The Week in Women
Czech Republic rejects treaty on violence against women, Poland to restore access to emergency contraception, women and children are the main victims in the Israel-Hamas war
Hi readers, and welcome to The Week in Women, a rundown of this week’s major women’s rights stories from around the world. Here we go!
Poland’s cabinet approved a draft law to restore prescription-free emergency contraception, reversing a restriction by the previous nationalist government.
On the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Biden announced new guidance on abortion, contraception access, and patients’ rights.
Anti-abortion activists held the annual March for Life in DC, with a focus on next steps forward for the movement to restrict abortion rights.
A new study found that, since the Dobbs decision, almost 65,000 pregnancies have been caused by rape in the 14 states where abortion is banned.
In the war between Israel and Hamas, it’s women and children who are the main victims, the UN finds. And childbirth is a particular nightmare.
The ex-chief of Spanish soccer will face a trial over his unsolicited kiss with a woman player at the World Cup.
Ohio lawmakers banned gender-affirming care for minors, overriding a rare veto from the state’s Republican governor.
Women’s rights are disappearing in Argentina under authoritarian president Javier Milei.
Israeli hostages released from Gaza say those who are left being are being badly abused — especially the women and girls, but boys and men, too.
In Afghanistan, crackdowns on women’s rights continue under the brutally misogynist Taliban. Unmarried women cannot work, travel, or access healthcare without a male guardian.
Czech leaders rejected ratifying an international treaty opposing violence against women. The split was largely between liberal lawmakers who supported signing it, and conservative traditionalists who argued — along with many churches — that the treaty would undermine traditional gender roles.
Tennis champions Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova write in the Washington Post: Don’t move the Women’s Tennis Association finals to Saudi Arabia, a country that sentences LGBT people to death, requires women to live under the thumb of a male guardian, allows for marital rape, and generally treats women as little more than property.
…and that’s it for now. Have a great week ahead!
xx Tamar + Jill
The Week in Women comes to you thanks to research from Tamar Eisen (she/her/hers), an advocate for reproductive justice and gender equity. She lives in New York City where she works for the Center for Reproductive Rights and teaches yoga.