclaimed educator, civil rights champion and national leader, Mary McLeod Bethune.br / In it, you will find how out she battled for an education and later fought to insure that Black women would receive a quality education by founding Bethune College for girls. This was one of the first educational facilities for Black people in America. A merger later re-named the school Bethune-Cookman College and expanded its mission to educate both Black men and women.br / You will also be exposed to Bethune and rsquo;s fight against the frequent lynchings during her era. Bethune is one of the founders of Black education in America and a leader in setting high standards of excellence./font

span class=''''mainpage''''span style='' 11pt;='''''' font-family='''''' and #39;times='''''' new='''''' roman and #39;; and #39;=''''''font face=''''Verdana''''font size='2'Alice Tepper Marlin is working tirelessly to establish a global standard for socially responsible production, based on ILO conventions and human rights law. Her standard, SA8000, has been adopted in farms and factories in over 40 industries in over 40 countries. She has catalyzed a vast network of auditors to ensure basic rights for all workers. Tepper Marlin articulates her effective approach to implementing partnerships and principles and ndash; an approach which has produced accountability from the most powerful of global businesses./font/font/span/span

This result should have local men and women who wear badges talking for a while local police and law enforcement officers are the winners of the Battle of the Badges. The battle was a promotion by United Blood Services to increase blood donations in advance of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. It pitted law enforcement against firefighters in a competition to see who could convince more people to come and donate some blood. This is a slow time of year for blood collection - and the holiday weekend often brings increased blood demand - so it was a great time to use a little good-natured bad blood to get some good blood donated for those who need it. (Rich Larcombe, United Blood Services) I expected about 150 people in the two days. But the police and firemen said let's make this a nice round number of 200 and I agreed with a nod and a wink. We blew by that and saw 231 people. Battle of the Badges Final Result Law Enforcement - 119 Firefighters - 112 Total - 215 Units of Blood And here's the final tally...Law Enforcement 119, Firefighters 112. That means the Cup of Life trophy - and bragging rights for the year - go to the local police.

This is a nice story that ranked above Britney's sad divorce. Looks like peeps want to see a better side of the story. Check it out! This should make it to SLAMDANCE! It's a "current" topic globally. Marriages are historically contracts about property, and 'love' only came into the story during the industrial revolution when Jane wrote of romance, and a woman choosing her best suitor or her love. Now, cultures are moving away from 'arranged' marriages and deferring to 'love' marriages, both still ending in divorce. Why? Because many people in the world have come to have the privilege of being dissatisfied, of saying they want better than they've had. Never before have women had the rights to own their own homes, and choose whether to marry, or not. It's a global epidemic. What we all need to learn, is how to SHIFT with grace. Love and Balance will be the key, but we might have to re-define what love really means, and how do we teach our children to love themselves. Can we model that for them?

Students for Justice and Equality (SJE) was formed last year by 12 kids who wanted to make a difference in our world. Since then we have grown to over 76 people, all with one mission, to unlearn intolerance. SJE participated in the National Day of Silence last year, which was our primary and most effective campaign in New Hartford, to raise awareness for Gay, Lesbian, and trans-gender people who are bullied into silence. We have also participated in campaigns to end global hunger, expand women's rights, and we entered numerous environmental campaigns. Students For Justice and Equality is the fore-runner in our school for human rights. We intend to continue to expand and spread the word. We are out to make a difference. So far we have begun to change our school. We hope to spread the message and help other schools nation and worldwide finally unlearn intolerance.

As a collective effort by students from Boston University, Boston College and Tufts University, ?The Race to 2008? encouraged student activism by generating interest and education regarding the political, economic, social, and environmental issues central to this election. The two-day event on November 10 and 11, 2007, transcended political parties by incorporating issue-advocacy organizations and provided an opportunity for students to network with representatives from 11 presidential campaigns as well as elected officials, experts, and respected professors from the Massachusetts academic community. "Americans have a right and a responsibility to speak up, speak out, and get involved in our own democracy,? said Senator John Kerry (D-MA) prior to the conference. ?From the fight over the war in Vietnam, to the civil rights movement, to the environmental movement, again and again, students have been the first to take a stand and in doing so write the history of our country.? ?I'm excited to be spending this day with committed young people who want to get involved - and stay involved - in their communities,? he said. ?Whether it's speaking out about the war in Iraq, confronting global climate change, battling global poverty and AIDS in Africa, these young people can - and must - have their voices heard in the 2008 elections." Kerry joined a line-up of distinguished keynote speakers that included Arshad Hasan, the executive director for Democracy for America; Amy Richards, author of Grassroots: A Field Guide for Feminist Activism; Ilana Goldman, president of the Women's Campaign Forum; and Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Laureate, acclaimed novelist and Holocaust survivor. www.theraceto2008.com Video produced by Eileen Hynes & Matthew Twomey