The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to health care. But Ms. has always understood: Feminist movements around the world hold answers to some of the U.S.’s most intractable problems. Ms. Global is taking note of feminists worldwide.
Iran
+ Iranian women protest amid brutal crackdown
Protests in Iran, which began in late December over mounting economic pressures and quickly escalated into opposition to the clerical rulers and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have finally been subdued—but not before women took over social media with images and stories of defiance amid brutal crackdown.
Images of Iranian women around the world setting fire to Khamenei’s photograph with their cigarettes quickly went viral, most notably a video of a woman in Canada who identifies herself as an Iranian refugee. The images serve as a powerful symbol of defiance and solidarity with the women living in Iran. Burning the Supreme Leader’s image is a serious offense under Iranian law, and smoking has long been restricted and discouraged for women, making the act a rejection of both state power and strict social norms. On January 8, the Iranian government imposed an internet and phone blackout.
By early February, Khamenei had crushed the protests in what has been described as the bloodiest crackdown of his nearly four-decade rule. Death estimates vary due to the internet shutdown: the Iranian government acknowledged over 3,000 deaths, while the Human Rights Activists News Agency cites 6,000, with more than 17,000 under investigation. Human rights groups and medical professionals report targeted shootings of women’s faces, eyes, and genitals, along with sexual violence during arrest and detention.
“I might go out and get killed. But whatever happens, there is one thing I know for sure, we have nowhere else to go. This is our home. And even if it can’t happen for me, I want the generations after me to experience freedom. Yes, we have lost many lives, but this is no reason to step back,” a content creator in Iran told NPR, who withheld her name for safety.
Gaza
+ Ongoing gaps in reproductive care and accountability
On Jan. 14, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and the University of Chicago Law School’s Global Human Rights Clinic released a comprehensive report documenting the worsening harms to pregnant and postpartum women and infants in Gaza from January to October 2025. Their findings build on the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry’s September report, further highlighting Israel’s intentional attacks on Palestine’s reproductive healthcare.
The report details the impact of health care facility attacks, humanitarian aid restrictions and acute malnutrition on pregnant and postpartum women, newborns and women of reproductive age. PHR names these offenses as tactics of war that constitute reproductive violence, defined in the report as, “acts or omissions that cause harm by interfering with reproductive autonomy and rights or violence directed at people because of their actual or perceived reproductive capacity,” and prohibited under provisions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Between May and June 2025, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported a 41 percent drop in birth rates compared to 2022, over 2,600 women experiencing miscarriages and 220 pregnancy-related deaths before delivery. In October, UNICEF recorded 9,3000 children under five and 8,300 pregnant and breastfeeding women suffering from acute malnutrition.
Due to Gaza’s near-collapse of its health information system since October 7, 2023, these figures likely underestimate the true scale of harm. The report emphasizes that, even amid the current ceasefire, accountability for reproductive violence remains limited and healthcare remains inadequate, and that the needs of women of reproductive age and infants must be prioritized in all rehabilitation and recovery efforts.
Global
+ Trump administration expands “Global Gag Rule”
On January 23, the Trump administration announced a sweeping expansion of the Mexico City Policy, or “global gag rule,” posing threats to human rights initiatives worldwide. Originally, the policy barred organizations from receiving U.S. funds if they provided or discussed abortion services. The latest expansion now extends funding cuts to organizations that provide gender-affirming care, work with transgender or nonbinary people, or engage in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives and other related services.
First introduced under President Ronald Reagan in 1984, the policy was originally limited to family planning and global health programs. On January 23, Vice President JD Vance announced the expansion at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., stating, “Now we’re expanding this policy to protect life, to combat DEI and the radical gender ideologies that prey on our children.” The expansion is part of a broader set of restrictions known as the “Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance” (PHFFA).
Vance added that the administration, “[is] going to start blocking every international NGO that performs or promotes abortion abroad from receiving $1 of U.S. money.” A Lancet Global Health study in October 2025 estimates that, combined with reduced contraception access, the policy could result in 12–16 million additional unsafe abortions across 51 countries by 2030. Humanitarian groups responding to crises could lose funding for even acknowledging transgender people or prioritizing equity in their programs.
Advocates warn the policy may put organizations in conflict with domestic laws where abortion is legal, such as in South Africa, or where transgender identities are recognized, such as in India. The Chief U.S. program officer at the Center for Reproductive Rights called it “a stunning abdication of basic human decency.” “President Trump and his anti-abortion administration would rather let people starve to death in the wake of famine and war than let anyone in the world get an abortion—or even receive information about it.”
International Olympic Committee
+ Olympics face uncertainty on transgender athlete eligibility
As the 2026 Winter Olympics began this past weekend and continue through the end of the month, the future of transgender athletes in the Games remains uncertain. The IOC’s “Protection of the Female Category Working Group,” announced in September to determine how to “best protect the female category,” has yet to make a public decision, and the identities of its members remain confidential.
Previous IOC guidelines allowed transgender women to compete with reduced testosterone levels, leaving final decisions up to the governing entities of the individual sports. However, under new IOC president Kirsty Coventry, a policy update is expected by early 2026, potentially excluding transgender athletes from certain events. Currently, freestyle skier Elis Lundholm is the only openly transgender athlete in the 2026 Winter Games, while at least 44 publicly LGBTQ+ athletes will participate—a record for the Winter Olympics.
On January 22, the Sport and Rights Alliance published an open letter urging the IOC to uphold human rights and clarify the working group’s mandate, warning that confidentiality and lack of transparency could undermine protections for women and girls. Policy changes (including the possibility of a complete ban) are expected before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Australia
+ Australia keeps pressure on Afghanistan and the Taliban
On January 29, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced an additional $50 million in aid to Afghanistan, supplementing the $310 million already provided since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Wong also stated that Australia will continue pursuing legal action against the Taliban for violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), a UN treaty often described as an international bill of rights for women.
In December, the Australian government unveiled what it called the world’s first autonomous sanctions framework targeting Afghanistan and Taliban officials. The framework enables Australia to impose its own sanctions and travel bans, including those placed shortly after on senior Taliban leaders for restricting education, employment, freedom of movement, and public participation for women and girls, as well as undermining good governance and the rule of law.
Last year, Australia joined Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands in announcing plans to bring the Taliban to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over human rights violations. In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for the Taliban leader and the head of its supreme court for alleged crimes against humanity targeting women and girls.
Kenya
+ Kenyan courts un-ban queer love story
After an eight-year legal battle, Kenya’s Court of Appeals ruled on January 23 that the 2018 ban on the film Rafiki was unconstitutional. Directed by rising filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu, the film follows the love story of two teenage girls in urban Kenya.
While the film was celebrated internationally upon its release, Rafiki had been banned in Kenya, where homosexuality remains criminalized. The court held that depicting same-sex relationships does not constitute promoting illegal activity. The film can now be submitted for classification under Kenya’s Film and Stage Plays Act, a step toward public screening.
African film industries have long been constrained by moral, religious and political regulations in their respective countries, with queer sexuality among the most heavily restricted subjects. The ban on Rafiki became a symbol of the barriers artists face when challenging traditional views on sex, gender or morality. The court’s ruling represents more than a victory for the director, and signals a potential shift in how African films navigate censorship. Public screenings in Kenya will allow audiences to see queer lives and love stories reflected in their own communities.
Great Job Olivia Mccabe & the Team @ Ms. Magazine for sharing this story.
