More than 170 countries promised during a virtual UN summit Thursday to step up their efforts to advance women's rights, while the US took aim at China's claims of leadership on the issue.

Slow progress on women's rights decried at UN summit

On Women's Day, activists unite across globe, brave crackdown by police

One of Pakistan's leading women's rights activists has been released from police custody, she told AFP Thursday, after Amnesty International said she and others had been detained "arbitrarily".

Pakistan women's rights activist released from detention

The reason for the arrest is not cleared yet but media reports quoted activists saying that it was an attempt to silence the voices of women

Saudi Arabia detains seven activists ahead of lifting of driving ban