A Tennessee woman was arrested and charged with attempted murder last week, three months after an attempt to terminate her pregnancy using a coat hanger.
Sierra Leone Legalizes Abortion
The Safe Abortion Act that passed this week with an overwhelming majority support in the parliament will make the abortion procedure legal in Sierra Leone.
Angela Merkel Named TIME’s 2015 Person of the Year
Today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was named Time’s 2015 Person of the Year for her leadership on the Syrian refugee and Greek debt crises.
Egypt’s President Issues Decree Outlawing Child Marriage
In an attempt to outlaw child marriage in the country, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi issued a decree making it illegal for Egyptians to get married before the age of 18.
Saudi Women Begin Historic Municipal Election Campaign
On Sunday, for the first time in Saudi Arabia’s modern history, more than 900 women have registered to run for the municipal elections.
Afghan Women Launch 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Afghanistan marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and begun participating in the worldwide 16 Days Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Rising Support for Women’s Education in Afghanistan
A survey of the Afghan people by the Asia Foundation for 2015 found that 74% of Afghans support women’s access to higher education.
Iran Appoints First Woman as Ambassador Since Islamic Revolution
The Iranian government has appointed its first woman ambassador since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Marzieh Afkham is appointed to serve her country in Malaysia.
World Economic Forum Report Places U.S. 28th
The World Economic Forum just released “The Global Gender Gap” report of 2015 that ranks the United States 28th out of 145 countries.
UN Reports Major Decrease In Maternal Mortality Worldwide
A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division reveals a 44 percent drop in maternal mortality worldwide since 1990.
Tabassom’s Revolution: One Step Closer to the 21st Century
Walking on a rainy day on Kabul’s streets is harder than climbing a mountain in the winter. I walked along Dashti Barchi, where the mass of protesters began marching, holding high above their shoulders the coffins of the seven innocent Afghan Hazara people beheaded by ISIS.
Afghans Protest Nationwide over Beheadings by ISIS
Thousands of Afghans took to the streets in Kabul on Wednesday after seven people from the Hazara ethnic group were beheaded by ISIS.
Taliban Stones to Death 19 Year Old Afghan Woman
Recently, a 19 year old Afghan woman was stoned to death after she was accused of adultery.
#FeesMustFall: South African Students Protest Rising Cost of Education
Yesterday, in their continuing fight to push Parliament and University staff to lower fees for education access, students from the University of Witwatersrand and University of Cape Town marched on Parliament to meet with the Minister of High Education Blade Nizamande and President Jacob Zuma, while Parliament support staff walked off the job to protest Parliament’s treatment of workers.
Taliban Takeover of Kunduz Hurt Women and the Media
At the end of September, the Taliban took control of the city of Kunduz. The Afghan government, with some help from the international community, kicked them out in a few days. But during this brief time of the Taliban takeover of the city, women were the first targets and once again paid the price for fighting for their rights.
First Woman Elected President of Nepal
Last week, Nepal’s parliament elected Bidhya Devi Bhandari the country’s first woman president.
Afghan Woman Runs in Country’s First Marathon
“I think little by little, I’ll bring change,” said Zainab, the first Afghan woman to participate in a marathon in Afghanistan.
Deadly Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills Hundreds, Including 12 School Girls
Monday’s destructive earthquake in Afghanistan has left over 340 people dead in the northeastern provinces of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. Among the dead were 12 school girls who perished in a stampede, as they tried to flee their school in Taloqan, located in Takhar province of Afghanistan.
Kabul University to Open First Gender Studies Program in Afghanistan
Kabul University just launched its first Gender and Women’s studies graduate program, the first of its kind in all of Afghanistan. The two-year program is another important step for Afghan women in achieving equality and increasing opportunity. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the mission of this program is “to create a platform […]
World Commemorates International Day of the Girl Child
On Sunday, the world celebrated the fourth annual International Day of the Girl Child. Created by a United Nations Resolution in 2011, The Day of the Girl is meant to recognize the power of girls, while also addressing the problems that force millions of girl to drop out of school and not realize their potential.