http://uk.oneworld.net/article/archive/1975 en_GB_uk http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/160333/1/1975 In a major victory to get their profession legally recognised, sex workers in eastern India have been granted a life cover by the country’s largest insurance company. The move is being hailed as a significant breakthrough in efforts to help them fight poverty and discrimination. http://tv.oneworld.net/article/view/159700/1/1975 http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/159492/1/1975 An Indian NGO has tied up with educational institutes for a postgraduate diploma in gender, sexuality and human rights with a view to enhance understanding on these vital subjects. The idea for a separate course came after a survey revealed poor awareness among college youth. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/159202/1/1975 A handbook released by SANHITA, a women’s group in eastern India, tries to address the dynamics of sexual harassment at work, an issue that is often hidden and yet present in all kinds of organisations. The book, through its testimonies of women’s experiences, is a somber attempt to integrate a human rights perspective within the workplace. http://us.oneworld.net/link/gotolink/addhit/83003 Women's rights advocates shed light on sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo -- in some villages as many as 90 percent of women have been raped -- and explain how local women leaders are fighting back. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/158675/1/1975 It was not easy to convince a Muslim dominant district in underdeveloped Bihar to allow teenage girls to attend classes on reproductive and sexual healthcare at the local madarsa. Azad India Foundation (AIF)’s efforts have however earned support even from the local clerics. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/158294/1/1975 At least five Nepali gays will contest elections for the Constituent Assembly, scheduled to be held this April, to take up the issue of discrimination against their community. In a nation that treats homosexuality as illegal and immoral, this is an attempt to fight exclusion. http://tv.oneworld.net/article/view/158090/1/1975 http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/158079/1/1975 Insufficient statistics and lack of a sound HIV/AIDS prevention policy are undermining Bangladesh’s efforts to protect people against its risks. It is necessary to break the barriers of social stigmas attached to the disease and promote condom use beyond family planning purposes, say health experts. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/157987/1/1975 In a step taken to protect rights of sexual minorities, the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India has announced the establishment of a welfare board for transgenders. The move followed a public hearing by NGOs on the plight of the community and recommendations by a citizens’ jury. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/157713/1/1975 Young women need to be part of an organisation to understand the 'collective consciousness', says Ruth Manorama, whose efforts have helped make a space for Dalit women in the mainstream feminist movement in India. In a close conversation, she looks back at her three decades of struggles and many victories. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/157489/1/1975 A documentary filled with the message of hope and courage, follows a young South African HIV/AIDS activist as she crosses linguistic and cultural barriers to reach HIV positive women living in the city of Mumbai in India. The documentary is due to be shown on Indian television this year. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/157245/1/1975 The latest issue of the Oxfam journal Gender & Development calls for vibrant and alternative media spaces to prevent stereotyping of women, while providing insight into development initiatives throughout the world. Recommended read for development practitioners, policymakers and academics. http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/157204/1/1975 While the men folk of north India’s nomadic Bedia tribe live a parasitic life, women of their community remain unmarried and are pushed into sex trade in the name of tradition. The men have refused to mend their ways for the simple reason that it frees them of the burden of earning. http://us.oneworld.net/article/view/156819/1/1975 The movement to end female genital cutting continues to spread across many parts of Africa. Molly Melching and the women of Senegal are leading the way with innovative, culturally sensitive programs to educate and relieve suffering. In a telling OneWorld dialogue, Molly Melching discusses Tostan's uniquely successful approach to development and how it relates to traditions, values, human rights, and human nature.