From: The Stream
Why gender-based violence in South Africa is now a national emergency
We look back at South Africa’s nationwide shutdown by women, as they halted work to protest gender-based violence.
![Women hold banners reading 'You are healthy children of patriarchy' and 'Femicide is a state murder, the state does not protect us' during a gathering for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in Milan, Italy, on November 25, 2023 [Luca Bruno/AP Photo]](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AP23354583740518-1764125496.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
![“I’ve lived in this camp for 45 years,” says Bachalibanoya. After her husband’s death, the children of his other wife accused her of witchcraft—an allegation that would alter the course of her life. Now the oldest resident of the Gambaga camp, she has lived in exile for more than four decades. [Claire Thomas/Al Jazeera]](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CT_GHANA_9MAY25_0186-1763638267-1-1763884262.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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EXPLAINER
President Claudia Sheinbaum groped: How unsafe is Mexico for women?
The president has announced a review of laws against sexual harassment in the country plagued by a femicide crisis.
In Sudan, war is being waged on women and children
Girls are raped, boys are forced to fight and families go hungry, but the world looks away.
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum presses charges after groping attack on street
Sheinbaum calls for review of sexual harassment laws, as attack shines light on Mexico’s poor record on women’s safety.
Afghan women’s football team makes international return after four years
Afghanistan women’s refugee team played their first match in a FIFA-organised four-team friendly competition in Morocco.
Why 25-year-old Mahnoor Omer took Pakistan to court over periods
Sanitary pads in Pakistan carry up to 40 percent taxes. That amounts to punishing women, say critics – for being women.
![Mahnoor Omer wants Pakistan to scrap taxes on sanitary pads, which add 40 percent to their costs [Photo courtesy Mahnoor Omer]](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/ahsan-and-mahnoor-1761274561.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
EXPLAINER
Why has Pakistan’s HPV vaccine campaign faced a backlash?
Pakistan rolled out the vaccine for the HPV virus last month. The virus causes cervical cancer.
Team members at the Model Queens Football Academy - Sheu Aisha Malami, 18, Salaudeen Ganiyah, 18, Muhammed Maryam, 17, Joseph Hanna, 18, Bashirat Omotosho, 19, and Lawal Hikmat, 18 - pose for a photo at a Kwara State stadium for the youth tournament final match with Kwara Ladies FC in Ilorin, Nigeria. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Team members of the Model Queens Football Academy train before a tournament in Ilorin, Kwara State , Nigeria. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
A drone view of the Ilorin central mosque in Oja-Oba, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Model Queens players prepare for a youth tournament final match. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Maryam Muhammed, 17, watches a football match of one of her favourite players, Sergio Busquets, at her home in Ilorin. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Bashirat Omotosho, 19, assists her mother, Titilayo Omotosho, with "puff-puff", a fried dough snack they will sell, in Ilorin. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Salaudeen Ganiyah, 18, Bashirat Omotosho, 19, and Adeoti Elizabeth, 18, team members of Model Queens, warm up before the final match of the youth tournament with Kwara Ladies FC in Ilorin. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Maryam prepares to kick a ball during a training session. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Maryam exercises at home. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Bashirat and Maryam practise before the final match. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Maryam washes her uniform a day before the match. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Kehinde Muhammed looks at the medal of her daughter Maryam after a tournament. Maryam's mother, Kehinde Muhammed, has faced criticism for allowing her daughter to play. "So many people discouraged me," she said. "But I respect my children’s decisions." [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Bashirat watches as her team members play at an open pitch. She was not playing in the match due to illness. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Shehu Aisha Malami, 16, and Maryam arrive at the Kwara State stadium for the final match. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
Model Queens team members catch up with Abdulwahab Kaosarat, 21, a former player, as she carries her baby on her back, after a training session in Ilorin. [Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
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From: Game Theory
Afghan Women’s Team: The Fight to Play
For the first time since the Taliban regained power in 2021, Afghanistan’s women’s football team will compete
Published On 19 Oct 2025
Portugal’s parliament approves far-right party’s bill to ban face veils
If bill is signed into law, Portugal would join several European countries which already have full or partial bans.
Through Well-Being Club sessions in Guatemala, women find their voice, strengthen self-esteem, and heal together. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Vanessa Canahuí, facilitator of the Well-Being Club in San Miguel Chicaj, guided sessions for women to help them build trust, resilience, and self-esteem. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Women in Santa Apolonia practise guided drawing while blindfolded, an exercise highlighting the value of trust, support, and interdependence. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
“We were blindfolded and had to draw while another person guided us. It reminded me how much we depend on others and how valuable support can be,” says Jacqueline. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
“Many women suffer from a lack of love and respect,” says Reina from San Miguel Chicaj. “We need to know ourselves, value ourselves, and strengthen our self-esteem.” [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
The Well-Being Clubs give Indigenous women safe spaces to reconnect with themselves, build confidence, and grow together. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Women explore emotions and stress management through interactive games and practical exercises at the Well-Being Club. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
“It was something beautiful,” says Norma. “I felt included and valued in an activity that strengthened my sense of worth as a woman.” [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Life in the remote mountains of Baja Verapaz can feel isolating, but women gather at the Well-Being Club to share experiences and grow together. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Women take part in an “emotions game,” one of several activities designed to help them recognise and express their feelings. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
From journalling to group discussions, the sessions created safe spaces where women’s voices were heard and valued. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Through these clubs, women gain tools to make decisions about their lives and propose changes that benefit their communities. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
Local facilitator Vanessa Canahuí encourages women to express themselves in Achi, creating a safe space where trust and confidence can flourish. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
With warmth and patience, Vanessa guided 300 women through 10 Well-Being Club sessions in San Miguel Chicaj. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
In the remote mountains of Baja Verapaz, Well-Being Club sessions help Indigenous women find their voice and strength, creating change that will echo through generations to come. [Luis Pedro Lara/IOM]
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