1001 reasons to commence the Last Judgment and Resurrection

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'Castrate Zambia's child rapists'

 

Zambian members of parliament have called for child rapists to be

castrated to curb a growing problem. Police say that 400 cases of

child rape were reported in the first half of 2003 - a 68% increase

on the previous year.

 

Some men say they rape children in the belief that having sex with a

virgin can cure Aids. Some 20% of Zambians are HIV positive.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3239404.stm

 

ZAMBIA

 

 

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Attacks on women 'biggest issue'

 

The burning of dolls at one rally symbolised violence against women

Amnesty International has described violence against women as

today's " most pervasive human rights challenge " .

 

Rape and female circumcision are still widespread across the globe,

the organisation said in a statement.

 

Campaigners marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence

Against Women with marches and rallies from Africa to the Americas

on Tuesday.

 

In South Africa, the government called on men to take to the streets

of Cape Town for a Good Man's March.

 

For many women their home is a place of terror, even in rich

societies (Amnesty International)

 

" This is the moment to take a stand and join the march against

despicable acts of violence against women and children, " said Social

Development Minister Zola Skweyiya.

 

The country has one of the highest incidences of rape in the world

with some 147 women raped every day, according to the South African

Institute for Race Relations.

 

Other rallies included a display in the Chilean capital Santiago by

naked women with painted bodies led by model Pamela Bravo.

 

'Domestic terror'

 

" Violence against women and girls is the most pervasive human rights

challenge of our times, " said Amnesty International.

 

According to the organisation, 120 million women around the world

are subjected to brutal female circumcision every year and in the

United States alone 700,000 women are raped annually.

 

Amnesty stresses that the crime cuts across cultural and religious

boundaries and political, social and economic status.

 

" For many women their home is a place of terror, even in rich

societies, " it says.

 

The organisation cites examples of violence from around the world:

 

In Bangladesh, 50% of all murders are of women by their partners

 

In Britain, there is a call for help from victims of domestic

violence every minute

 

According to the World Bank, at least one in five women and girls

has been beaten or sexually abused at some point of the life.

 

In another report published to coincide with the day, the ombudsman

in Cyprus says that the Mediterranean island has become a site of

virtually uncontrolled trafficking in women.

 

The ombudsman, Iliana Nicolaou, says that every year more than 2,000

women, mostly from the former Soviet republics, are channelled

through Cyprus, and then forced into prostitution in other European

and Arab countries.

 

The report criticises the Cyprus Government, saying that it issues

thousands of short-term work permits to the women knowing full well

that they would end up in the sex industry.

 

The BBC correspondent in Cyprus says that with the country set to

join the European Union next year, this report will be embarrassing

for the country's government and cause concern in Brussels.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/3238556.stm