May 15, 2023
Ghana: Black and Bold Queens Is a New Children's Book Celebrating Women in Ghana's History
A new children's book, Black and Bold Queens: Women in Ghana's History explores the lives of 16 notable female pioneers and leaders in the West African country, with a strong focus… Read more »
May 07, 2023
East Africa: Children's Book Revolution - How East African Women Took On Colonialism After Independence
As independence from British colonial rule swept across East Africa in the early 1960s and freedom was won in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, parents and teachers worried about what… Read more »
May 02, 2023
Africa: Four Things You Need to Know About Having a Caesarean Section
If you're pregnant or planning to have a baby soon, you've probably been given lots of advice and information about what you might experience during and after the birth. But less… Read more »
April 27, 2023
Africa: Why Menstrual Leave Could Be Bad for Women
Spain recently adopted a menstrual leave policy, which makes additional (paid or unpaid) days off work available to "only and all cisgender women". Read more »
May 01, 2023
Ghana: Amma Darko Uses Fiction to Portray the Real Plight of Women and Street Children in Ghana
Amma Darko is one of Ghana's leading novelists, known for exploring gritty social issues and the lives of women. There is much to be unearthed in the childhood narrative of… Read more »
April 24, 2023
Libya: Social Media Now Trumps Traditional Family Networks in Libya - My Facebook Survey Reached 446,000 Women
When I told my family and friends I intended to pursue a PhD researching HIV awareness among married women in Libya, my home country, the reaction was not encouraging: "You'd be… Read more »
April 12, 2023
Senegal: Only 1 in 3 Girls Makes It to Secondary School in Senegal - Here's Why and How to Fix It
Senegal has a young population, with about half of its 18 million people aged below 19. This indicates a potentially high demand for education. Of those aged six to 11, however,… Read more »
March 24, 2023
Nigeria: Water Scarcity On Nigeria's Coast Is Hardest On Women - Six Steps to Ease the Burden
Imagine waking up before dawn every day to fetch water for your family. You trek to the nearest water source, miles away, with only a jerrycan to carry the precious liquid. You… Read more »
March 23, 2023
Ghana: Women Occupy Very Few Academic Jobs in Ghana. Culture and Society's Expectations Are to Blame
In many parts of the world, men dominate the higher education sector. A 2022 UNESCO report found that, globally, fewer than two out of five senior academics are women. In an… Read more »
March 08, 2023
Africa: Why Are There So Few Women in Top Development Posts?
A global reckoning is emerging in the international development sector. Donors and the wider public are recognising the need for aid organisations to practise what they preach on… Read more »
March 07, 2023
Africa: The Pandemic Exposed Gender Inequality - Let's Seize the Opportunity to Remedy It
This year, we are commemorating International Women's Day alongside the three-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more »
Africa: Africa's Shift to Low-Cost Manufacturing Puts Women At Risk
Economists have urged African countries to shift to low-cost manufacturing - the path that led countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan - to industrial… Read more »
March 01, 2023
South Africa: Sex Work in South Africa - Why Both Buying and Selling Should Be Legal
It is illegal to buy or sell sex in South Africa. But this may soon be a thing of the past if a recently published draft bill to decriminalise sex work is passed. Researchers and… Read more »
February 28, 2023
South Africa: Working Women Proved Their Resilience During Covid - As a Result They've Enhanced Their Well-Being
One of the outcomes of the COVID pandemic is that people's working lives have changed. Working at home and hybrid work have become prevalent, after constantly changing government… Read more »
February 27, 2023
Nigeria: Women's Rights Exist Only On Paper in Nigeria - New President Needs to Address Urgently
Violence against African women and the widespread violation of their basic human rights is shaped by societal and cultural barriers. In Nigeria, women's rights appear to be… Read more »
February 19, 2023
Nigeria: Gender Equality in Nigeria - Three Reasons Why Women Aren't Represented in Politics
In March 2022, Nigerian women suffered backlash in their pursuit of gender equity. Five gender bills presented to the National Assembly were thrown out. Read more »
February 07, 2023
Africa: Surgery Risks Are Disproportionately High for Women in Africa - New Study
Improving surgical care for women in low- and middle-income countries is a global health priority. It's also critical for sustainable development because of the critical role women… Read more »
February 03, 2023
Africa: Nipple Ban On Instagram and Facebook Reveals How Bizarre Our Attitude Is Towards Different Genders
Some women consign themselves to breastfeeding in public toilets to prevent their apparently sexually explosive nipples causing offence. On hot days, meanwhile, males of all ages,… Read more »
February 02, 2023
South Africa: Remote Working Improves the Lives of Women Managers - But At a Cost
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a question that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: do we really need to be in the office all the time? Read more »
January 16, 2023
Africa: Women's Voices Are Missing in the Media - Including Them Could Generate Billions in Income
How can the news media represent women's voices better? The answer might be in a recent report, "From outrage to opportunity: How to include the missing perspectives of women of… Read more »
January 12, 2023
South Africa: Pregnant Learners Need Creches and Compassion to Keep Them in School
After Boitumelo gave birth she decided not to go back to school. She assumed that, because she was now a mother, she would be barred from returning. Then she had a surprising… Read more »
January 11, 2023
Ethiopia: Chinese Imports Could Undermine Ethiopian Manufacturing - Leaving Women Workers Worst Off
China is now the African continent's largest trading partner, accounting for US$254 billion in 2021. It's also the main country of origin for African manufacturing imports,… Read more »
Africa: Speculum - the Creepy History of This Ancient Gynaecological Device and Why It's Still Feared
Women's health is in crisis. In many places, gynaecology waiting lists are rising or are even at record lengths. Read more »
January 09, 2023
Africa: Women Work Harder Than Men - Our Anthropological Study Reveals Why
For most people around the world, physical work takes up a great amount of time and energy every day. But what determines whether it is men or women who are working harder in… Read more »
December 21, 2022
Kenya: Female Genital Mutilation Rates Peak During School Holidays - an Alternative Option Offers a Solution
Female genital mutilation is a practice deeply rooted in cultural traditions around the world. The World Health Organisation defines it as comprising all procedures that involve… Read more »