Two years ago in April, the terrorist group Boko Harm kidnapped 276 girls from Chibok Government Secondary School in Nigeria, prompting an international outcry to #BringBackOurGirls.
US Signs Controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
United States Trade Representative Michael Froman signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership today in New Zealand, formally ending negotiations on the trade deal.
USAID Promote Program Graduates First Afghan Women Leaders
Afghan First Lady Rula Ghani delivered a commencement address in Kabul earlier this month to the first Afghan women graduates from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Women’s Leadership Development program.
Taiwan Elects First Woman President
In a landslide victory, the leader of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen won the country’s presidential election, becoming the first woman in Taiwan’s history to hold the position.
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.
Chicago Teachers Awarded $280,000 in Damages for Pregnancy Discrimination
Eight women who were fired from their teaching positions following the announcements of their pregnancies will receive nearly $300,000 in damages and back pay.
Tennessee Woman Faces Jail For Coat Hanger Abortion
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.