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Several women activists killed fighting for human rights The move has been condemned by women across the US, citing access to birth control as imperative to treat several pre-existing conditions and for women to exercise reproductive and sexual freedom.

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This allows a larger group of employers and insurers across industries to exempt themselves from covering contraceptives, which could mean that many American women would no longer have access to birth control free of charge. In early October, the Trump administration issued a rule that significantly limits the contraception coverage mandate under the Affordable Care Act. Trump administration cuts access to birth control under employer coverage However, even though taxes were slashed on many products in the November revision of GST, taxes on sanitary napkins remain the same. Protests broke out in different parts of the country, with the media and women’s rights organisations voicing out against sanitary napkins, a feminine hygiene necessity, being placed in the 12 percent tax bracket. The new GST rollout in July infuriated women across India, for under it, sanitary napkins were taxed heavily at 12 percent. Sanitary napkins taxed heavily under GST in India The move is considered a blow to women’s rights and has been criticised by activists who fear an increase in child brides being forced to marry older men and a rise in polygamy. In October, the Turkish parliament passed a law allowing muftis to perform civil marriages as opposed to the authority previously lying only in the hands of state officials in the family affairs directorate. New Turkish marriage law may spur child marriages and polygamy While the Myanmar government denies allegations of ethnic cleansing and mass rape, medical professionals treating women and children in Bangladesh’s refugee camps housing Rohingya refugees have been stunned by the sheer volume of rapes. Widespread rape of Rohingya women and girls in MyanmarĪmidst the gut-wrenching persecution and killing of Rohingya Muslims as part of the ethnic-cleansing said to be carried out by Myanmar’s armed forces, reports assert that Rohingya women and girls are being subjected to widespread rape and torture.

The SC has issued a six-month ban on the law until the parliament passes legislation on the same. This was a major victory for women fighting the triple talaq law, which violates their right to equality. Three out of five judges on the bench ruled against triple talaq, a law that allows a Muslim man to divorce his wife by simply uttering the word talaq (meaning divorce in Arabic) three times. In August, the Indian Supreme Court (SC), abolished Triple Talaq or instant divorce law practised by some Muslims in India. Triple talaq unconstitutional, says Indian Supreme Court A committee will be set up to plan and evaluate the proper execution of the new order, set to take effect in June 2018. This decree was hailed by Saudi women and men alike. Saudi Arabia is the last country where women were not allowed to drive. In a landmark move, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a royal decree in September, granting Saudi women drivers’ licences. Saudi Arabia lifts ban on women driving cars The Silence Breakers were also named TIME magazine’s Person of the Year. Subsequently, the #MeToo campaign gained momentum on social media with women all over the world sharing their harrowing experiences of being sexually harassed, molested and raped. Soon many men and women in the film, media and entertainment industries came forward with sexual assault allegations against several famous men – including Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, Louis C.K., Matt Lauer, James Toback, Al Franken, Roy Moore among others. In the weeks that followed, the tally of women accusing Weinstein rose to over 90. It all started with The New York Times exposé of dozens of women accusing Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and rape. Women speak up about sexual harassment – #MeToo The protests also advocated causes such as immigration reform, healthcare, environmental conservation, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, freedom to practise all religions, and the fight against racial discrimination. While the flagship protest took place in Washington, several similar marches were conducted by activists and women’s rights groups in different states. Following the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States, women took to the streets of Washington in large numbers to protest the anti-women statements he had made and positions he had taken during his presidential campaign.