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Women and gender

People wait in a queue to cast their ballots at a polling station during Sri Lanka’s presidential election in Galle on September 21. Photo: TNS

Women candidates signal potential shift in Sri Lanka’s male-dominated politics

While analysts welcome the increase, they caution that more women in politics alone won’t challenge patriarchal norms and achieve true gender equality.

India’s political parties woo women voters with cash handouts

‘Boycotting men’: South Korean feminist movement gains traction after Trump win

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At Hong Kong’s Tam Jai noodle joint, waitresses are the stars

These ‘Tam Jai jeh jehs’ are not only the backbone of the beloved chain, they’ve even modelled for a fashion show with the Hong Kong Design Institute.

A female staff member carrying out a bowl of soup noodles at a Tam Jai restaurant in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak

China haircare brand faces backlash as flirty ‘fake besties’ post ‘betrays’ women

Promotional post implies that ‘fake best friends’ may attempt to seduce their friend’s boyfriend, latch onto any man they meet.

In India, trial starts over rape and murder of Kolkata doctor

Charges were drawn up last week, while the man arrested said he was ‘completely innocent’ and was being framed.

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In Japan, call to ban women marrying after 25 stirs backlash

Naoki Hyakuta, founder of the Conservative Party of Japan, also angered many when he proposed uterus removal for women at the age of 30.

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A young Japanese couple at a garden in Tokyo. Photo: Shutterstock

Berlin Wall divide that once shaped German women’s lives still echoes today

Women’s lives that have diverged so starkly under communism and capitalism have become much more similar again.

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UK counsellor dismissed for gender-critical views awarded US$90,000

Judge ruled the counselling support worker suffered harassment, discrimination in her claim of dismissal against a rape crisis centre.

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Profile | 3 China women whose journeys showcase strength, resilience in overcoming challenges

Chinese public being treated to front-row seat to rising awareness surrounding women’s rights in recent years.

Three Chinese women – Zhang Weili, left, Yang Li, top right, and Su Min – whose journeys highlight their strength and determination to overcome challenges in diverse arenas. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo

Iranian student in underwear protest put in ‘specialised care centre’

Authorities say she suffers from ‘psychological fragility’; activists say other women opposing the system have been sent to such facilities.

A woman in Paris, France on Tuesday holds a placard in support of an Iranian female student seen in her underwear at a Tehran university. The slogan reads “Woman, Life, Freedom”. Photo: Reuters

How Indonesian fashion brand SukkhaCitta blends tradition with sustainability

Using regenerative farming based on traditional methods, SukkhaCitta champions environmental and financial sustainability for its employees, and high-quality, long-lasting clothes for consumers.

‘No right to interfere’: UN criticism of Japan’s succession law sparks outcry

Critics argue that the UN panel’s call undermines Japan’s national identity, sparking a fierce debate on gender equality and tradition.

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Concern grows for Iran woman detained over underwear protest

Activists fear the student – seen as a feminist icon after stripping outside her university – could be confined in a psychiatric institution.

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Footage widely shared on social media shows a female student in her underwear outside Tehran’s Islamic Azad University. Photo: UGC via AFP

‘Our daughters are not safe’: anxiety in Malaysia after multiple girls go missing

Police say seven girls have been reported missing over the past five months, with some feared kidnapped.

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Girls make their way home after school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Reuters

Female Iranian student strips to protest harassment, is arrested, reports say

The woman sat outside a university in her underwear before defiantly walking in the street to the astonishment of passers-by.

China city’s bold measures to boost marriage, birth rates spark harsh criticism

Government slogans like ‘I enjoy making breakfast’, ‘Having three children is the coolest’ have drawn criticism.

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Korea’s first lesbian parents on their fight for marriage equality

South Korea’s first lesbian parents joined a marriage-equality lawsuit. They share why legalising same-sex marriage is about more than love.

Kim Sae-yeon (left) and her partner Kim Kyu-jin speak during a press conference at which they and 10 other Korean same-sex couples announced their intention to file a lawsuit against district offices’ rejection of their marriage registrations. Photo: AFP

The Nepali women behind village's blooming business

New survey sheds light on reporting of sexual assault cases

A new survey has raised new questions on the Hong Kong legal system’s response to sexual assault cases.

Harris calls out Trump’s vow to protect women whether they ‘like it or not’

The Democrat US presidential candidate called the comment ‘offensive to everybody’, saying it shows Trump does not understand women’s rights.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris speaks to the press in Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Over 400 alleged victims of ex-Harrods boss Al Fayed come forward

Lawyers representing the victims criticise Harrods’ compensation plan, citing concerns about potential conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency.

Egyptian businessman and Ritz hotel owner Mohammed Al Fayed poses with his hotel staff in Paris, in June 2016. Photo: AP

Nepali women bloom amid garland industry’s flowering prosperity

Nepal is set to export 200,000 garlands, valued at US$1.4 million, providing jobs and income for women who weave flowers into garlands.

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George W. Bush’s daughter Barbara Bush endorses Kamala Harris in US election

She also campaigned for the Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state in the US presidential race against Donald Trump.

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Sudan sees sexual violence on ‘staggering’ scale amid civil war: UN

Children are not spared the abuse, while women and girls are being abducted for sexual slavery.

Civilians who fled war-torn Sudan arrive at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees transit centre in Renk. Photo: Reuters

Inclusive policies, flexible work rules spur gender diversity, Saudi summit told

Speakers at HERizon Summit in Riyadh included HSBC ex-CEO Noel Quinn, former HKEX chairman Laura Cha.

Noel Quinn, former HSBC CEO. Photo: Associated Press

Chinese government workers urge women to get pregnant in latest birth rate push

The national grass-roots campaign to gauge sentiment and create pregnancy incentives is running into lingering resentment and worry, officials say.

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Profile | From ‘little fat kid’ to China muscle goddess, Bian Ruiying recalls transformation

She wants everyone to realise the world is not only for men.

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Women and gender
News and analysis on women's rights, the gender gap, LGBTQ issues, sexual harassment, sexual minorities and masculinity in Asia and beyond.
last updated:
16 October, 2024
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