Cheat Sheet

Governor Cuomo’s State of the State address detailed his commitment to expanding women’s rights and strengthening anti-discrimination statutes. His  Women’s Equality Act will allow women to get late-term abortions if the mother’s health is at risk or the fetus is unable to develop. Although pregnancy termination is the most controversial part of the bill it is only one aspect of it. “Maybe it’s a man’s world, but it is not a man’s world in New York. Not anymore,” Cuomo said.

Read it at MSNBC

February 20, 2013 6:17 PM

When the International Labor Organization released its January report on global employment trends, it ranked India eleventh from the bottom of 131 countries for female participation in the labor force. Cultural and social norms may play a role, say experts, or it could be that more women are seeking secondary education instead of employment opportunities.

Read it at International Labor Organization

February 15, 2013 3:22 PM

For the past month women in Turkey have been gathering to show their support of abortion rights and to denounce what they consider the government’s “back door methods” to ban abortion. Abortion was initially legalized in Turkey in 1983 because of the high number of deaths from unsafe, illegal procedures; activists are afraid that recent actions by the Turkish government signal a return to such times.

Read it at Voice of America

February 15, 2013 3:18 PM

Amid reports that violence against women is on the rise in Afghanistan, activists gathered in Afghanistan to denounce such violence. The organized protest was part of the global One Billion Rising campaign, seeking to bring global awareness to domestic violence issues. Men were also encouraged to support and join the peaceful protest.

Read it at ABC News

February 15, 2013 3:17 PM

After the Vietnam War ended in 1975, many Vietnamese women found themselves past the “marriage age” yet still desired to have their own children. One woman, Nguyen Thi Nhan, took matters into her own hands by asking a man to help her conceive a child; she was soon followed by a number of other women doing the same.

Read it at New York Times

February 15, 2013 3:15 PM

A new study shows the lung cancer death rate in the UK now stands at 21 per 100,000 women, making it the leading cancer killer for women there, and scientists predict it will be the main cause of women’s cancer death in Europe by the middle of the decade. Stats show that since 2009, deaths from lung cancer have risen by 7 percent. The increase in women smoking seems to be the main culprit.

Read it at Guardian

February 13, 2013 5:54 PM

The Violence Against Women Act, which funds protection for women facing domestic abuse, was RENEWED on Tuesday by the Senate. Now it faces a vote in the House of Representatives. “Delay isn’t an option when three women are still killed by their husbands or boyfriends every day,” said Vice-President Joe Biden.

Read it at Politico

February 13, 2013 5:23 PM

With the recent addition of Pat Wadors, VP for Global Talent Organization, LinkedIn now has the highest ratio of female execs (4 out of 11) in Silicon Valley. “All diversity matters,” said Erica Rottenberg, LinkedIn’s Vice President and General Counsel. “You don’t want a room full of people that have the same world view.”

Read it at Forbes

February 13, 2013 5:11 PM

The heroine of Burma’s storied journey to democracy returns. Popular opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi spoke out Tuesday, vowing to assist the country in putting an end to the interminable conflict between the government and its ethnic minority groups. Suu Kyi made the announcement on historic Union Day, the anniversary of her late father General Aung San’s signing of a 1947 agreement with ethnic minorities to secede from Britain’s control. The videotaped speech was presented to members of her democratic party, who agree with the president’s claim that a resolution with the Muslim Rohingya minority is an “essential” move on the path to democracy. Although Suu Kyi has helped her country significantly in its political transformation, the minority in Burma’s impoverished state remains a dangerous roadblock on the road to freedom.

Read it at ABC News

February 12, 2013 5:40 PM

In preparation for the United Nations 2014 Development Cooperation Forum and for life post-2015 and the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, a discussion was started regarding the role of gender equity. The forum brought together international organizations, senior representatives, local and national governments, private corporations, civil society organizations, and women’s rights groups. The goal of the dialogue: To develop specific policy recommendations that will advance gender equity and women’s empowerment around the world.

Read it at Trust Law

February 12, 2013 3:16 PM

Afghanistan’s women are restricted from many realms, and they do not share equal rights with men, but it’s hard to stop the power of fashion. That’s why the nonprofit Young Women for Change, which is dedicated to empowering women, held a fashion show last week to raise money that will be used for their programs to benefit women.

Read it at Ahram Online

February 12, 2013 3:12 PM

Women may have had a prominent role in the Egyptian Spring, but they are still struggling to secure their rights and achieve representation in the new government. While there has been an increase in awareness of women’s rights since the revolution and more women are speaking out, little progress has been made. Many Egyptian women have little faith in the current regime’s commitment to women’s empowerment.

Read it at Ahram Online

February 12, 2013 3:06 PM

Ten women—including two American rabbis—were detained by police in Israel for praying and wearing traditional men’s prayer shawls at Jerusalem’s Western Wall. All of the detainees are members of Women of the Wall, a group dedicated to legal and social rights for women. They were not charged with a criminal offense but were restricted from returning to the wall for 15 days. Members of the ultra-orthodox Jewish community have insisted, with backing by the Supreme Court, that only men are allowed to pray at the wall wearing the religious shawls.

