On Tuesday, a Moroccan living in the north of Italy stabbed his 18-year-old daughter to death. His motive - she was going out with a 31-year-old Catholic. This type of "honour killing" was headline news in Italy, but in some countries in North Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, the practice is relatively common. Read more...

When Obama said that Western countries should avoid "dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should wear", it could have been perceived as a personal attack in France. The hijab, along with all religious symbols, was banned in French schools in 2004. Read more...

Images of bare female flesh are banned in Saudi Arabia. There's no efficient system in place for removing the offensive material, however, which means that somebody has the painstaking job of colouring all those arms, legs, midriffs and cleavages that appear on the covers of Western magazines and imported products. The latest cover-up victim: American singer Katy Perry. Read more...

Asser Yasser, a young Egyptian woman, was insulted and brutalized by a group of young men in Cairo on her way home from work. Although incidents of sexual harassment happen daily in Egypt, the prominent blogger decided to press charges to draw attention to the widespread problem. Her case was filed by the police, but ruled out in court. However, she and various women's groups are determined to pursue their anti-harassment campaign. Read more...

Footage of a teenage girl being flogged by three men in Pakistan’s Swat valley has sparked outrage throughout the world and raised fears that the Taliban are tightening their grip on the restive region. The images come one month after Pakistani authorities allowed Islamist radicals to apply sharia law in the valley, bowing to a campaign of fear that has seen Taliban militants destroy over 100 girls’ schools in what used to be one of Pakistan’s prime tourist destinations. Watch the video...

The car's pink and so is the tie, lipstick and flower in the hair of the woman who's driving it. Welcome to the new Beirut taxis. That is, if you're female. Men are strictly banned. Read more and see the photos...

Talk about the Islamic headscarf has long been the preserve of acrimonious debates over fundamentalism, women’s rights and freedom of expression. Blasting intolerance on all sides, Jana Kossaibati presses her right to dress as she pleases – and to do so hijab style. Read more…

One of our Observers in Egypt received this image in a forwarded email. The message to women: Cover up to protect yourself. We ask our Observers if whether covering up really deters unwanted attention. Read more...

A mysterious group of "bearded women" hijacked a cultural event organised by left-wing French newspaper Libération last weekend. Their message: contrary to popular opinion, the cultural workplace is just as sexist as that of politics or finance. Read more...

Tired of seeing people turn a blind eye on sexual assault and intimidation in India, one woman has decided to tackle the taboo subject head on. Her answer to a flasher is to snap a photo of him and post it online. And somebody has. Read her account...