Women in the News

The war in Syria has been causing a lot of casualties. But a story of a “strong baby” being born in that war-torn country can also be read in the news. Read more about it here, and other news about women that made it to the headlines.

Toll of Syria’s war: Baby born with shrapnel on forehead

In war-torn Syria, a baby girl was a victim of the country’s civil war before she was even born. The newborn is named Amel, or “Hope,” because of what she has survived in her first days of life in Aleppo. She came into this world bearing a scar of war on her forehead.

Mexico’s Missing Girls – Vanished Without a Trace

Thousands of women and girls have disappeared over the past decade in the State of Mexico. Many girls are targeted online and go willingly and their families are left to do the investigating themselves. Nobody knows how many of the missing have been found, dead or alive. Many families in Mexico who have lost loved ones are now turning to social media for help, upset at the lack of official action. Thousands of people believe they have a better chance of finding missing relatives if they organise online searches themselves.

Read more here from Women’s Rights News (viralwomen.com)

91-Year-Old Woman Charged With 260,000 Counts of Accessory to Murder

The charges are related to deaths at the Auschwitz concentration camp. A spokesperson for the prosecutors in Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein state said Monday that the woman is a former radio operator for the camp’s commandant and that she appears fit for trial, according to the BBC.

Life as a waitress too often means low pay and sexual harassment

When you live paycheck to paycheck, reporting discrimination or harassment becomes complicated. When I was 16, I worked part-time in a Los Angeles ice cream parlor where customers could tip us to make us sing. We were their dancing monkeys.

Fighting fistula in Kenya: two women’s endeavor to end discrimination

Obstetric Fistula is a severe medical condition affecting over a million women in developing countries. The condition, caused by prolonged or failed childbirth, creates a constant leaking of urine, feces, and blood as a result of a hole that forms between the vagina and bladder or rectum. It disproportionally affects poor women since they often give birth without medical help and do not have access to adequate medical care during or after labor.

‘Fluffy vagina blankets’: How reusable sanitary pads became a period phenomenon

Cloth sanitary pads are the feminine hygiene product with a twist: you can wash and reuse them. Most are brightly patterned, to keep staining to a minimum. Once worn, they are simply rinsed in cold water, and then popped in the wash ready for next time.

What’s it like to be a ‘girl gamer’ on Twitch?

The world of Twitch and streaming video games is predominently populated by men. Women, while not unwelcome, are still a rarity, with rarified experiences in the boys’ club that is video gaming.