World Affairs

The Center for Women's Business Research study shows that there are about 8 million women owned enterprises in the US. Those businesses have an annual impact of nearly US$3 trillion dollars and create or maintain more than 23 million jobs.

Women represent more than 1/3 of all people involved in entrepreneurial activity Worldwide, women-owned firms typically comprise between one quarter and one-third of the business population According to 2002 data, significant proportions of women-owned businesses were in professional, scientific and technical services, and in health care and social assistance.

As students on motorbikes and scooters arrive at the sprawling campus of the University of Lome--one of only two universities in the entire country--it's a lot easier to spot young men than young women. That's particularly true outside the Faculty of Science.

The United Nation's first all-female peacekeeping force - made up of 105 Indian police officers - is set to deploy to the troubled West African country of Liberia.The team will stay for at least six months and will likely be called on to train Liberian police, help conduct local elections or assist with prison security.

Pakistan's parliament voted in favour of making it easier for rape victims to seek redress by curbing Islamic laws that discriminate harshly against women. Under previous law, adultery and non-marital consensual sex was criminalized. A rape victim was liable to prosecution for adultery if she could not produce four male witnesses to the assault.