WCI is saddened to hear of the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy, who died early Tuesday morning after a drawn-out battle with brain cancer. The brother of John and Robert Kennedy, Ted Kennedy’s career in the senate was long and influential, serving 46 years as a liberal Democrat. Well-known for working across the aisle and championing civil rights, Kennedy will be remembered for the legislative legacies he left behind. In particular, Ted Kennedy established himself as a supporter of the rights of women, minorities and the gay community.

On a state visit to war-torn Congo last Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was confronted by the topic of the horrific sexual violence plaguing the region. A peace treaty was signed in 2003 to halt the conflict which draws militants from eight other African countries, but the war continues. With a death toll of 5.4 million, the conflict is the deadliest in the world since World War II.The United Nations has estimated that hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been raped in last decade of conflict,and has called Congo the “rape capital of the world.”

An article in today’s New York Times lamented upon some of the more sobering realities concerning successful aid programs – or the lack thereof – for women in Afghanistan. The analysis reviews how too often domestic or international aid agencies employ expensive, short-term fixes to solve more complex, long-term problems. WCI has worked in Afghanistan to develop quality, community-driven and sustainable programs for women since 2005. However, the volatile security situation, lack of internal funding, lack of capacity and the ubiquitous narco-economy in Afghanistan ensures that the challenge of maintaining and sustaining these programs is a difficult one.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Liberia today, making it the sixth stop on her current African tour. The purpose of the visit is to show US support for Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her reconstruction efforts aimed at addressing the wounds of Liberia’s recent 15 years of devastating civil war. The show of support comes at a critical time, directly following a Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission report that calls for the resignation of President Johnson-Sirleaf.

Cosmetic surgery is on the rise among Saudi women, according to MSNBC. Liposuction, breast augmentation, and nose jobs are among the most popular procedures performed. Muslim clerics have been asked to determine whether or not cosmetic surgery is permissible in Islam, as it is considered sinful to tamper with God’s creation.

Protesters congregated outside of the court Tuesday of last week during the trial of Lubna Hussein, a journalist and former U.N. worker accused of violating Sudan’s strict interpretation of Islamic dress by wearing pants.

Rather than depending on Uganda’s food rations, Rwandan women farmers have been planting their own gardens in refugee settlements in Uganda. But with dwindling financial security in Ugandan communities, the Rwandan refugees are abandoning their crops and moving back to Rwanda, making them likely to suffer more hunger and poverty. Moses Crispus Okello, head of research and advocacy at the Refugee Law Project, a nongovernmental organization in Kampala says, “There is a real chance of disempowering Rwandan women when they return home.”