A woman has won Afghan singing competition, Afghan Star, for the first time in the shows 14-year run. Zahra Elham, an 18 year old and from the Hazara ethnic minority group, beat out her male opponent for first place. As Elham claimed victory, she said “today I represent all the girls of Afghanistan. Today not […]
New Zealand Bans Assault Weapons
Prime Minister Ardern announced Thursday a series of new regulations that will go into effect in response to the Christchurch shooting, including a ban on military-style semi-automatic and assault rifles. This plan comes just six days after the shooting and will go into effect within the month. The Prime Minister also detailed that parts used […]
New Zealand Terrorist Attack Leads to Calls for Stricter Gun Regulation
Last Friday 50 people were killed and dozens injured at two mosques in a New Zealand terrorist attack. The shooting, which targetted Christchurch’s small Muslim community, was the deadliest shooting in New Zealand’s history and has led to increased calls for stricter gun laws in New Zealand. In response to this, multiple online and storefront […]
Karen Uhlenbeck: First Woman to Win Abel Prize in Mathematics
On Tuesday, Karen Uhlenbeck, a professor at the University of Texas, became the first woman in the world to win the Abel Prize, an internationally lauded award in mathematics, from The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. On May 21, Uhlenbeck will be presented the award by King Harald V of Norway at a ceremony. […]
UN General Assembly Presidents States Regression in Women’s Political Power
U.N. President of the General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa addressed the Commission on Tuesday stating there has been a “serious regression” in women’s political power, pointing at the lack of progress for women in leaderships positions globally. In response to these obstacles Gabriela Cuevas Barron, The head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, proposed increased affirmative action […]
President of the Philippines under Fire for Sexist Comments
*********trigger warning: sexual assault and violence************** On Monday, the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte spoke at an event for the country’s National Women’s Month, that was meant to honor outstanding women in law enforcement and national security, but in his speech, Duterte referred to the women as “crazy” and “bitches” that deprive him of the “freedom” […]
Google and Apple Permit Saudi Arabian Women Surveillance App
Google and Apple are still offering an app on their platforms and in their stores that allows Saudi Arabian men to track and monitor women, despite previous backlash and investigations into violations of human rights and privacy. Absher, which translates to “yes sir,” is an app that lets Saudi Arabian men track and limit where […]
Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Faces 34 Years in Jail in Iran
After two trials, Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human and women rights lawyer in Iran, faces 34 years in prison as well as 148 lashes after defending women who protested wearing hijabs in public. Multiple organizations, including Amnesty International, are now calling on the Head of the Judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, and the Mission of Iran to the UN […]
11 year old Rape Survivor Forced to Give Birth in Argentina
In Argentina, an 11-year old rape survivor was forced to give birth this week after fighting for the right to an abortion. At 23 weeks pregnant, she underwent a cesarean section however the baby is not expected to survive. The girl, who has been given the name Lucia to protect her identity, attempted suicide twice […]
Afghan Women Demand Inclusion in Peace Talks
Over 700 Afghan women from all 34 provinces participated today in a National conference to demand their inclusion in any peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan while stressing the importance of preserving women’s rights and upholding Afghanistan’s democracy. This conference was in response to recent peace talks between U.S. officials and the Taliban, a […]
Venezuela Humanitarian Crisis at the Border Harms Women
This past weekend, the accused illegitimate Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, sent military forces to the border to prevent civilians from receiving aid, a heightened response after his recent attempts to block aid at the border of Venezuela and Colombia; as a result 285 people were injured, 37 hospitalized, and 4 were killed. Maduro refuses to […]
Sima Samar: Afghan Women Should be a Part of Peace Talks
The chairwomen of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Sima Samar, stated that she supports women being a part of the Afghanistan peace talks. Samar presented on the role of women in securing peace at the “Women’s role in ensuring justice and human rights” Conference in Kabul. Samar pointed out the fear that many women […]
Maria Ressa, CEO of Philippine News Site Critical of President Rodrigo Duterte, Arrested
Maria Ressa, an outspoken critic of Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte, who has previously threatened reporters, was arrested Wednesday with “cyber libel” charges against her news site, Rappler. The charges were in relation to a Rappler report that connected a former judge in the Philippines’ top court to a businessman involved in human trafficking and illegal […]
New UK Bill Seeks to Incorporate Economic Abuse into Domestic Violence Legislation
A proposed domestic violence bill in the UK is the first legislation to include economic abuse and its clear legal definition, which will better serve victims as well as prosecute offenders. The Home Office and Ministry of Justice submitted the bill in late January that also includes a “domestic abuse commissioner” to oversee and develop […]
Pope Admits Reports of Clerics Sexually Abusing Nuns
During a trip to the Middle East, Pope Francis admitted that some clerics were sexually abusing nuns, stating that the sexual abuse of nuns has been an ongoing problem that the church is working on and that many clerics have been suspended. In two weeks, Pope Francis will be hosting a gathering of bishops and […]
Four Women Are Killed Everyday in Brazil
Since the beginning of 2019, on average, four women per day have been killed in Brazil and 126 women have been killed so far this year, causing increased pressure on the government to crack down on femicide cases. There have been an additional 64 attempted murders recorded. The high rate of women being killed is […]
Thwaites Glacier Melting at an Alarming Rate, Sea Levels Rise
This week, scientists released a report detailing their discovery that the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has a 1,000 feet deep and six mile long cavity, roughly the size of two-thirds of Manhattan, due to higher levels of glacier melting than previously expected or calculated. The cavity held 14 billion tons of ice, which melted […]
United States Withdrawing from Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia
The United States is withdrawing from a 1987 Cold War era nuclear arms treaty with Russia that bans ground-launched cruise missiles with a range from 500km-5,000km. These missiles take minutes to launch and leave little time for leaders to plan a defense strategy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated that the U.S. is withdrawing […]
New Brazilian Gun Laws May Pose Risk to Domestic Violence Victims
New Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed a decree to loosen gun laws throughout the country, despite public safety experts concern, a decree that makes it easier for Brazilians to have guns in their homes, as well as waives old standing safety checks such as federal police approval. In addition, Bolsonaro increased the validity period […]
Afghan Women Concerned Over Possible Agreement With Taliban
Afghan government officials have reportedly negotiated a draft peace framework with the Taliban, raising concerns among women’s rights activists in Afghanistan and around the world that any reemergence of the Taliban on the political scene could mean a rollback of women’s advancements in the country, as it did under the Taliban’s previous reign.