Read it at New York Times

February 12, 2013 2:57 PM

Servicewomen do not want standards to be lowered in order for them to gain entry into ground combat jobs. Says Major Mary Hegar, “We don't want unqualified women in these positions. ”
The services have several years to complete the integration of women now that the Pentagon has repealed the ban that barred women from combat fields. Adds Hegar:
"There are people who do well in combat and there are people who don't. It's not a gender question."

Read it at Business Insider

February 11, 2013 4:02 PM

Women In Technology In Nigeria (WITIN), a program that aims to promote women in tech, has introduced the Mobile App Challenge for girls between the ages of 13 and 18. The girls will be put into groups of five, working with their classroom instructors and a female mentor in the technology industry. Martha Omoekpen Alade, who heads WITIN, says the winner of the challenge will be get $10,000 to fund, develop, and complete the app that will ultimately be released on the market for purchase.

Read it at All Africa

February 11, 2013 3:58 PM

Cornell University was recently recognized for its hiring and employment practices by the National Association for Female Executives. Cornell was praised for its initiative to hire, retain, advance its female employees, and for its emphasis on work-life balance. On-campus childcare, parental leave, and flexible work arrangements are among some of the resource available for employees.

Read it at Cornell Daily Sun

February 11, 2013 3:53 PM

The number of babies born to teen mothers in the U.S. has dropped, plummeting by 8 percent between 2010 and 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control. While teen pregnancy rates overall declined for all races, Black and Latina women were still more likely than Caucasians to have premature babies. One possible reason for the drop in births: the economy, says CDC statistician Brady Hamilton.

Read it at Reuters

February 11, 2013 3:49 PM

The Irish government recently released a report about the incarceration of thousands of women as slave labor within the Magdalene Laundries. In these Irish workhouses, women were used for labor in unsafe and unhealthy conditions, without pay and without rights until 1996 when the laundries were shut down. Many are seeking redress for themselves and their families—including an apology from the Irish government.

Read it at New York Times

February 8, 2013 3:56 PM

The horrific rape and murder of a teenager in South Africa has the community and the world wondering what recourse that country’s government and citizens will take. Mourners gathered to lie flowers and crosses across at the site of the crime and many are speaking out to demand action. South Africa has the highest number of rapes reported per population, but the court systems often fail to provide justice for the victims.

Read it at Reuters

February 8, 2013 3:52 PM

How women are perceived in the workplace has been ceaselessly analyzed. Women’s clothing, personality and voice are all considered tools for their success in the business world. Now, however, powerful women such as Hilary Clinton, Christine Lagarde and Saudi CEO Lubna Olayan argue that it’s time to stop focusing on how we act and instead concentrate on results and getting the job done.

Read it at Harvard Business Review

February 8, 2013 3:50 PM

The President of Malawi, Joyce Banda, has made it her focus to improve maternal care nationwide. An initiative of 48 “safe motherhood committees” has been established to support health and maternal care among the mothers and young children of the villages. While legislation has been passed at the national level, encouraging women to seek proper health care, Banda’s “safe motherhood committees” work to initiate cultural change and understanding at the tribal level about the importance of proper maternal care.

Read it at New York Times

February 8, 2013 3:32 PM

February 6th is the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutiliation. United Nations Subcommission on Human Rights founded the date ten years ago as an effort to increase awareness of FGM and to promote its eradication. According to the World Health Organization, the practice still exists in 28 countries and affects between 100-140 million women and girls around the world. In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution unanimously condeming the practice. 

Read it at Huffington Post

February 6, 2013 6:15 PM

Denis Mukwege, gynecologist, founder of a Congolese rape clinic known as Panzi Hospital, and Nobel Prize nominee has committed his life to fighting against sexual assault of women of the Congo. It is reported that he has operated on over 30,000 rape victims. His bravery is evidenced in his willingness to continue his work even after an attempt was made on his life. Having fled his hometown, he now works under the protection of U.N. troops.

Read it at Hurriyet Daily News

February 6, 2013 3:48 PM

The past year has seen a 35 percent increase in women chief financial officers at larger U. S. companies. As of last month there were 54 women CFO’s on S&P’s 500 Index companies, up from 40. Although women are still significantly underrepresented in executive roles, this growth, albeit slow, is in the right direction.

Read it at Bloomberg

February 6, 2013 3:43 PM

In rural Indian villages many women are being ill-advised to get hysterectomies by private doctors. A single ultrasound scan, is on many occasions, the basis for the operation. Doctor and activist Narendra Gupta, of the health charity Prayas, believes that some private doctors are engaging in blatant malpractice. "People say that in some places, there are whole districts without uteruses," he says. "It seems that private doctors see this as an opportunity to make a fast buck. They're making money on ailments which could be treated in a simpler, less invasive way."

Read it at BBC

February 6, 2013 3:39 PM