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!

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Wednesday marked International Women’s Day, though women’s rights seem further from grasp than ever. In a speech, the United Nations Secretary General said that at the current trajectory, gender equality is more than 300 years away, after rollbacks and retrogression from governments around the world.

A new case was filed in Texas by five Texan women who were denied abortions after despite suffering severe pregnancy complications. The lawsuit seeks to clarify when doctors can perform abortions under “medical emergency” exceptions to Texas’s abortion bans. This is the first time pregnant people themselves have pursued legal action against abortion bans since Roe was overturned.

Walgreens announced it will not dispense abortion pills in at least 20 states, including in states where abortion is still legal, after Republican state attorney generals threatened legal action. In response to the decision, California Governor Gavin Newsom reported the state is cutting ties with Walgreens as a whole.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to enshrine abortion rights into the country’s constitution. A bill will be submitted to the parliament in coming months to include the freedom to choose an abortion into the text of the constitution.

Spain’s government approved a draft law to require gender quotas in political parties, businesses, and professional associations, with the goal of increasing women’s leadership in decision-making spheres.

Ireland announced it will hold a referendum vote on removing outdated language about women from its constitution, which currently includes phrasing that a woman’s place and duty is in her home.

The president of Honduras ended a decade long ban on the use and sale of the morning after pill after years of advocacy by women’s rights groups.

Canada’s government repealed indecency and anti-abortion laws in their criminal justice system that targeted women and LGBTQ community. The reform will allow people convicted under the offenses to expunge their records.

…and that’s it for now. Have a great week and happy women’s history month!

xx Tamar + Jill

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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.

Jill Filipovic

The Week in Women