The world has begun mourning for humanitarian and former South African president, Nelson Mandela who has died aged 95. Spending 27 years in prison fighting for the rights of the African people, Mandela is best known for his anti-apartheid activism and eventually becoming the first Indigenous president of his homeland. Despite the world upholding the…
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Women enlisted in the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are facing routine abuses, including sexual slavery, forced abortions and infanticide. FARC’s female soldiers are reportedly subjected to the sexual whims of commanders and all are given routine contraceptive injections. The Marxist rebel forces lure in girls with the promise of a better quality of…
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Mayam Mahmoud, a hijab-wearing, teenage Egyptian rapper, is bringing inspiration to women in the Middle East, using her music to stand up for women’s rights. She addresses the normalisation of sexual assault, and encourages women to stand up to their attackers. Since her appearances on the TV show Arab’s Got Talent, the 18…
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Perhaps some Americans had a bit too much turkey and stuffing last week, or maybe the Republican Party just needs to hire an intern to check spelling and grammar mistakes on social media. Nonetheless, Sunday proved to be an interesting day on Twitter with the GOP tweeting a photo of Rosa Parks with the…
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In a moving ceremony on Saturday 30 November, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Monash University. The award serves as recognition of the impact she has made in the global struggle for human rights and democracy. Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the most impressive and significant political…
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In what is becoming an international legal row, it has become apparent that an Italian woman visiting Britain was forcibly sedated and given an caesarean section after experiencing a mental breakdown. Last year, while visiting the UK on a two-week business trip, a pregnant Italian woman with a preexisting bipolar disorder experienced panic attacks, and…
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As the Philippines struggles to deal with the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, which ripped through the country two weeks ago, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is focusing on re-establishing women’s health and safety services. The nation’s death toll stands at 5,200 people and is expected to rise. Millions of others have been displaced, resulting…
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Monday was White Ribbon Day in Australia, representing an international day for the elimination of violence against women. In Australia, one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner, and 1 in 2 women over the age of 15 report physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives….
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A beauty salon in South Kensington, Britain, has been charging larger women extra for their leg waxes. While the salon doesn’t promote this, it is a policy that they implement behind closed doors. A British newspaper sent a plus size model into the salon, called MM Bubbles, who was charged an extra £5…
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The Coalition Government plans to axe a rebate for low-income workers, which is set to affect up to half of all working women and will also hit rural workers. The plan is to scrap a $500 Low-income Super contribution for people earning less than $37,000 a year, as part of the bill to abolish…
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A new, startling discovery reports that the morning after pill, NorLevo, isn’t always effective for women who weigh over 74 kgs, and will not work at all for women who weigh more than 79 kgs. NorLevo is made by French manufacturer HRA Pharma, and the company has recently revised its packaging to indicate…
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On 21 November, Michelle Cottle of Politico magazine wrote a story titled ‘Leaning Out – How Michelle Obama became a feminist nightmare,’ which has sparked some pertinent questions: Is the American first lady a feminist, or not? Is she a feminist icon? Well, according to Cottle, her very recent move to become an ambassador for…
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Last night the Scottish Parliament voted 98 – 15 to move a same-sex marriage bill forward to the parliamentary committee. Ministers told the BBC that the move was ‘the right thing to do.’ The bill passed on its first reading, allowing it to be moved to the Equal Opportunities Committee, where lawmakers will consider amendments…
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A Brazilian woman who controversially attempted to auction off her virginity for charity is starting the bidding again. Catarina Migliorini, 21, was offered more than AU$800,000 by a Japanese bidder to do the deed late last year, but refused to consummate the deal on meeting with him. ‘I am the sole owner of my own…
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