Michele Bachmann announced on Wednesday that she is disbanding her campaign. Now that she is no longer pursuing the Republican nomination, there are no other female candidates running for president. However, this absence is consistent with overall political trends: while women consist of 51 percent of the population, they hold 17 percent of congressional seats, 22 percent of state senate seats, and 24 percent of state house seats.

Moammar Gadhafi may be gone, and Libya may be free, but for the nation's women, the battle is just beginning. After being marginalized in the deeply conservative, male-dominated country for the 42 years of the Gadhafi regime, Libya's women are struggling to play a more assertive role in their country. Women already head two ministries in the new government — health and social affairs. Caroline Hawley, correspondent for the BBC, filed this report.

A woman has never been elected to Congress or held the governorship in Iowa. The only other state to hold this dubious distinction is Mississippi. Several studies point to cultural factors, such as the state's older population and evangelical lobbying groups. But nearly a century after women's suffrage and three years after Iowa legalized gay marriage, the Hawkeye State's problem seems to lie deeper.

The Congressional "super committee," put in charge of finding $1.2 trillion to cut from the deficit, have mostly been a top secret committee that have shared very little about their meetings. As the super committee continues to find cuts in the deficit, a number of economic indicators are set to be released this week, including new home sales and GDP figures. Also on the agenda for this week, the Pentagon is set to release a report on the role of women soldiers in the military and whether or not they should be allowed to serve in combat roles. And after President Obama's announcement that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of the year, there could be some fallout, especially among Republicans, on Capitol Hill.

Twenty years ago the country watched a political drama unfold onscreen. Clarence Thomas, then a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, was nominated to the Supreme Court by President George H.W. Bush in July of 1991. He went through the usual battery of Senate questioning in September. His confirmation seemed controversial but likely, until a young law professor named Anita Hill changed him with sexual harassment. The Hill-Thomas hearings riveted the nation.

Three women were awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, becoming the first women to win since 2004. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, also of Liberia, and Tawakul Karman of Yemen will share the award. The Norwegian Nobel committee honored the three women for "their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work." Johnson Sirleaf is the first democratically-elected female head of state in Africa, Gbowee is an activist, and Karman is a leading figure in Yemen's pro-democracy movement.

Three women were awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, becoming the first women to win since 2004. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, also of Liberia, and Tawakul Karman of Yemen will share the award. The Norwegian Nobel committee honored the three women for "their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work." Johnson Sirleaf is the first democratically-elected female head of state in Africa, Gbowee is an activist, and Karman is a leading figure in Yemen's pro-democracy movement.

It's Monday morning, which means we're looking at the agenda for the week ahead. President Obama will make a west coast trip this week, hitting Seattle, the San Francisco Bay area, San Diego, Los Angeles and Denver, raising funds for his re-election campaign and advocating for his jobs bill. Back in Washington, D.C., Congress is in the midst of another stalemate over government funds. Meanwhile, some key economic indicators will be released this week, including home sales figures and consumer confidence reports.

Does unemployment affect males and females differently? The economic downturn has been called a "mancession." Are we now in the midst of a "he-covery?" According to the Pew Research Center, men lost more than twice as many jobs than women during the Great Recession, but the recovery has reversed that trend. Between June 2009 and May 2011, men gained jobs while women continued to lose them. What accounts for the unemployment gender gap, and will the trend continue?

Over the weekend, the AP gained access to a six-page essay handwritten by Rosa Parks, recounting details of a white man attacking and attempting to rape his black housekeeper. It’s unclear whether the story is autobiographical or fictional, but it provides a window into the life of Rosa Parks, a legendary human rights activist who spent years bringing the cases of rape and violence against black women to national attention.

Japan and the United States butted heads yesterday in a World Cup final match that stretched into overtime. The U.S. women's team, though ranked number one going into the tournament, was unable to outscore Japan during the final penalty kick shootout. This is Japan's first World Cup victory.

Yesterday was a monumental day for the U.S. Women’s Soccer team. For the first time since 1999, the team earned a place in the World Cup Finals. The team earned their spot after winning a 3-1 match against France. On Sunday, the U.S. will go head-to-head with Japan, who also qualified for the finals yesterday, in a triumphant match against Sweden.

For the first time ever, a woman is taking command at the nation's premier Marine Corps training base. Brig. Gen. Loretta Reynolds will be the first female to run South Carolina's Parris Island in the base's 96-year-history. Reynolds is no stranger to setting records. She is also the first female Marine to ever hold a command position in a battle zone, one of many accomplishments in her 25 years as a Marine. She speaks about the challenges that come with her post.

It was a big weekend for the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, after a dramatic shootout victory against powerhouse Brazil propelled them to the World Cup's semi-final. The victory was yet another triumph for Team U.S.A. in a tournament that the country has traditionally dominated. Ever since the cup’s launch in 1991, the U.S. has either won or finished in the top three of the Women's World Cup.

Around the world, driving is a common part of a woman's everyday life, but in Saudi Arabia, religious edicts prevent women from being able to practice this simple act—even though it’s not technically illegal for them to do so. Saudi women decided to quietly and peacefully revolt last Friday, by driving. Many drove their cars, or rode with other female friends who hold international drivers’ licenses; and they plan to continue doing so in the days and weeks ahead.

The International Criminal Court says there is evidence that Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddhafi may have distributed a Viagra-like drug to Libyan troops as part of an official policy of rape. This comes after a UN panel said its investigators found evidence that hundreds of women have been raped by pro-Gaddhafi forces. This isn’t the first time we’re hearing accusations of rape—back in March, Iman al-Obeidi made global headlines after she stormed a hotel in Tripoli, telling international reporters she had been sexually assaulted by Gaddhafi forces.

We talk with Lara Setrakian, correspondent for ABC News and Bloomberg Television, who's reporting on this story from Libya and speaking with some of the alleged rape victims.

The arguments being heard by the Supreme Court today in Dukes vs. Wal-Mart are about whether there is enough of a connection between 1.5 million workers to validate their discrimination as a class-action suit. But this is not just the largest class-action suit ever, it is also the largest gender discrimination case in history. The plaintiffs are arguing that the world’s largest corporation maintained paid women less money, denied them promotions, and perpetuated a culture rife with gender stereotyping. And it will be heard by a Supreme Court with three female Justices — the most ever in history. Will their decision come down to gender vs. business?

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. Recently, women in the Middle East and North Africa, have been standing up and pushing for democratic change and equal rights. What lies ahead for women in these countries as they grapple with forming new, more democratic, governments?

Women have long been on the frontlines of poliltical uprisings in Egypt. We see them now in the streets chanting for Mubarak to step down. Women were also integral in the 919 revolution in Egypt, which pushed out Egypt’s British occupiers. It is a misconception that women are not part of the pro-Democracy demonstrators, says Mona Eltahawy, columnist and speaker on Muslim and Arab issues.

Financial necessity is bringing more Pakistani women out of traditional roles at home and into service-sector jobs, despite cultural opposition. Pakistan's professional workforce has consisted mainly of men for generations, but more and more families need two incomes just to survive. Many working women have taken jobs with western companies, including McDonalds and KFC; but husbands and brothers often pressure them to give up their jobs, despite the extra money brought in.