HRW denounces ex-army chief's appointment as Sri Lanka lawmaker ‎
An international rights group said Thursday that the Sri Lankan government's decision to appoint the civil war-winning general to Parliament contradicts its pledges to investigate alleged abuses under his command. Human Rights Watch said the appointment of former army commander Sarath Fonseka signals that the government may protect senior military leaders suspected of abuses. Fonseka took his oath as a lawmaker Tuesday. He commanded Sri Lanka's army from 2005 until the end of war in 2009 and is credited with leading the army to victory over the ethnic minority Tamil rebels.
Pakistani Christian appeals death sentence for blasphemy
An illiterate Pakistani Christian man who has been sentenced to death alongside his wife for allegedly sending blasphemous text messages to an Islamic cleric has filed an appeal at Lahore High Court, seeking bail due to his deteriorating health. "I have developed bedsores and I may die in jail as there is no possibility of better treatment there," Shafqat Masih, who is paralyzed from the waist down, said in his petition, according to the Deccan Chronicle. "There are serious contradictions in witness accounts against me and my wife and we are hopeful of an acquittal at our appeal," he added. Masih, alongside his wife, Shagufta, both of whom are in their 40s, were convicted and sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy in April 2014. The couple, who have four young children, were found guilty of sending blasphemous text messages to a local cleric, something which they deny on account that they are both illiterate. The Lahore court is set to hear the petition on March 5. (Source: UCAN)
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
More than ever today, the world needs science and science needs women, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Thursday marking the first International Day of Women and Girls in Science. “UNESCO's message is clear – the new [2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development] will not meet its promise without investing in women's and girls' empowerment through and in science,” Irina Bokova said in a message for the occasion. According to the most recent UNESCO Science Report, women account for only 28 per cent of researchers across the world, with the gap deepening at the higher echelons of decision-making. Women also have less access to funding, to networks, to senior positions, which puts them at a further disadvantage in high impact science publishing.
India's top court calls for improved compensation for rape victims ‎
India's Supreme Court has directed all the country's states to formulate a uniform policy to provide compensation to victims of rape and other forms of sexual assault, saying such aid was crucial for a survivor's rehabilitation. Conservative and patriarchal attitudes in India mean victims of sexual assault are often shunned by their families and communities and blamed for the violence perpetrated against them, say activists and lawyers. Many are ostracised from their homes and cannot afford the legal fees to fight for justice in an under-resourced judicial system where verdicts can still take years to reach.
