Women's Feature Service

These two cases are not mere incidents of jealous and doubting husbands but are reflective of the rising number of cases of violence against women within the home and outside it.

Men, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region that has an inherent patriarchal social attitude, are often seen as guilty of strengthening the gender imbalance and also of contributing to the growing number of cases of HIV-infections among women.

I found myself walking down Langdon Street, or 'Greek Row' in Madison, Wisconsin, home to a row of sorority and fraternity houses, with two alumni.

That year, grown-up sons in almost every family left the village in search of work. According to local estimations, 200 men have migrated out of this village of 100-odd households over the last few years.

'I did not have a single rupee when I was arrested. After being released from the prison I stayed in the shelter home at the embassy for 21 days,' Tamang recalled, narrating her story upon her arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuwan International Airpor