Plans to fine women who have children out of wedlock have caused outrage in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Photographs of breasts cover the walls of the Kiev basement that serves as the global headquarters of Femen, the women's rights movement born in Ukraine.

The Government has been slammed for its track record on child poverty and violence against women following a critical report from an international human rights watchdog.

Brian Rudman asks, "What would the great Liberal and Labour social pioneers think of the cripple-bashing that occurred last week?"

A Northland couple are outraged and hurt at being denied accommodation at the Pilgrim Planet Lodge because of "who we are".

It is for those who appointed her to justify their decision and the process that was followed, writes Rajen Prasad. It is for them to explain their understanding of the contemporary race relations challenges for NZ.

Emaciated and frail, more than 100 men lie on concrete floors of freezing, solitary cells in Guantanamo, silently starving themselves to death.

British historian Niall Ferguson has apologised for remarks suggesting that economist John Maynard Keynes didn't care about future generations because he was gay and childless.

Most New Zealanders had no idea that this island off the bottom of India would be hosting the biennial Commonwealth heads of government meeting, writes Brian Rudman.

Michael Jones has hit back at the critics of former sportspeople being appointed to jobs such as the Race Relations Commissioner and defended Dame Susan Devoy.

Women's refuges are being kept in the dark about the proposed repeal of laws protecting victims of domestic violence.

As a conference this weekend looks at how racism affects Auckland, Susan Edmunds examines the progress we have made and the work left to do.

Some of humanity's daily tragedies stand out because they inflict wantonly futile suffering; others awake the persistent tug of collective conscience.

It has been controversial right from the time of the first pilot project five years ago, but our Government seems set to continue giving aid to the police in Indonesian-controlled West Papua.

"Why should under-25s, with nothing but a desire for a romantic stroll in the park, be driven out for nothing more than the crime of having acute hearing?" asks Brian Rudman.

Gay marriage has been legalised by Parliament - but it is still banned by most of New Zealand's 10 main religions, a new Herald survey shows.

Aquiet, conscientious National MP, Jackie Blue, has made an unusual career move, forsaking Parliament for the Human Rights Commission where she will be the next Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.

Former National MP Paul Quinn has ruled out a return to Parliament to replace Jackie Blue.

NZ is set become the 13th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. Scroll through our interactive timeline above to see NZ's history of rights for gay people.

Some MPs who have voted against the same-sex marriage bill have not changed their minds on the matter leading up the bill's final reading tonight.

An Eketahuna man who confronted a gay couple on the town's main street, called them poofters and accused them of spreading Aids was yesterday convicted of using offensive language.