A workshop under the theme “Libyan Women’s Demands for Constitution” opened in Cairo on the weekend. Women members of the Libyan Parliament and the Constitution Drafting-Assembly, as well as other women activists from Libya took part in the four-day event, organized by the Women’s Empowerment Section of the United Nations …

TRIPOLI — What started as a normal day for an ordinary young woman here in Libya turned into a nightmare when a security guard at her public university physically and verbally attacked her, trying to bar her from entering her classroom because she was not wearing a head scarf.

A decree issued Wednesday in Libya would recognize rape committed during that country’s revolution as a war crime and pay rape survivors reparations, according to two sources who have worked closely with the Libyan government in developing the policy.

Rape is a taboo subject in the the conservative North African country

German ambassador Christian Much launches the first of 50,000 SMSs messages for Libyan women’s rights (Photo: Sami Zaptia).

Having arrived in Libya over 18 months ago, my overwhelming first impression was how “male” Libyan society appeared to be, both at an expat and national level. It took some time for me to peel back the veneer of the male dominated social sphere and meet the hidden half of …

The second anniversary of Libya’s liberation this year was not like that of last year. On Oct. 23, Libya was a different state from the one envisioned in the draft constitution known as the “National Charter of the Libyan State.” The draft constitution stipulates that all Libyans are equal before the law and everyone …

“I have waited my whole life for tomorrow, which will be a new day for Libya,” an elated Haja Nowara told Human Rights Watch on the eve of Libya’s first democratic national elections in July 2012. “We sacrificed a lot to get here.”

The UN has called for rules to be put in place to ensure that a sufficient number of women are elected to the 60-member Constitutional Commission.