Around the World in 5 is an ongoing series that highlights news related to women in five countries, updated every week. This week’s post covers October 22 to October 27.
Nigeria
According to the 2023 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Index report, Nigeria is ranked as the 16th lowest-ranking country out of 177 nations in terms of the status of women. This report, launched in New York on Monday, assesses various factors, such as education, employment, laws, and organized violence, categorized under three dimensions: inclusion, justice, and security.
The report highlights that the bottom 20 countries, including Nigeria, have experienced armed conflicts between 2021 and 2022, with 2022 being the deadliest year for conflict-related deaths since the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
In contrast, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland are the top five countries for women to live in, while Afghanistan, Yemen, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan rank as the five worst countries on the index.
The Democratic Republic of Congo
Escalating tensions in the Democratic Republic of Congo are resulting in a significant upsurge in incidents of sexual assault targeting displaced women.
Over the last year, hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been compelled to flee their homes in eastern Congo, constituting almost 60 per cent of those seeking refuge in displacement sites near the city of Goma.
In July, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, or MSF) disclosed that they had provided medical care to 1,500 female survivors of sexual violence in three displacement camps outside Goma, a number that had more than doubled from May
Japan
The highest court in Japan has deemed it unconstitutional to mandate sterilization for transgender individuals seeking legal gender transition.
This landmark decision, issued by a 15-member grand bench of the Supreme Court, assessed the constitutionality of the Gender Identity Disorder Special Cases Act.
This legal challenge was initiated by an anonymous transgender woman who had not undergone surgery. Notably, this is the Supreme Court’s inaugural ruling declaring the clause unconstitutional, and it follows closely on the heels of a related case considered by a family court in Japan.
Vatican City
In a significant assembly led by Pope Francis, attended by Catholic bishops and laypeople, it was emphasized as “urgent” to ensure increased involvement of women in positions of authority within the church.
Furthermore, the gathering called for the release of research findings regarding the potential inclusion of women as deacons within the next year. Following a month of private deliberations, the meeting concluded late on Saturday, presenting a 42-page document addressing various topics.
These proposals are not binding, serving as recommendations for Pope Francis to deliberate upon, and will be further discussed in a subsequent session next year.
Palestine
Amidst the ongoing public outcry over the Israeli army’s airstrikes in Gaza, which have persisted for three weeks, their actions in the occupied West Bank have intensified. This includes not only the aerial bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 7,703 Palestinians, but also a harsh campaign in the West Bank involving the killing of numerous Palestinians by both Israeli soldiers and settlers, as well as the detention of hundreds.
Notably, among those detained, 20 Palestinian women have been captured, as confirmed by Amina al-Taweel, the media spokesperson for the Palestine Centre for Prisoner Studies.
Some of these detained women have been released under house arrest conditions, while others have been transferred to administrative detention. This recent crackdown has raised the total number of Palestinian female prisoners in Israel to over 60.
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