Global

Proposed Bill Would Lower Iraq’s Age of Consent to 9 Years Old

The Iraqi parliament is facing mounting pressure from civil society, women’s rights groups, and activists as it considers amendments to the Personal Status Law that could drastically affect the rights and well-being of women and girls in Iraq. If passed, these amendments would lower the legal marriage age from 18 to as young as nine […]

Afghanistan Womens Rights

Taliban: “80 Percent of Women’s Rights have been Provided”

When the Taliban took power in 2021, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesman, promised that “the Taliban would honor women’s rights within the norms of Islamic law.”  Three years later, Sait-ul-Islam Khyber, the Taliban’s spokesman for their Ministry of Vice and Virtue, said “80% of women’s rights have been provided to them. These rights include marriage, […]

Global

The Weaponization of Girls And Women During Conflict

Photo by DVIDSHUB In a recent event on October 28 hosted by the O’Neill Institute of Georgetown Law, a panel of experts convened to discuss the alarming realities faced by women and girls in conflict zones and beyond. The discussion was moderated by Pema Levy who highlighted a stark report released by the United Nations this […]

Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

After the United Nations General Assembly – What’s Next for Afghan Women and Girls?

Photo by de:Benutzer:Eborutta  The fight and advocacy must go on louder and more effective. During the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings in September, the situation of Afghan women and girls received a significant focus. A few major events, including “Global Solidarity with Afghan Women and Girls” and “The Inclusion of Women in the Future of […]

Global

Italy Bans Surrogacy Internationally

Photo by Omar Lopez Italy’s recent ban on international surrogacy, spearheaded by the far-right party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has ignited controversy and raised concerns about LGBTQ+ rights in the country. This legislation expands upon an existing domestic surrogacy ban, further limiting options for couples seeking to have children through this method. The move […]

Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

Four Countries Take Taliban to the International Court of Justice Over Gender Apartheid

Photo by *rboed* In a historic move, four countries — Canada, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands — are taking the Taliban to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over their severe violations of women’s and girls’ rights in Afghanistan. The announcement at the UN General Assembly marks a significant international response to what many are calling […]

Afghanistan Health

Afghanistan’s Health System in Decline: More Clinics Forced to Close Under the Taliban Rule

Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography Before the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, “donor development aid for Afghanistan’s public health system was approximately six times the government’s own expenditure on health.” Since August 2021, after the Taliban took power by force, international funding has significantly decreased as many donors pulled their funds.  Given Afghanistan’s heavy […]

Global

The Impact of Gender Violence on Kenya’s Female Athletes

Photo by by Narnabi Ugandan Track and Field Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei was murdered by her partner, Dickson Ndiema, just weeks after returning from the Olympic games. The initial dispute between the couple concerned land she had purchased in Kenya to live closer to training facilities; Ndiema quickly turned violent and doused Cheptegei with petrol and set […]

Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

Apartness: How South Africa’s History of Apartheid Guides the Future for Afghanistan’s Women and Girls 

Photo by Gregory Fullard In 1973, after decades of racist policies by South Africa’s National Party, the United Nations ratified a document that officially defined racial apartheid. This convention defined the crime of apartheid as “inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial […]

Afghanistan Womens Rights

Taliban: Female Athletes Do Not Represent Afghanistan at the Paris Olympics This Month

Photo by Bo Zhang The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has invited six Afghan athletes – three women and three men – in “consultation with Afghanistan’s largely exiled national Olympic committee.” However, the spokesman for the Taliban government’s sports directorate, Atal Mashwani, said “only three athletes are representing Afghanistan.” He continued, “in Afghanistan girls’ sports have been […]

Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

Increased Flogging of Women by the Taliban: The Urgent Need for International Accountability to End the Brutality

Photo by DVIDSHUB  In March of this year, the Taliban’s Supreme Leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, announced that the Taliban regime would resume the public stoning of women for crimes like adultery. The Taliban argues that this is “in line with Sharia and Islamic law” and will also punish other “moral crimes” in a similar fashion.   […]

Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

U.N. Report: Taliban’s Treatment of Women is Gender Apartheid  

Photo by by United Nations Photo On June 18, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, presented a mandated report to the U.N.’s High Commissioner for Human Rights. The report states that the “phenomenon of an institutionalized system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity and exclusion of women […]

Afghanistan Womens Rights

International Human Rights Groups Demand Afghan Women’s Participation in the Third Doha Meeting

Photo by Mathias Reding In a letter to the UN, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security –  expressed the growing concern about how the international community lacks the “necessary resolve to defend and advocate for the human rights of Afghan women and girls.”  This will be the third Doha meeting, taking place in […]

Global

Mexico Elects its First Female President

Photo by EneasMx In a historic first, Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected Mexico’s first female president.  While votes are still being tallied, Sheinbaum is on track for a landslide victory, winning around 58 to 60% of votes, according to Mexico’s electoral agency. Other candidates, Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez are predicted to get around 27% […]

Afghanistan Global Womens Rights

Afghan Women Express Dread and Anxiety at the Possibility of Taliban Recognition 

In a country-wide women’s consultation conducted by three UN agencies, Afghan women have expressed “dread” and “anxiety” at the possibility of international recognition of the Taliban. 67% of women have said that recognition would severely affect their lives, especially as the Taliban is now often referred to as the de facto authorities (DFA).  The consultations […]