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According to new data from China’s health ministry, more than 330 million abortions have been preformed since the nation began enforcing its controversial one-child policy 40 years ago. By comparison, there have been an estimated 50 million abortions in the U.S. since it was legalized in the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision of 1973. Along with the staggering number of abortions preformed in China, officials also report that more than 196 million Chinese citizens have undergone sterilization procedures.

Human rights groups have longed criticized the practice of forced abortions and sterilizations in China, where the government strictly enforces its small family rules. The selective abortions have also led to a large gender imbalance in the country; because of traditional preferences for male children and the one-child policy, there are now 34 million more men in the country than women … Discuss

 

Malala Yousufzai, the 14-year-old Pakistani who was targeted and shot by the Taliban for speaking publicly about her right to education, is being flown to Britain for specialized care. When Malala was shot by Taliban gunmen on her schoolbus last Tuesday, she quickly became an icon of inspiration for her bold stand for human rights. Ever since, the world has waited, hoped and prayed for her full recovery from the gunshot wounds. And now that she is en route to specialized rehabilitation, doctors are hopeful about her condition. 

From the article:

"It was agreed by the panel of Pakistani doctors and international experts that Malala will require prolonged care to fully recover from the physical and psychological effects of trauma that she has received," the military said in a statement.

"The medical team is pleased with her present condition," it said, a situation that provided the window of opportunity to transfer her to a facility in Britain specializing in care for children with severe injuries.

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In honor of International Day of the Girl, CNN in partnership with global organization 10x10 has asked women around the world to fill in the blank: Girls + Education = _________. The result, in photos, is a striking collection of human inspiration and strength.

As many today observe this day and attempt to right the wrongs that often fall to women across the world, the various answers to this equation, as these girls see it, could stir global change. 

 

 

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Okay, so, overturning an old law that forbids women from riding bicycles may not exactly be a giant leap forward for human rights, but from North Korea, it might as well be the Emancipation Proclamation. The law—first imposed the law in the early 1990s, following an accident that involved a woman on a bike— meant that any woman seen riding could be fined up to 5000 North Korean Won (about $40.) It was not heavily enforced outside the capital city, but Kim Jong Un's decision to completely reverse it shows an unusual amount of reflection and forward thinking for a country that's mostly noted for being a land where freedom goes to die ... Discuss

 

On Monday, the Philippine Senate ratified the Domestic Workers Convention, launching into effect new levels of labor protection and working conditions for millions of Philippine workers. With this new national standard, child labor will be prohibited, migrant workers will be protected from exploitation and safe working conditions will be enforced. 

From the article: 

“The Philippines’ ratification of the Domestic Workers Convention means that basic labor rights for domestic workers are finally becoming a reality,” said Nisha Varia, senior women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “As the treaty goes into effect, millions of women and girls will have the chance for better working conditions and better lives.”

The Domestic Workers Convention sets the first global standards for the estimated 50 to 100 million domestic workers worldwide, the vast majority of whom are women and girls. Domestic workers face a wide range of serious abuses and labor exploitation, including excessive working hours without rest, non-payment of wages, forced confinement, physical and sexual abuse, forced labor, and trafficking. Under the treaty, domestic workers are entitled to protections available to other workers, including weekly days off, limits to hours of work, and minimum wage and social security coverage. The convention also obliges governments to protect domestic workers from violence and abuse, and to prevent child labor in domestic work.

 

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For the first time in history, Saudi Arabian women are competing in the Olympic games. It's a milestone year for all women as every participating country has sent both male and female Olympians for the first time, but it is a particular victory for Saudi women who are denied basic rights in their home country such as the legal approval to drive a car or appear in public. 

From the article: 

Two young women from Saudi Arabia made history at Friday night's Olympics opening ceremony. Sarah Attar and Wojdan Shahrkhani, the first female Saudis to ever compete, represent a landmark moment for Saudi women, who are pushing hard for their most basic rights, and for the female Olympians who arealready the great victors of the 2012 games. These are the first Olympics in which every participating country is sending women: other hold-outs were Qatar and Brunei. 

The International Olympics Committee negotiated with Saudi Arabia for months before finally convincing the country, which systematically excludes women from not just sports but social or outdoor activities in general, to allow these two athletes to go to London.

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