STORIES
From urgent investigations and breaking news to bold op-eds by global leaders, we bring you the stories shaping the lives of women and girls worldwide.
At the U.N.’s Annual Meeting on Women, the World Should Focus on Justice for Girls
As governments gather at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, they should prioritize ensuring that girls can access justice.
On International Women’s Day, An Afghan Girl’s Plea for Freedom
An Afghan girl writes about life inside what she calls an “invisible cage,” where dreams of education and freedom remain out of reach. Artwork: Fatima Wojohat
Immigrant Women in ICE Detention Deserve Protection
As U.S. immigration enforcement expands, advocates warn that women, especially those who are pregnant, face increasing risks. Photo: Mario Tama / Getty
Across 29 Countries, Nearly a Third of Gen Z Men Say Wives Should Obey Their Husbands
A new international survey finds nearly one in three Gen Z men say a wife should obey her husband, along with other traditional ideas about gender roles.
Egyptian Women Are Still Being Asked to Prove Their Virginity
In the wake of a former Egyptian MP’s call for mandatory “virginity tests” for female university students, the controversy has exposed a deeper reality: the enduring need to assert control over women’s bodies.
The End of Khameini Is a Turning Point for Girls Like Me
For Iranian women, this moment is neither simple nor secure — but it is ours, writes Marzieh Hamidi.
Girls and Young Women Are Key to Ukraine’s Recovery
As Ukraine enters its fifth year of war, the country’s recovery will depend on whether today’s girls and young women are given the support, skills and power to lead its rebuilding.
“We Were Their Last Hope”: Georgia’s NGO Crackdown Leaves Women Without Protection
As Georgia tightens its grip on civil society, the organizations protecting survivors of violence are being forced to shut their doors — leaving the country’s most vulnerable women with nowhere to turn. Photo: Tamuna Chkareuli / RFE
When a Regime Erases Women, the World Must Call It a Crime
Marzieh Hamidi, recipient of the 2026 International Women’s Rights Award at the Geneva Summit, argues the world must recognize gender apartheid as a crime under international law. Photo: CNN
No Hijab Day Rallies Held in Cities Worldwide in Support of Women Without the Freedom to Choose
Activists and women gathered in New York and cities worldwide to mark No Hijab Day, standing in solidarity with women living under compulsory veiling laws.
As Pressure Mounts for Syrian Refugees to Return Home, Women Face an Impossible Choice
Caught between a homeland that still feels unsafe and a host country that is closing its doors, Syrian women and girls in Lebanon face an impossible choice: return to uncertainty, or remain in limbo. Photo: Joel Carillet
The Karate Class Where Kenya’s Grandmothers Learn to Fight Back
In Korogocho, one of Nairobi’s oldest informal settlements, elderly women train in karate to protect themselves from violence. Photo: Keit Silale for More to Her Story
FGM Laws Protect Girls. Who Heals the Women?
Ending female genital mutilation is about more than criminalization—it requires care, choice, and long-term support for the millions of women already living with its consequences. Photo: UNDP
“They Took My Freedom, My Home, My Child”: Christian Women Jailed Under India’s Anti-Conversion Laws
India’s anti-conversion laws have led to the arrest and incarceration of Christian women, often without trial or accountability. Photo: Suhail Bhat / More to Her Story
The Taliban’s New Criminal Code Makes Second-Class Status the Law for Women and Girls
The Taliban’s new criminal code legalizes the exclusion, punishment, and control of women and girls across Afghanistan. Photo: Mohd Rasfan/AFP
The Vanishing Coverage of Women’s Lives Is a Policy Risk
When women’s stories disappear, so does the clearest record of truth, justice, and whether human rights truly exist.
They Called It Socialism. We Lived a Dictatorship.
From Caracas to Tehran, the people fighting for freedom are asking the same thing: stop protecting our dictators and start listening to those who live under them.
As Iranians Rise Up, the World is Silent
Iran’s latest uprising reveals a stark gap between the courage of its people and the response of the international community, writes Marzieh Hamidi.
In Japan, Takaichi’s Election is a Political Milestone. But Women Remain Divided on What’s Next.
Three months after Sanae Takaichi’s historic election, Japanese women are wrestling with hope, skepticism, and concern over what her leadership means for gender equity. Photo: Japanese Cabinet Secretariat
Craftsmanship Is One of the Last Economic Paths Afghan Women Have
As the Taliban shut women out of work and education, Afghan craftswomen are turning embroidery into one of the last remaining paths to income, purpose, and survival. Photo: Andrew Quilty