Across Women&#039;s Lives

July 16, 2020

Since becoming legal in 1985, right-wing politicians have periodically made feeble attempts to limit or ban access to abortions. Each time it happens though, the action is met with strong pushback from the public.

Despite recent historic gains in ending FGM, Somalia sees dramatic increase

June 03, 2020

Activists have been fighting to stop FGM for years. During the COVID-19 lockdowns worldwide, they saw both progress and backsliding.

Sports

Women’s pro soccer made gains toward parity. Will coronavirus undo it?

May 14, 2020

As women’s soccer was drawing more and more fans, the players were stepping up their fight against gender discrimination in the sport. But just a year later, the game’s visibility — and its journey toward equity — has been stopped in its tracks.

Leaders

Women leaders eschew ‘macho-man’ politics in COVID-19 response

May 11, 2020

New Zealand is “halfway down Everest,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said of the country’s battle with the coronavirus. New Zealand, Taiwan, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway all have notably low rates of fatalities and Germany stands out in central Europe for its low death rate. The seven countries have something else in common: All are led by women. Is it a coincidence or are women leaders better at managing the coronavirus?

LGBTQ helplines see surge as queer communities face lockdown in hostile homes

May 07, 2020

Many people who identify as LGBTQ are experiencing lockdown differently than their heterosexual peers — especially those stuck in homophobic homes. And LGBTQ organizations around the world are seeing significant upticks in calls for help.

Ugandan archbishop breaks with tradition to promote birth control during pandemic

May 01, 2020

The archbishop of the Church of Uganda has broken with tradition to publicly urge women to use birth control to avoid getting pregnant during the pandemic.

COVID-19 interrupts fertility plans for hopeful couples in the United Kingdom

April 27, 2020

Thousands of women may lose out on their chance to have a baby as fertility clinics across Britain shut their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ISIS families held in Syrian camps face uncertain futures. Now, the coronavirus also looms.

April 20, 2020

COVID-19 is a threat for many refugee camps across the world. Sanitary conditions are typically not ideal and social distancing is nearly impossible. But at two camps in northern Syria, residents face the virus as well as stigmatization tied to their lives under ISIS.

Rohingya women are traditionally kept out of leadership roles. Will the coronavirus change that?

April 16, 2020

If there is a COVID-19 outbreak in overcrowded Rohingya refugee camps, the success of the response may depend in part on the status of women in the camps.

Pages

Development & Education

Nepal's Living Goddess a Centuries-Old Tradition

July 23, 2013

The Living Goddess, called Kumari Devi, is worshiped in Nepal and lives in seclusion. The World's Sonia Narang met one Kumari and her mother near Kathmandu in 2012.

Development & Education

China investing big in persuading 'leftover women' to get married

January 28, 2013

Updated

05/31/2015 - 11:15am

China has a population imbalance, with more than 20 million more men under 30 than women. And yet, there are a number of women who are choosing not to get married. China says they're the country's most desirable women, so the country is pushing hard to convince them to hurry up and wed.

Lifestyle & Belief

A few months ago this Nepali girl was a goddess, now she's a seventh grader

June 18, 2014

In Nepal, a centuries old tradition of choosing a young girl as a goddess continues to this day. Nepali Hindus and Buddhists worship this girl, known as a Kumari. They believe she's a reincarnation of the Hindu goddess, Durga. There are a few different goddesses in the Kathmandu valley. The World's Sonia Narang spent time with one of them during a trip to Nepal.

Sports

For the men's World Cup, Canada ryegrass seed was exported to Brazil. Why wasn't it used for the women in Canada?

July 08, 2014

Updated

06/09/2015 - 4:45pm

At the World Cup in Brazil, the pitches took a beating. But Brazil had a secret to beat that foot traffic and slide tackling — hardy, perennial ryegrass seed from Manitoba, Canada. Why wouldn't Canada have provided it to its own Women's World Cup?

Gender equality is the next great fight in a post-apartheid South Africa

November 21, 2014

In a post-apartheid South Africa, gender inequality is rampant. But women and girls across the country are mounting a fierce fight for their rights.

Indian sisters revive the country's debate over women's safety by fending off male attackers on camera

December 01, 2014

In India, footage of two women defending themselves from a group of men sexually assaulting them on a public bus has gone viral. The video has renewed a national debate in India on sexual assault and the safety of women in public spaces.

Pregnancy discrimination is still widespread, but this Supreme Court case may change that

The Takeaway

December 05, 2014

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act was passed to ensure that pregnant women get the same accommodations as workers who have injuries or other problems. But the law has never lived up to its promise, and UPS driver Peggy Young has sued her employers to change that.

Caribbean rape culture is back on display

Global Voices Online

December 17, 2014

Politicians and officials across the Caribbean have come under fire in recent weeks for statements that seem to downplay rape and blame victims. But there's evidence that women may no longer be willing to tolerate such comments.

Two years after New Delhi's brutal gang rape, many say not enough has changed