Stories about Women & Gender from May, 2013
Chinese Activist Detained After Protesting String of Child Molestation Cases
A Chinese activist was beaten up and detained by local authorities in China a few days after she demonstrated in front of a primary school whose principal allegedly sexually abused...
#SafeCityPledge: Indians Take a Stand Online for Women's Safety
A Twitter campaign has Indians flooding social media with personal promises to combat sexual harassment and sexism.
LGBTQ Rights in Puerto Rico Slowly Improve Step by Step
A battle is currently unleashing in discussions over LGBTQ rights in Puerto Rico. In recent weeks both advances and setbacks have been seen. Groups in favor of LGBTQ rights and...
Tunisia: FEMEN Activist Faces Possession of Pepper Spray Charge
Tunisian FEMEN activist Amina Tyler, 19, is set to appear before a court on May 30 to face a charge of "non-authorized possession of pepper spray." If convicted the young...
South Korea's Child Porn Law Blasted for Restricting Freedom of Expression
A new youth protection law in South Korea, meant to protect children by clamping down on child pornography, is being assailed for its broad language that labels net users who...
'14 Million: Life, Family & Liberty’ Movement Sparks Controversy in Ecuador
"14 million" is a citizen initiative that seeks to protect the rights of the family by opposing the free distribution of the day-after pill and other family planning policies in...
The Eccentrics and the Women Who Run for President in Iran
Hundreds of hopeful Iranians, including thirty women, have registered as candidates to replace President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the forthcoming election even though they have no chance whatsoever of being elected.
Nicaraguans Defend Law Against Violence Towards Women
In April a campaign entitled "I Support Law 779" began on social networks demanding that the "Integral Law Against Violence Towards Women" be respected before numerous reforms that religious leaders...
“Lift your Skirt, Save a Life” Cervical Cancer Ad Divides Singapore
To remind Singapore women about the free Pap smear screenings this month and to promote awareness about cervical cancer, the Singapore Cancer Society came out with a “Lift your skirt....
Dirty Words Russian Girls Can’t Say on the Internet
Earlier this week, opposition figure Maria Baronova penned an open letter to writer and political dissident Eduard Limonov, wherein she dropped a sexual bombshell. Her text unabashedly refers to “masturbating...
Muslim TV Anchor Faces Backlash in India Over ‘Uncivilized’ Veil Comment
A female anchor for a popular Malayalam-language television channel in the southern Indian state of Kerala is facing a firestorm of criticism after she called the Muslim practice of women...
Yemen: Focus on Education!
In a country where the illiteracy rate of both sexes (15 years and above) is almost 40 per cent, education and the empowerment of the women and youth is an...
Dominican Catholic Church Sues NGO for Sexual Education Campaign
The Catholic Church filed a claim against the Dominican Association for Family Welfare (Profamilia) to withdraw their advertising campaign, "Your sexual and reproductive rights are human rights."