This week, Women continue to push for their voices to heard at home and abroad despite challenges, barriers, and consequences. 

Document Women has gathered five stories from around the world for this week.

United Kingdom

This week, Doctors of the World reported on how migrant women encounter inequalities accessing maternity care in the UK. 

The report is based on data collected from 257 pregnant women with uncertain immigration status who accessed the UK’s health support service between 2017 and 2021.

The report finds that over 80 per cent of the women in the group had their first antenatal care appointment beyond the recommended first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Nearly half of the migrant women did not have any antenatal care until after 16 weeks of pregnancy, compared with the national average of ten per cent.

Read more here. 

Madagascar

This week, the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) gave out a €3.5 million loan to SOAFIARY, an innovative women-led agribusiness from Madagascar.

“SOAFIARY has shown a commitment to working with smallholder farmers to help them improve their livelihoods and communities, as well as creating economic opportunities and jobs for women,” said Thouraya Triki, Director of IFAD’s Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions division.

Read more here. 

Australia

This week, Australia saw its first Muslim women’s festival: “By Muslim women, for Muslim women”.

The festival comes a week after the historic appointment of Australia’s first two Muslim ministers in the Federal parliament. 

“How do Muslim women celebrate a historic milestone and debate ‘reform or revolution?” 

Randa Abdel-Fattah writes.

Read more here. 

Syria

GEM (Guardians of Equality Movement) is a Syrian NGO that’s enabling address Syrian LGBTQ+ issues by dedicating itself to enhancing the lives of people who encounter discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We as an organisation are trying to increase the engagement of the Syrian LGBTQ+ community, whilst providing holistic solutions, mental support and in some cases financial support,” Locked, GEM’s CEO told the New Arab.

Read more here. 

Thailand

This week, Lawmakers in Thailand passed at first reading four different bills on same-sex unions, moving the country closer to becoming the second in Asia to legalise same-gender marriages.

The bill’s passage follows last week’s first official pride parade in Thailand, where thousands waved rainbow flags and called for liberal reforms.

Read more here.