This ongoing series highlights women’s news and information about foreign policy. This week’s post coversApril 01 to April 07.

Nigeria

This week, gunmen abducted about 80 people, mostly women and children, in Zamfara State.

Police spokesperson Mohammed Shehu confirmed the incident in a statement, adding that the police were working with the military and community security guards to rescue the victims.

Read more here.

United States of America

A federal judge in Texas has ordered a hold on the approval of a widely used abortion medication, Mifepristone.

In a 67-page opinion, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo, Texas, halted the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. The ruling will not go into effect for seven days to allow the government to appeal.

Read more here.

Iran

This week, Iran’s health and education ministries announced that women would be shut out from health and educational services if they fail to comply with compulsory hijab requirements.

In a statement, the Ministry of Education explained that the requirement is in line with “creating a positive and constructive discourse among students on the issue of Islamic culture and beliefs” and “creating a correct and positive attitude and beautiful thinking about the culture of chastity and hijab among students.”

Iranian authorities have begun installing cameras in public places to identify unveiled women.

Read more here.

France

France’s minister for the social economy, Marlène Schiappa, has faced backlash after she posed—fully clothed—for the cover of Playboy magazine.

Schiappa defended her decision to appear in the magazine, writing on Twitter: “Defending the right of women to do what they want with their bodies: everywhere and all the time. In France, women are free. Whether it annoys the retrogrades and hypocrites or not.”

Read more here.

Global Women

The United Nation’s Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF) launched a fresh call for funding proposals on Thursday, aimed at improving opportunities for uniformed women to serve in peacekeeping operations, and better serve vulnerable communities worldwide.

Read more here.