International Women's Day Marked
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8 March 2005 -- Today is International Women's Day, an occasion to focus on women's issues worldwide.
In a new report to mark the occasion, the World Organization Against Torture expressed concern over rising violence against women.
The group also denounced forms of violence against women in the home, including domestic violence, marital rape, honour killings, and female genital mutilation.
On the eve of the day, hundreds of Kuwaiti women rallied outside parliament in Kuwait City to demand more political rights.
Also yesterday, the European Union expressed outrage over the methods used by Turkish security forces to break up a women's rally the day before, 6 March. Turkish police used pepper gas and batons to break up the crowd of about 500.
The EU said in a statement it was "shocked by images of police beating women and young people."
The statement was released as EU officials arrived in Ankara to discuss Turkey's efforts to join the bloc.
(compiled from agency reports)