On June 5th, a bill to protect Americans’ access to birth control was thwarted by Senate Republicans. Democrats unanimously supported the bill with two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), crossing party lines to back the legislation. However, the vote failed 51 to 39, short of the 60 votes needed for the bill […]
At the Doha Conference, the Decision to Give Afghan Women Their Seats at the Table Must Be Clear
June 30th will mark over 1,000 days since the closing of secondary schools for girls and 500 days since the edict banning women from receiving a university education. The United Nations will be hosting the annual Doha Meeting in Qatar on June 30th where various countries and special envoys, including the UN will discuss various […]
Mexico Elects its First Female President
In a historic first, Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected Mexico’s first female president. While votes are still being tallied, Sheinbaum is on track for a landslide victory, winning around 58 to 60% of votes, according to Mexico’s electoral agency. Other candidates, Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez are predicted to get around 27% and 9% […]
Afghanistan: Where history repeats itself at the expense of women
This article is adapted from an opinion piece by Dr. Sima Samar, originally published in Ms. Magazine. Dr. Sima Samar is a human rights advocate and medical doctor who belongs to Afghanistan’s ethnic Hazara minority group. Dr. Samar served as Minister of Women’s Affairs from 2001 to 2003 and was the highest ranking woman in […]
Department of Justice sues two organizations and seven individuals for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Monday, May 20 in the Northern District of Ohio against Citizens for a Pro Life Society, Red Rose Rescue, as well as seven individuals for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The FACE Act “prohibits threats of force, obstruction, and property damage intended […]
Kansas Abortion Providers Sue to Block New Intrusive Reporting Law
Kansas abortion providers have filed a legal challenge against House Bill 2749, a new law that mandates abortion providers to report patients’ reasons for seeking an abortion to the state. House Bill 2749 requires each patient to specify the most important factor influencing their decision to have an abortion. The options include: interference with education, […]
The Feminist Majority Foundation hosts annual Global Women’s Rights Awards
Earlier this month, in Los Angeles, the Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) was joined by some of the most inspiring women’s rights activists who have been on the frontlines of the fight for equality for the 16th annual Global Women’s Rights Awards. Awards were given to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of three women in […]
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signs the national petition for the Equal Right Amendment
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has made history as the first mayor of a major city in California to sign the national Sign4ERA petition supporting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) — a national constitutional amendment that would explicitly prohibit sex-based discrimination. Mayor Bass was joined by former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, […]
Louisiana governor moves to classify abortion pills as “controlled dangerous substances”
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill on May 24 to criminalize the possession of abortion-inducing drugs misoprostol and mifepristone without a prescription, with penalties including up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $15,000. Louisiana will be the first state to classify these drugs as Schedule IV “controlled dangerous substances,” grouping […]
Supreme Court appears poised to support Oregon city’s measures against public sleeping
On Monday, April 22, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the case City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, marking one of the most significant cases on the issue of homelessness in years. This case comes amidst a record number of 650,000 people in 2023 reported as experiencing homelessness in the United States, a 12% […]
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Silenced No More
VA NOW President Lisa Sales stands for survivors at the SAAM press conference. On Wednesday, April 24th, survivors and activists gathered outside the Alexandria Federal Courthouse for a press conference organized by Lisa Sales, President of Virginia NOW, to raise awareness about the continued prevalence of sexual violence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Speakers included […]
Supreme Court set to rule on Biden Administration’s ghost gun regulations
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case on whether the regulations placed on ghost guns by the Biden Administration are lawful. Ghost guns are privately assembled through “buy build shoot” kits or are 3D-printed. They also lack a serial number, making them untraceable, and do not require buyers to have background checks conducted. […]
Supreme Court begins oral arguments on emergency abortion case
Physicians for Human Rights supporting EMTALA in front of the Supreme Court. In yet another recent Supreme Court case concerning access to reproductive healthcare, the state of Idaho has brought a challenge to EMTALA (the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) in Moyle v. United States. EMTALA, initially passed by Congress in 1986, ensures […]
Malnutrition: The Hidden Struggle of Afghan Women and Children
In times of conflict, political instability, and social unrest, women and children have always been the ones who face the most dire consequences compared to the rest of the population. It is nearly three years since the Taliban returned to power and their extremist views and restricting edicts against Afghan women has been one of […]
Unpacking Trump’s Unprecedented Legal Saga
Former President Trump is currently embroiled in four criminal cases, facing a total of 91 felony counts. Among these cases, The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump is currently underway, garnering significant media coverage. This case, commonly referred to as the “Hush Money Case,” is the first of the criminal […]
Swiss women win climate change case in European Court
On April 9th, Europe’s top human rights court delivered a landmark ruling, finding that the Swiss government had failed in its duty to safeguard the human rights of its citizens against the harmful impacts of climate change. The case originated in 2016 when a group of 2,000 Swiss women, all aged over 64, initiated legal […]
Polling reveals young voters’ priorities in the upcoming election
As the election approaches, attention remains focused on young voter engagement. On April 18th, the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics unveiled its Bi-Annual Harvard Youth Poll. From March 14th to 21st, the survey reached 2,010 young individuals aged 18 to 29. The findings shed light on key concerns among young voters, with Harvard’s Institute […]
Supreme Court Denies Appeal from Black Lives Matter Organizer
On April 15th, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of Deray Mckesson, a Black Lives Matter organizer and activist who led a protest in Louisiana where a police officer was hit by a “rock-like object” and injured. While Mckesson did not throw the rock, he is being sued by the injured […]
Afghan Women Express Dread and Anxiety at the Possibility of Taliban Recognition
In a country-wide women’s consultation conducted by three UN agencies, Afghan women have expressed “dread” and “anxiety” at the possibility of international recognition of the Taliban. 67% of women have said that recognition would severely affect their lives, especially as the Taliban is now often referred to as the de facto authorities (DFA). The consultations […]
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to include abortion protections
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has now been finalized by federal regulatory authorities, ensuring that workers are entitled to receive “reasonable” accommodations in line with their conditions arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. This also includes the right of a person to receive accommodations to have and recover from an abortion. This […]
