An uproar is rising in Somalia as parliament considers a new bill that would allow child marriage once a girl reaches puberty, as early as 10 years old for some girls, or as long as the family gives their consent.

Recent government surveys show that nearly a third of girls are married before turning 18 and just under half of those married before turning 15.

Egypt approved a new law on Tuesday, protecting the identity of victims of sexual harassment and abuse in a move aimed to reduce the social stigma of reporting such crimes.

The Egyptian government has faced recent pressure to act after hundreds of women have started to speak up on social media about sexual assault in Egypt’s recent #MeToo movement.

The new law will give victims the automatic rights to anonymity, banning investigative authorities from disclosing information about victims in such crimes, except to defendants or their lawyers.

Human rights activist, Zara Alvarez, is the thirteenth human rights activist of her group killed in Philippines “war against dissent” while under President Rodrigo Duterte’s rule.

Alvarez, a former education director of the human rights alliance Karapatan, died on Monday evening after being shot six times as she was heading home from buying dinner.

Photo of flood in Sudan 2013: Credit - Nafeer Sudan

In Sudan at least 65 people were killed, and more than 14,000 homes were destroyed, during recent torrential rain and flooding.

Photo of President Alexander Lukashenko

Tens of thousands flooded Minsk, the capital of Belarus, for a fifth consecutive day of protest against a corrupt election they claimed helped extend the rule of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Demonstrators have been protesting since Sunday, demanding a recount of the ballet that gave Lukashenko a landslide victory extending his 26 years of “iron-fisted” rule.

44 prisoners were found dead in their cell in a prison in Chad because they were kept in 46°C heat, according to a National Human Rights Commission report released this month. 

The Greek government secretly abandoned at least 1,072 asylum seekers in inflatable rafts at the edge of Greek territorial waters, according to a report by The New York Times. Some migrants reported being left in leaky or over-capacity lifeboats with no motors before being picked up by the Turkish Coast Guard.

There were at least 31 expulsions of this type, which are illegal under international law. The Greek government has denied taking part in any illegal activity. 

Photo of Israeli Defence Force Artillery Corps

Following a US-brokered agreement which normalized relationships between the UAE and Israel, Israel has responded to explosive-laden balloons released in protest by Hamas operatives by imposing a blockade on aid to the Gaza strip.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticised India for alleged human rights abuses by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir and has urged Delhi to order an independent investigation into the killings of three people by the army that took place last July.

The army reportedly killed three persons in Baramulla district on July 18 whom they claimed were militants. However, the relatives of the dead insist that they were in Baramulla in search of work and had no connection to militancy.

In the spotlight is the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), a law that effectively permits the army to abuse human rights with impunity. Jammu and Kashmir has been in turmoil since the law was imposed on the state since 1990. “There can be no end to the cycle of violence in Kashmir if security forces are not held accountable for their past and current abuses,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director of Human Rights Watch.

Photo of Israeli police in 2017

Five Israeli Border Police officers have been charged with 14 cases of robbery and assault, against Palestinian men entering Israel on Thursday.

The officers are suspected of stealing thousands of shekels and beating Palestinian men as well as breach of trust and obstructing an investigation.