Women created almost half of all new businesses in the U.S. last year
5 million businesses were founded in the U.S. in 2022. 47% of those new businesses were founded by women. Before the pandemic, just 29% of American entrepreneurs were women.
Women's rights & well-being
Japan approves first abortion pill
Japanese activists have been pushing for years for approval of the pills, with similar medications made available decades ago in other countries as Japan lagged ever further behind.
Pope Francis gives women right to vote in bishops’ meeting for first time
Francis approved changes to the norms governing the Synod of Bishops, a Vatican body that gathers the world’s bishops together for periodic meetings, following decades of demands by women to have the right to vote.
New Zealand cabinet reaches gender equality for the first time
Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime, who is of Māori descent, was recently promoted as a cabinet minister. There are now 10 women and 10 male members in the cabinet for the time in the nation’s history.
Washington State passes “shield law” to protect people from out-of-state seeking gender-affirming care and abortions
H.B. 1469 prohibits Washington legal authorities from cooperating with out-of-state subpoenas, court orders, warrants, and extradition requests regarding gender and reproductive health care.
Uzbekistan adopts landmark legislation on domestic violence
Under the new law, people found guilty of assaulting a current or former partner will face fines or prison time, and sexual offenders will not be eligible for early release.
New project to bring education to 10 million girls in rural India
Working in partnership with the government, Educate Girls operates in over 20,000 villages serving adolescent girls and young women who have permanently dropped out of school.
Pakistani president upholds equal rights for female employees in groundbreaking move
The President further emphasized that discrimination against women is against the spirit of the founders of Pakistan, against the fair practices of Islam, and against the Constitution.
Women make up 40% of boards at top U.K. companies for first time
Just over a decade ago, 152 of the FTSE 350 Boards had no women on them. Now there are women on every board and the vast majority of companies have three or more.
Honduran president ends ban on emergency contraception, making it widely available
For years, Honduras was the only nation in the Americas to have an absolute ban on the sale or use of emergency contraception, also known as morning-after or “Plan B” pills.