Women march with during a protest against corruption, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dec. 4, 2016 (AP photo by Silvia Izquierdo).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world. On New Year’s Eve, a man broke into a house in southeastern Brazil and shot and killed his ex-wife, their son and 10 other people, before taking his own life. The incident was a particularly shocking example of the rampant violence against women in Brazil, where disturbing cases of gender-based violence are a near-daily occurrence. In an email interview, Sueann Caulfield, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, discusses women’s rights in Brazil. […]

Turkish women hold a banner reading "We don't fear, we will not obey," as they protest violence against women, Ankara, Turkey, Nov. 26, 2016 (AP photo).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world. Last year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called women who work “half persons” and “deficient,” sparking outrage among many liberal Turks, though his statement resonated with the country’s conservative majority. In an email interview, Melinda Negrón-Gonzales, an associate professor at the University of New Hampshire, discusses women’s rights and gender equality in Turkey. WPR: What is the current status of women’s rights and gender equality in Turkey? Melinda Negrón-Gonzales: Generally, Turkey lags behind its […]

Egyptian women wait to cast their votes during parliamentary elections, Alexandria, Egypt, Oct. 19, 2015 (AP photo by Hassan Ammar).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world. Last week, an Egyptian court upheld a decision to freeze the assets of three women’s rights activists. The three are charged, along with five others, of using illegally obtained foreign funds to “destabilize Egypt.” In an email interview, Marwa Shalaby, the director of the Women’s Rights in the Middle East Program at Rice University’s Baker Center, discusses women’s rights and gender equality in Egypt. WPR: What is the current status of women’s rights and […]

Lebanese women protest a law that allows a rapist to get away with his crime if he marries the survivor, Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 6, 2016 (AP photo by Bilal Hussein).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the world. In December, a parliamentary committee in Lebanon recommended striking down a law that allows rapists’ sentences to be reduced if they marry their victims. It will take months for parliament to consider the recommendation, though women’s groups have welcomed it as a first step. In an email interview, Zeina Zaatari, a lecturer and independent consultant on women’s issues in the Middle East, discusses women’s rights in Lebanon. WPR: What is the current status of […]

Women selling sweet potatoes, Kwarra, Nigeria, Jan. 13, 2014 (Community Eye Health photo via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0).

Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing WPR series on the status of women’s rights and gender equality in various countries around the globe. In late December, Nigeria’s top Muslim cleric called on lawmakers to reject a bill currently under debate in the National Assembly that would allow women the right to inherit family wealth and property, saying it goes against the teachings of the Quran. In an email interview, Ngozi Odiaka, a lecturer at Afe-Babalola University in Nigeria, discusses women’s rights in Nigeria. WPR: What is the current status of gender equality and women’s rights in Nigeria? […]