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.
Nowhere in the World to Run: The International Law Ripping Children From Their Mothers
The Hague Abduction Convention was meant to reunite mothers and children. Instead, it's often used by abusive fathers to tear them apart. Photo: Robin Hammond
In India’s Sugarcane Belt, Thousands of Women Workers Undergo Forced Hysterectomies
Researchers estimate over 4,600 women in Maharashtra’s Beed district underwent coerced or non-consensual hysterectomies between 2016 and 2019, raising alarms over systemic medical abuse. Photo: Suhail Bhat
In Gaza’s Ruins, a Women-Only Café Becomes a Sanctuary of Privacy and Dignity
In a war-torn enclave where privacy has vanished, a rare women-only café becomes a lifeline for study, dignity, and silence. Photo: Mohamed Solaimane
The Sudanese Women Sustaining a City in Crisis
In Sudan’s war-torn city of Al Obeid, women are the backbone of a shadow economy that sustains thousands amid siege and scarcity. Photo: Bettmann via Getty Images
In Afghanistan, Women Face Electric Shock Punishment for Defying Hijab Rules
Victims and eyewitnesses tell More to Her Story and Rukhshana Media that Taliban forces are using electric shocks to punish women accused of violating hijab rules. Photo: Milad Hamadi / Wikimedia Commons
Women of the Drought: How Climate Change Is Reshaping Women’s Lives in Rural Mexico
Women in drought-stricken Chihuahua are leaving their farms behind, seeking new opportunities in cities while grappling with the cost of survival and separation. Photo: Bill Lambrecht / Zuma
Rural Zimbabwean Families Face Drought, Fueling Child Marriages
As drought worsens in rural Zimbabwe, families struggle to survive, with child marriage rising in its wake.
Solar Power Has the Potential to Uplift Zambia’s Women
Access to solar power is transforming the lives of Zambian women, offering them opportunities for independence and economic growth. Photo: Elaine Little
Domestic Violence Tears Gaza’s War-Hit Families Apart
Domestic and gender-based violence spike amid the ongoing war in Gaza. Photo: Bashar Taleb / AFP
‘Libya Will Not Become Afghanistan’: Young Libyan Women Fear New Laws That Target Their Rights
Libya’s Ministry of Interior announced plans to enforce the hijab, male guardianship laws, and other restrictions on women’s rights, sparking concerns among young women about the erosion of their freedoms. Photo: Alexandre Meneghini / AP
16-Year-Old in Iran Jumps from Building After School Harassment Over Hijab Rules
Harassed over her hijab, jeans, and laughter, 16-year-old Arezo Khavari’s life was cut short.
Young Iranian Woman Arrested After Publicly Removing Clothes in Bold Protest
A young Iranian woman was arrested after stripping to her underwear in protest outside her university in Tehran.
New Reports Show Severe Impact of Sudan Conflict on Women and Girls
Two new reports paint a devastating picture of how women and girls are bearing the brunt of the war in Sudan. Photo: Faiz Abubakr / Reuters
Taliban Bans Women From Hearing Other Women’s Voices
The Taliban’s latest decree banning Afghan women from hearing each other’s voices marks a new level of oppression. Photo: Ali Khara / Reuters
UN Women and European Commission Launch ACT to End Violence Against Women
UN Women and the EU launch ACT to End Violence Against Women to empower feminist movements and drive global policy change to end violence against women and girls. Photo: Marc Nozell
The Taliban’s New Tactic: Silencing Questions on Women’s Rights
The Taliban bans journalists from asking about the status of women's rights in Afghanistan. Photo: Jo Shelley
Iraq Proposes Law to Legalize Child Marriage
In Iraq, a proposed law allowing the marriage of girls as young as nine has sparked widespread protests. Photo: Ahmad Al-Rubaye
‘This is the Average Life of a Girl in Pakistan’: The Gender-Based Violence Crisis in Pakistan
The United Nations reports that over 90% of women in Pakistan face domestic violence, and the country accounts for about one-fifth of the world's "honor" killings. Cultural attitudes that devalue women's lives are at the core, say Pakistani women. Photo: Asif Hassan
‘Iran is No Utopia’: Afghan Women Refugees Face New Struggles in Iran
Fleeing Taliban oppression, Afghan women endure discrimination and uncertainty in Iran. Photo: Hoshang Hashimi
Rights Activists Warn Excluding Women from Doha Talks Legitimizes Taliban Abuses
Critics argue that the international community’s willingness to engage with the Taliban without women's representation risks accepting and even legitimizing the Taliban’s ongoing gender apartheid.