This week started off with worldwide observations of March 8, International Women's Day, a time to recognize women's social, economic and political achievements.

Eight years ago, I walked into the Nairobi office of the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness expecting a mildly helpful discussion of my project on women's property rights in Kenya. Ann Njogu, CREAW's director, was clearly very busy and a serious lawyer. Within minutes, I knew that she was also a passionate, forceful advocate.

Driving through Port-au-Prince's Parc Jean Marie Vincent camp, the first thing I notice is how massive and congested it is. After that, the smell and the heat hit me. I had come to the camp to interview a young rape survivor, as part of a Human Rights Watch mission to Haiti to investigate sexual and other violence against women in the aftermath of the earthquake. Sexual violence often increases in emergencies, when normal structures have broken down and women struggle to meet basic needs for food, water, shelter and hygiene.

At least 10 percent of the world's population is believed to live with a disability. Of those, let's say that half - 340 million - are women. That's roughly the size of the entire population of the US and Canada combined.

The Irish government should implement the will of the Irish population by liberalizing the country’s restrictive abortions laws. In a survey published today by YouGov, a polling organization, more than 60 percent of those who responded said they support access to abortion in Ireland in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal abnormalities, or danger to the pregnant woman’s life or health.

Iran should stop infringing on women’s rights and take immediate steps to meet Iranian women’s demands for full equality. Iranian women’s rights activists have issued a call for freedom and gender equality in Iran in connection with International Women’s Rights Day on March 8.

Malaysia and Indonesia should complete a pact on the status of migrant domestic workers that would include basic labor protections, Human Rights Watch said today in advance of International Women’s Day on March 8. Proposed revisions to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two countries does not yet include guarantees for a minimum wage, freedom to leave the workplace on a weekly day of rest, or accessible complaint mechanisms.