Wajeha Al-Huwaider, a women's rights activist from Saudi Arabia, talks to Everywoman

This week the shocking story from Saudi Arabia of a 19-year-old woman gang-raped by seven men.  Bravely, she went to court, and the rapists were jailed.

But in an extraordinary twist, the young woman was sentenced to 90 lashes for admitting to being in the company of an unrelated male shortly before the incident - the man she was with was also gang-raped. 

When she appealed, her sentence was more then doubled to 200 lashes and six months in jail, and her lawyer was disbarred, because he says, he dared to challenge the decision.
 
Wajeha Al-Huwaider, a women's rights activist from Saudi Arabia, tells Everywoman presenter Shiulie Ghosh why exactly the woman was punished with lashes even though she was the victim.
 
Paraquat Poisoning

Paraquat is still used in many palm plantations in Malaysia

One of the countries still using paraquat is Malaysia. As the world's top producer of palm oil, paraquat is still used in many of its palm plantations.

The government there had promised to start phasing out the use of paraquat last November, but then delayed that decision for another year.

Professor Lennart Romert is a toxicologist who was part of the Swedish team which helped ban paraquat in the EU. He tells Everywoman why it should be banned worldwide.

One night of freedom

Women dress up in men's clothes and beat any men they find on the streets

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This episode of Everywoman aired from Friday November 23, 2007.

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