Journalist Masih Alinejad was awarded the Women’s Rights Award at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy last week for her activism supporting Iranian women who choose not to cover their heads in a hijab.
President Obama Pushed for Immigration Reform at a Florida International University Town Hall
Obama spoke largely about his two biggest promises for immigration reform.
Malawi’s Parliament Voted Unanimously to End Child Marriage
An estimated 50 percent of Malawian girls becoming child brides, and approximately one in eight girls are married by 15.
Feminist Activists Protest TPP and Brunei’s Brutal Penal Code Outside Beverly Hills Hotel
Activists gathered across the street from the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles yesterday to call on Congress to exclude Brunei from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Irish Women Speak Out Against Brutal Childbirth Operations
Between 1942 and 1990 in Ireland, more than 1,500 pregnant women in childbirth endured an operation that involves breaking the pelvis or having their pubic bone sawed through. Others claim their wombs were removed entirely.
Worldwide Attacks Against Schoolgirls Are on the Rise
Despite legal protections for gender equality, around 3,600 attacks against schools, students, and teachers were recorded in just the year 2012 alone.
The World Future Council Calls on Governments to End FGM
Today, on International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, dozens of activists, writers, and leaders are releasing a statement calling for a global increase in action to end FGM worldwide.
Women in Afghanistan Protest Lack of Representation in Cabinet
Women activists and civil society groups therefore walked the streets of Kabul yesterday, demanding that women’s voices be represented within the country’s cabinet.
Northern Ireland’s Human Right Commission To Review Abortion Ban
Currently, abortion law in the area has abortion illegal in all cases except when a pregnant person’s life is at risk or when there is the risk of permanent or serious damage to the pregnant person’s mental or physical health.
Women Who Protested Saudi Arabia’s Driving Ban Remain in Prison
Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, and Maysa al-Alamoudi, 33, were arrested while they were crossing into Saudi Arabia on November 30.
Two Imprisoned Women’s Rights Activists in the Middle East Have Been Freed
Both women were arrested in October and served around 90 days in prison for non-violent crimes.
#HeForShe Campaign Launches Pilot Effort Aimed at Institutional Equality
The United Nations’ gender equality campaign #HeForShe has launched a new program called IMPACT 10X10X10.
The Spending Bill Lifted the Abortion Ban for Peace Corps Volunteers
The Senate Saturday passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that included expanded abortion coverage for Peace Corps volunteers in case of rape, incest, and when the life of the parent is threatened.
Groups Demand Gender-Responsive Climate Policy at UN Convention
The talks are a continuation of the UN Climate Summit in New York earlier this year, and a precursor to the 2015 climate meeting in Paris, where world leaders are expected to finalize a new global climate agreement.
Activists Call on the President to Stand with Survivors of Rape in War
More than 20 organizations, including the Feminist Majority, the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), Advocates for Youth, and several human rights and faith-based groups, came together to urge President Obama to ensure that US foreign assistance helps survivors of war rape access comprehensive medical care, including abortion.
World Health Organization Calls For an End to “Virginity Tests”
In the handbook, WHO stated that virginity tests used on women and girls to “prove” virginity have “no scientific validity” and pointed out that the tests violate international human rights standards against degrading treatment and are a form of discrimination against women.
Afghan Women Demand a Larger Role in Peace Process
As the drawdown of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan continues, Afghan women leaders are awaiting the launch of a new Afghan National Action Plan for Women, Peace, and Security, which aims to engage women more meaningfully in the peacebuilding process.
The City of Louisville Has Overwhelmingly Approved a CEDAW Resolution
The resolution declares that the city of Louisville is committed to eliminating violence against women and girls, promoting the health of safety of women and girls, and providing equal academic, economic, and business opportunities in the city.
UN Expert Calls for Action To End Violence Against Women in Afghanistan
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women Rashida Manjoo returned last week from a nine-day official visit in Afghanistan with a call to the Afghan Government and the international community to continue its focus on creating sustainable solutions to reduce violence against women. This was Manjoo’s third visit to Afghanistan, and the Special Rapporteur noted many positive developments since her […]
Afghan Women’s Rights Leader and Parlimentarian Survives Suicide Bombing Attack
Afghan law maker and prominent women’s rights leader Shukria Barakzai survived a suicide bombing attack on her armed vehicle on Sunday, November 16. Three people were killed and more than 20 wounded in the attack, which took place several hundred feet from the Parliament building where Barakzai was headed.
