Gaborone businesswoman Kenamile Mosiieman is a locksmith, a profession that has always been associated with men. Mosiieman has been operating her locksmith business - known as Kenny's Locksmith - since 1994. She recalled that it was very difficult when she started the business, which is situated at African Mall. "Starting the business was not easy. I used to make around P4.50 per day and rentals were high. Everything was difficult," said Mosiieman, who is the first Motswana businesswoman to operate a locksmith.

Women and girls were the main casualties of human rights abuses in Kenya in 2004, says a rights watchdog. "Women and girls continued to be subjected to violence in the home, in the community and in the custody of the State," states Amnesty International in its latest global report. Cases of torture, ill-treatment, excessive use of force and arbitrary shootings by police were reported in 2004, says the report launched in London this week. "Conditions in detention frequently amounted to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Death sentences continued to be imposed." The rights watchdog says violence against women and girls is widespread despite efforts to increase public awareness by the authorities and civil society.

How can the global community achieve the goal of gender equality and the empowerment of women? This question is the focus of Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals endorsed by world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit in 2000 and of this report, prepared by the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Education and Gender Equality. The report argues that there are many practical steps that can reduce inequalities based on gender, inequalities that constrain the potential to reduce poverty and achieve high levels of well-being in societies around the world. There are also many positive actions that can be taken to empower women.