President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a “Restore Roe” rally in Manassas, Virginia on Tuesday, signifying the importance of abortion rights in the 2024 election cycle. They were joined by their spouses, First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who spoke first as they rallied for the restoration and protection […]
Barbie Discovers the Patriarchy Pt. 2
The 2024 Oscar nominations were released on Tuesday after a long build up of speculation of which movies would take the top spots. “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” have been pitted against each other since their release, breaking box office records and earning rave reviews, and were expected to win big. Apart from being released on the […]
International Day of Education requires us to fight for women’s education everywhere. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has denied women and girls access to education.
“I love school. It brightens my future, builds up my education, and I learn about life,” Fariza, Afghan girl, UNICEF. As the world celebrates International Day of Education, this day serves as a grim reminder of the restrictions on Afghan women’s and girls’ opportunity to pursue an education. Afghan women and girls have been forced […]
Florida Bans DEI from State College System
On January 17th, 2024, the Florida State Board of Education passed a ruling that will strictly limit public funding towards DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives in the Florida College System. This ruling comes with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ long campaign against “WOKE” policies in Florida. The bill details how education should be “free from undue […]
Taliban Leader: Afghan Women’s Rights “have been fully secured” despite ongoing gender apartheid
Mullah Hibatullah, the Taliban’s leader, said in a recent statement that women’s rights in Afghanistan “have been fully secured.” The Taliban leader who has never been seen in public or by any official except Taliban members, claimed that women have been given their full rights under Sharia. It is unclear which standards the Taliban is […]
The 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
January 22nd should be a day to celebrate Roe v. Wade’s landmark ruling and look back on how far abortion rights have come in the United States. Instead, we find ourselves in unprecedented times where the right to an abortion is being challenged across the country. 15 states have now passed extremely restrictive abortion laws […]
A coalition of Afghan women, Together Stronger, defends women’s rights despite the Taliban’s gender apartheid
The Taliban has been punishing women with arrests and physical violence citing claims of what the group calls “bad hijab.” Abdul Ghafar Farooq, the spokesman for the Taliban, has stated that women “violated the Islamic values and rituals, and encouraged society and other respected sisters to go for bad hijab. In every province, those who […]
Seven out of every ten people in Afghanistan are unable to meet their basic life requirements
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reports that Afghanistan is in a deepening economic crisis and suffering economic insecurity under the Taliban regime. The organization stated in a report released recently that 69% of Afghanistan’s population faces a shortage of necessities such as healthcare, essential goods, suitable living conditions and job opportunities, particularly for women. […]
Supreme Court Set to Rule on Mifepristone Access
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case regarding the restriction on the use of mifepristone in the United States. Mifepristone — when taken in conjunction with misoprostol — is a pill that can end a pregnancy that is less than 10 weeks along. In August 2023, Texas’ ultra-conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals […]
Supreme Court Allows Enforcement of Idaho’s Abortion Ban, Pending April Hearing
The U.S. Supreme Court released a brief order late last week that allows Idaho to continue to enforce its near-total abortion ban, even in medical emergencies. The ruling is a response to an effort from the Biden administration to ensure additional abortion access in hospitals located in states with bans. The Court also agreed to hear […]
Ohio Woman Will Not Face Criminal Charges Following Miscarriage
Brittany Watts, a 34-year-old woman from Ohio, found herself at the center of a controversial legal battle and faced potential indictment for a fifth-degree felony of “abuse of a corpse” after miscarrying a nonviable fetus at home. Watts’ arrest in October 2023 sent shockwaves through the reproductive rights movement, raising questions about the implications of […]
New Year, New Laws on Gender and Abortion
As we celebrate the beginning of 2024, many states are kicking off the new year with new laws going into effect, many focused on gender and abortion rights. There was a record-breaking number of anti-LGBTQ legislation introduced by Republican state legislators in 2023, with the American Civil Liberties Union recording at least 508 bills targeting […]
The Future of Abortion Access: Supreme Court Takes on Mifepristone Regulations
On Dec. 13th, the Supreme Court decided to take up the case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, regarding mifepristone, a widely used abortion pill, and its accessibility. The issue centers around a lower court decision challenging recent FDA changes allowing telemedicine appointments and mail prescriptions for the drug. The Supreme Court will hear the […]
Taliban Imprisoning Women in the Name of Safety Raises Human Rights Concerns
In a UN report published today, the Taliban’s response to gender-based violence against women in Afghanistan has raised serious human rights concerns. Contrary to international standards, the Taliban now often referred to as the “de facto authorities” have reportedly resorted to imprisoning women as a means of protection, reflecting a divergence from established legal frameworks […]
‘100 Years, Not One More’: ERA Advocates Rally on Centennial Anniversary
Chants of “not one more year” filled downtown D.C. as equal rights activists marched from the White House to the Capitol on Dec. 13th — the 100 year anniversary of the ERA’s introduction in the House of Representatives. Activists, led by the ERA Coalition, demanded that not one more year pass without rights being protected […]
UN Security Council Voted to Extend the Mandate of the Monitoring Team While Opposing China’s Push for a Travel Exemption for Taliban Leaders
In a unanimous decision, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the team monitoring sanctions against the Taliban and associates, reinforcing its commitment to Afghanistan’s peace, security, and stability. Resolution 2716 (2023), unanimously adopted by the 15-member body, directs the Monitoring Team to support the Committee, which designates sanctions on individuals, groups, undertakings, […]
New York to Redraw Congressional Maps Ahead of 2024 Election
New York’s Court of Appeals has mandated that the state redraw its congressional district maps in preparation for the upcoming 2024 elections. This ruling introduces a crucial dimension to the political landscape, potentially favoring Democrats as they strategically aim to secure control of the U.S. House. The responsibility of crafting the new proposed maps falls […]
Feminism is for Men, Too
How community organizers are engaging men and boys in the fight for gender equality Around the world, advances in gender equality have reached a standstill. During the COVID-19 pandemic, stay-at-home orders drastically increased incidents of intimate partner violence. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has emboldened anti-abortion movements both domestically and globally. Whether one looks […]
The UN Climate Summit Raises Concerns Over the Influence of the Oil Lobby and Gender Equity
Over the past two weeks, world leaders have been meeting in Dubai to discuss strategies to tackle climate change at the 28th annual UN climate summit (COP28). The aim of the conference is to reignite enthusiasm in achieving the goal of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, the summit has not been […]
Texas Woman Sues the State for the Right to an Abortion
The Center for Reproductive Rights has been representing Kate Cox in an emergency lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order on Texas abortion bans in order to terminate her pregnancy. The morning of December 7th, a judge granted their request to allow Cox access to the reproductive healthcare that she needs, without fear of repercussions. […]