Antonia thought being thin would make her happy, but instead she slipped into a spiral of despair and ended up in hospital. Now she’s through the ordeal and is a role model to thousands worldwide.

The global fashion industry has been in the spotlight following disasters in factories in Bangladesh in 2013 and beyond. Two years after the Rana Plaza collapse, garment workers in Bangladesh still face poor working conditions and anti-union tactics, a new Human Rights Watch report reveals. DW looks back on the history of working conditions for textile workers and examines current problems.

Deeply engrained social norms along with allegations of corruption and lack of professionalism are hindering access to justice for Afghan women victims of violence, a new UN report finds. DW examines.

© picture-alliance/dpa

The jihadis treatment of their female victims plays an important part in their ambitious radical strategy. Find out more about it here, and read other news about women.

Fewer and fewer Japanese find their way to the altar. 37-year old Haruna has found her own solution: She has married herself. An agency in Kyoto makes it possible.

As in India, Brazilian women, too, are at high risk of domestic violence but they now have one of the most comprehensive legislations in the world to protect their interests. (© WFS)

Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes was fast asleep when her husband, Antonio Heredia Vivero, a teacher, shot at her. Though she was rushed to the hospital the attack left her paraplegic. Four months later, when she came back home Vivero made another attempt on her life – he tried to electrocute her. But Maria survived yet again.

(Olek, photo © Pranav Mehta/St+ARTIndia)

Polish artist, Agata Oleksiak, also known as Olek, uses bright colored crochet artworks as installations in cities to highlight political and cultural issues. Recently, Olek was in Delhi as a part of the St+art Festival, decorating a homeless shelter with her crochet installation. Local women assisted Olek to create a 40ft x 30 ft yarn to bring attention to the night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi. Olek, a self-taught crochet artist uses her work to express her support of women’s rights, sexual equality and freedom of expression. WTO Blogger Roma Rajpal Weiß asked her a few questions about her project and experience in India.