Africa | Liberia | Activism

Advancing Sexual Health and Rights for Liberia’s Next Generation

Source:
In Liberia, cultural norms, patriarchy, and government inaction all puts girls at risk. Discussing sex is considered taboo, which keeps girls disempowered and puts them at risk for exploitation by men in positions of authority (such as teachers). While the government has passed laws that support and affirm the sexual and reproductive health rights of girls and women, these laws often directly contradict accepted cultural practices, and implementation of the laws aren’t well enforced. (For example, the Children’s Act—which guarantees the rights of children and specifically addresses issue
North America | United States | Career

New Report Says Women Will Soon Be Majority Of College-Educated U.S. Worker

Source:
Women are on track to make up a majority of the college-educated labor force this year, marking a historic turning point in gender parity. While women have made up a majority of college-educated adults for roughly four decades, that strength has not always been reflected in the work force, where men have traditionally dominated. Men still outnumber women as a percentage of U.S. workers, but the gap has narrowed significantly in recent years. This year's first-quarter findings reported 29.5 million women in the labor force had at minimum a bachelor's degree, compared to 29.3 million me
North America | United States | Education

Women Make Up Majority of U.S. Law Students for First Time

Source:
For the first time, women make up a majority of law students, holding just over 50 percent of the seats at accredited law schools in the United States. The number of men and women enrolled in juris doctorate programs has been nearly equal for a number of years, but this is the first time women have moved past the 50 percent mark, according to data released Thursday by the American Bar Association. Currently, 55,766 women nationwide are studying for a juris doctor degree, compared with 55,059 men, according to the bar association. First-year students are more than 51 percent women, or 19,
North America | United States | Education

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: RISA GOLUBOFF, UVA LAW’S FIRST FEMALE DEAN, TAKES OFFICE

Source:
Risa Goluboff’s move into the dean’s office at the University of Virginia School of Law may only be a short walk from the office she occupied as a professor, but she is crossing a milestone. Goluboff is the first woman named to the deanship in the almost 200-year history of the Law School. She begins her new role as the school's 12th dean looking forward to embodying the spirit of the institution.  “UVA Law is a joyous place and a humane place, and I think we model that beautifully already, but I’m excited to model that as the dean,” Goluboff said. While acknowledging the responsib
South Asia | Pakistan | Education

Pakistani women at forefront of drive to give poor rural girls an education

Source:
Nearly half of Pakistan's 53 million children aged 5-16 are out of school and 55 percent of those are girls. Pakistan has the third largest number of out-of-school girls in the world, a fact that hit headlines globally in 2012 after Taliban militants shot 14-year-old schoolgirl and education advocate Malala Yousafzai, now a Nobel Peace prize laureate. Now amid this largely patriarchal society, Pakistani women, be they educated campaigners or illiterate mothers, are at the forefront of advocating for girls' right to school. Fatima's luck changed when local community workers visited her
North America | United States | Education

At 102, Nation’s Oldest Working Teacher Has No Plans To Retire

Source:
Teachers and students at one New Jersey school said they hit the jackpot with one of their teachers who’s been with the school for more than 20 years. As CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez reported, they call her Granny and she’s been named the oldest living and working teacher in the United States. At 102 years old, Agnes Zhelesnik certainly doesn’t act her age. “I feel like, maybe 95,” she said. Zhelesnik spent most of her adult life as a stay-at-home mom. Then at the age of 80, started her career as a cooking and sewing teacher at Sundance School in North Plainfield.
Latin America | Chile | Education

Free High Education in Chile to go into Effect in 2016: it ‘a Right, Not A Gift’ Declares Bachelet

Source:
Chilean president Michelle Bachelet said that free higher education in Chile is "a right, and not a gift." This will go into effect in 2016 after more than three decades of students having to pay for their tuition in order to pursue higher education. The President of Chile said in an official statement on Monday that the country has always viewed the pursuit of higher education as a right, and the administration believes in strongly moving ahead with granting the right of free education. Fox News Latino reports that this year, around 165,000 students will be enjoying the new measure. Ba
North America | United States | Activism

Meet Haben Girma, Harvard Law’s first deaf-blind graduate

Source:
Eritrean-American Haben Girma, who is the first deaf-blind graduate at Harvard Law School’s story is a true inspiration. Girma’s extraordinary story highlights her courage and determination despite physical challenges, and she is living proof that disability is certainly no barrier to achieving academic excellence. Girma is an attorney who “advocates for the civil rights of persons with disabilities. A celebrated speaker, she provided the introductory remarks for the 25th Anniversary of the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] at the White House”.
Africa | Guinea | Activism

A voice for Guinean women

Source:
In West Africa, the thriving music business is dominated by men. But one female singer in Guinea is helping women improve their prospects. Sayon Bamba has started an academy where young women receive musical training. The academy also gives the women the opportunity to earn some money instead of working as vendors or engage in prostitution.
Middle East | Lebanon | Education

Amal Clooney Has Launched a Scholarship for Young Lebanese Women

Source:
Amal Clooney hopes to help the next generation of Lebanese girls get a university degree with her new scholarship called 100 Lives. The partnership will help the lucky recipients study for a degree at the United World College in Dilijan, Armenia. 100 Lives is an initiative that hopes to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide. "This scholarship will give young women from Lebanon the opportunity of a lifetime," Clooney said. "Cross-cultural learning and studying abroad can be transformative. I am grateful to 100 Lives for helping to open doors for these bright and talented young women."
Europe | U.K. | Education

Women take record number of university places

Source:
Women are 35% more likely to go to university than men, the widest gap so far, according to annual entry figures. The Ucas admissions service says record numbers - 532,300 students - began courses in UK universities this autumn. But there were wide regional variations - with youngsters in London 40% more likely to enter university than those in south-west or north-east England. Ucas chief Mary Curnock Cook said poor white males should now be the focus of "outreach efforts". The annual statistics from Ucas show the complete picture of university applications for those starting courses
Asia | Korea | Education

Women Compete Fiercely for Military Academies

Source:
Competition among women for a place at the Korea Military Academy is the highest since female cadets were first accepted from 1998. Only one in every 49.5 applicants will make it through and start classes next year. The KMA has a 10-percent women quota for every class. There are 310 new entrants each year. Some 1,480 people have applied for the 2016 academic year. The competition ratio for men is only 19.1:1. The competition ratio for women at the Naval Academy and Air Force Academy was even higher at 60:1 and 57.1:1.
North America | United States | Activism

Girl power: Fund awards $1,000 scholarships to 1,000 women

Source:
Christie Garton is helping women reach their dreams one scholarship at a time. Last January, Garton, a social entrepreneur and author of The College Girl’s Guide to Everything, launched the 1,000 Dreams Fund, a program that provides $1,000 scholarships to young women working to reach their dreams. “Any support women can get at this life stage can truly change their lives,” says Garton. The program, funded by outside donors, has been live for nearly a year and, so far, has awarded 20 scholarships to high school- and college-aged women. Garton’s initial goal is to award the mone
North America | United States | Education

Finally, More Women Are Going To Business School

Source:
More women are going to business school and, if you care about how few females make it to the upper echelons of corporate America, that’s not terrible news. The percentage of women enrolled full-time in the nation’s top business schools, a list that includes Harvard and Wharton, increased to 36 percent in 2015 from 32 percent in 2011, according to a survey released Monday by Forte Foundation, a nonprofit group founded in 2001 that represents large multinationals and business schools and advocates for more women in business. “We’ve been watching this slow and steady growth," Forte