The Protecting Girls’ Access to Education in Vulnerable Settings Act was signed into law yesterday. The Act seeks to provide quality primary and secondary education for children, especially girls in displaced areas. The bill authorizes the State Department and USAID to support efforts with other multilateral and civil society organizations in providing access to education. […]
State Department Report to Downplay Global Women’s Rights Violations
In the latest attack on women’s global health, officials at the United States State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor will curtail the section on women’s reproductive rights and family planning in the annual report on human rights.
President Announces Continuation of Mission in Afghanistan
On Monday evening, President Trump announced to the country that the war in Afghanistan would move forward and that he would increase troop levels, but failed to include details over strategy or how success would be measured in a conflict that has now stretched on for over 16 years.
Funding Allocated for Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues
This week Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) successfully amended the State Department funding bill for fiscal year 2018 to preserve funding for the position of Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues for which funding had been originally excluded. The amendment was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
Feminist Protest Pressure Trump Administration to Grant Afghan Girls Robotics Team Visas
The Department of Homeland Security has issued humanitarian paroles to the Afghan all-girls robotics team that had been previously denied State Department visas to come to Washington DC for an international robotics competition. The girls have now arrived in the United States for ten days to compete in the FIRST Global Challenge.
US Denies Visas to Afghan Girls Robotics Team, Sparks Feminist Protest
The teenagers risked their lives making the 500-mile journey across Afghanistan twice to interview for visas at the U.S. embassy in Kabul— the site of several recent deadly attacks. Despite their efforts to secure a 7-day visa, the girls were rejected.
Confusion Over Administration’s Decision to End ‘Let Girls Learn’
The email, sent to Peace Corps employees by their director Sheila Crowley, states: “Moving forward, we will not continue to use the ‘Let Girls Learn’ brand or maintain a standalone program.”
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Trump Administration Cuts Off All UNFPA Funding
Earlier this month—right after the Republican-controlled Congress approved a repeal of an Obama-era regulation that reinforced protections for healthcare access under the Title X family planning program—the Trump Administration officially cut off all US funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the main UN agency working to advance family planning worldwide.
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Trump’s Budget Proposal Has Major Cuts to Fund Military Spending
In order to pay for some of his lofty campaign promises, the President has demonstrated a willingness to cut funding to everything from medical research to humanitarian aid to national programs that feed low-income children and the elderly.
Tillerson Senate Confirmation Vote Expected Soon
Tillerson’s confirmation vote to be Secretary of State, the nation’s highest ranking foreign diplomat, falls at a time of international and national dispute over the actions taken by President Trump during his first week in office.
Trump’s Request for Global Gender Equity Program Details Leaves Many Fearing for their Future
This week the Trump transition team requested documents from the State Department outlining the details of their programs aimed at promoting gender equality, sending shock-waves through the Department and advocacy communities over fears that the programs might be cut.
Afghanistan Women’s Advancement: Progress Report
Despite the persistent Taliban terrorist attacks, Afghanistan is a nation that continues to make considerable progress.
China Arrests Prominent Human Rights Lawyer for State Subversion
A prominent human rights lawyer in China was formally arrested and charged with state subversion on Wednesday. Wang Yu’s arrest comes as Chinese state officials continue to crackdown on activists and lawyers engaging in rights defense work.
