Women's Leadership

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms captured the nation’s attention when she addressed the civil unrest occurring in her city after George Floyd’s death.

“I am a mother to four black children in America, one of whom is 18 years old,” Bottoms said Friday in a rousing speech watched and praised across the country. “When I saw the murder of George Floyd, I hurt like a mother.”

Boris Johnson has been reprimanded after laughing when he was asked about a lack of female decision makers in the government’s coronavirus response.

Appearing before the House of Commons liaison committee, the prime minister was told by chair Sir Bernard Jenkin: “It’s not a joking matter.”

The coronavirus pandemic is having a devastating effect on gender equality and could set women back decades, experts have said on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act.

In a week during which it was revealed that women are bearing the brunt of extra childcare and housework and are losing jobs in greater numbers than men, campaigners, politicians and work experts said a dearth of female voices at the heart of government also risks putting 50 years of progress into reverse.

The COVID-19 crisis points to female leadership as a marker for healthier and more equal societies that are more receptive to political agendas placing social and environmental wellbeing at the core of national policymaking, according to a new analysis involving Lorenzo Fioramonti from the University of Pretoria and Luca Coscieme from Trinity.

"Women in Turkey do five times as much domestic and care work than men. The Covid-19 crisis will likely deepen inequalities," says a guide by UN Women.

Since 2015 Food4Humanity Foundation, one of Yemen’s first women-led Civil Society Organization (CSO) non-profits, has engaged Yemeni women volunteers to work in areas most affected by poverty, famine, lack of humanitarian aid while also promoting civic values, charitable and responsible citizenship.