The ongoing series highlights women’s news and information about foreign policy. This week’s post covers May 15 to May 21.

Nigeria

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has stressed the need for a female legislator to be elected as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 10th National Assembly.

Noting the discrimination that women still face at workplaces, religious gatherings and cultural and political settings, Tallen made the call at the launch of the 50-50 women advocacy group by WomenAid Collective (WACOL), in Abuja.

Read more here.

Pakistan

The Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), has said that the situation faced by women and girls in Pakistan is critical.

HRWF stated this at a conference titled ‘EU-Pakistan: Human rights, Religious Freedom and the GSP+,’ which was held at the Press Club in Brussels to discuss the grim situation of women and girls in Pakistan.

According to HRWF, women in Pakistan endure the worst part of constrained relationships, especially when they have been abducted, some have chosen to escape and expose such injustices.

Read more here.

Sudan

Amidst the conflict in Sudan, there have been multiple reports of rape perpetrated by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – as well as one documented case of a rape by an army soldier.

According to Al Jazeera, foreign women were targeted initially but attacks on Sudanese women are now widespread.

Read more here.

Australia

Australian police are investigating after at least 65 women received used condoms in the post.

The letters, which also contained handwritten messages, were sent to addresses in south-eastern and eastern Melbourne.

Police believe the victims are linked and part of a targeted attack.

All of the women who have come forward attended the city’s Kilbreda College private girls’ school in 1999.

Read more here.