The Afghan government and other parties involved in the peace efforts in Afghanistan have shown optimism to a possible peace deal in the near future. The negotiations, led by US representative to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has been held in various locations with the Taliban, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Afghan government.
7 Year Old Child Died from Dehydration While in ICE Custody
8 hours after 7-year-old Guatemalan girl Jakelin Caal and her father were taken into US Border Patrol custody, the young child died from dehydration after having seizures and her body temperature rose to 105.7 degrees. Emergency responders rushed her to a hospital in El Paso but she died within 24 hours. The hospital’s initial report […]
Annual Survey of Afghan People Shows Progress for Women and Girls
The Asia Foundation has released their annual Afghanistan survey titled Afghanistan in 2018: A Survey of the Afghan People. It showed an improvement in the perception on the rights and participation of women and girls in society, but there are still many challenges faced by women in the region.
Russian Official Calls for New Laws to Combat Domestic Violence, Regrets Decriminalization
Today, Russia’s human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova admitted that she regrets Russia’s decision to decriminalize domestic abuse last year and called for new laws to protect women and children from domestic violence. Moskalkova stated today that she “believes that decriminalization was a mistake and we need to adopt a law to combat domestic abuse.” She […]
UN Report Finds Majority of Female Homicide Victims are Killed by Partners or Family
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released a report this week that found that more than half of all female homicides were caused by intimate partners or relatives, depicting the home as one of the most dangerous places for women. The report also found that legal efforts to decrease these homicides and protect […]
Former Police Chief is Among 14 Charged of Organizing Baby Trafficking Ring in Peru
On Saturday, the a court in Peru sentenced former Peruvian Police Chief General Raul Becerra, his wife Cinthia Tello, and two others to 18 months in preventative prison on charges of organizing a baby trafficking ring. Fourteen people are accused of targeting poor pregnant women seeking abortions, and then urging the women to carry their […]
Transwoman who Died in ICE Custody was Physically Abused, Autopsy Reports
An autopsy report released this week states that the body of Roxsana Hernandez Rodriguez, a transgender migrant in ICE custody, shows signs of “physical assault and abuse.” Hernandez Rodriguez died in ICE custody in May and the autopsy shows she had “deep bruises” and “contusions” from “blows and/or kicks and possible strikes with a blunt […]
Students Across Australia Strike for Climate Change Action
Australian students are dedicating the month of November to a series of protests for climate change action. Students ranging from age five to 18 in all of Australia’s capital cities are participating in the School Strike 4 Climate Change movement. The students are also demanding for the cancellation of a new coal mine that will […]
Bermuda’s Top Court of Appeals Ruled Bans on Same Sex Marriage Unconstitutional
The Top Court of Appeals in Bermuda ruled that bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional on Friday. The decision follows a long battle for marriage and LGBTQ+ equality in Bermuda and is expected to be challenged by the Bermuda government. Same-sex marriage was first addressed seriously by the Bermuda government in June 2016, when the […]
Facebook under Scrutiny for Allowing Child Bride Auction
Facebook is currently under scrutiny for allowing a child bride auction of a 16-year- old South Sudanese child girl on its platform. The online auction held on Facebook asked people to bid on the minor’s dowry for her hand in marriage. According to Plan International, five men bid on the 16-year-old girl, including high-ranking South […]
Canadian Government Pressured to End Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women
Monday, Amnesty International announced it will lobby the UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) to compel the Canadian government to investigate the allegations of forced sterilization of indigenous women. So far 60 women have come forward with a pending lawsuit against health professionals in Saskatchewan, a Canadian province with a large Native population. The lawsuit challenges […]
International Health Organization Banned from Providing Abortion Care in Kenya
Kenya’s Medical Practitioners Board banned Marie Stopes, an international health organization, from offering all forms of abortion care in all its facilities within Kenya. Further, the Board requires Marie Stopes to file a weekly report on all services rendered in their facilities for 60 days. The decision to ban abortion came after the Medical Practitioners […]
Girls’ Hygiene Day Celebrated in Afghanistan
Recently, Afghanistan celebrated Girls’ Hygiene Day and for the first time set forth guidelines that encourage young girls to feel empowered and knowledgeable about their bodies. The Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) guideline attempts to reach teachers, mothers, and young girls to raise awareness of girl’s hygiene and break prevalent menstruation stigma in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, […]
Protests Erupt across Ireland after Underwear is used as Evidence of Consent
Women across Ireland are protesting how rape trials conduct after a recent trial used a woman’s underwear as evidence of consent, leading to a man being acquitted of rape. Protesters this week in Ireland, and abroad, are using the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent and sharing photos of women’s underwear. A social media movement began when people started […]
LGBTQ Migrants are the First to Reach US Border
This week LGBTQ members from the migrant caravan were the first to reach the U.S. border in Tijuana, Mexico. LGBTQ members arrived at the border before the rest of the caravan because they were escaping discrimination and harassment from within the caravan itself as well as the dangers members faced traveling through Mexico. While fleeing […]
Harsh Anti-Abortion Laws in El Salvador Criminalize Survivors
On Monday, a criminal trial against Imelda Cortez, a 20-year-old woman charged with attempted murder after she gave birth to her abuser’s baby in El Salvador, began. Cortez has been in custody since April 2017 and may face up to 20 years in jail because doctors believe she attempted an abortion. The court ruling is […]
Scotland Will be the First Country with LGBTGI-Inclusive School Curriculums
Scotland’s government recently accepted 33 recommendations on LGBTQI+ inclusive education and [tackling] LGBTQ+ bullying in schools, created by the Time for Inclusive (TIE) campaign. As a result, Scotland will be the first country in the world to include LGBTQI+ issues and history in school curricula. In a statement, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said, “our […]
Indonesian Woman Executed in Saudi Arabia for Killing Employer in Self-Defense
The Indonesian government is filing an official protest against Saudi Arabia after Tuti Tursilawati, a female Indonesian migrant worker, was executed in Saudi Arabia on October 29 for allegedly killing her employer in self-defense. Tursilawati claimed she was being sexually abused by her employer and has spent the past seven years on death row in […]
Ethiopia Appoints Women’s Rights Champion to Head Supreme Court
On Thursday, Ethiopia’s parliament unanimously approved and appointed Meiza Ashenafi to head its Supreme Court. Meiza was nominated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has taken numerous measures to increase women’s roles in Ethiopia. In response to Meiza’s appointment, Prime Minister Abiy’s Chief of Staff tweeted, “Ethiopia’s march towards gender parity in key leadership positions […]
UK Military Allowing Women to Serve in all Units
On Thursday, the UK government announced that all military units, including elite units such as the Special Air Service (SAS) and the Royal Marines will now be open to women. Women who already serve in the military can immediately transfer to elite combat units whereas new recruits will be able to apply starting December and […]