: Women's rights

News from Population Matters.

  • Addressing gender disparities and promoting equality

    Joan Kembabazi is the founder of the Ugandan organisation Gufasha Girls Foundation and a Population Matters Choice Ambassador. In July 2023, we were delighted to assist her to attend the Women Deliver Conference.

  • International Childfree Day: Childfree Stories

    To mark this year’s International Childfree Day, we are sharing some of our favourite testimonials from Population Matters supporters who have made the choice to live their lives without having children.

  • A warning, an apology and a promise

    Decades as a medical professional and environmental activist makes Population Matters’ Patron John Guillebaud well placed to talk about population and the need for voluntary family planning and women’s education.

  • A new report, an online event and awards aplenty

    World Population Day is always our busiest day of the year, and 2023 was no different. After taking a couple of days to decompress, we wanted to share some of the highlights with you.

  • Power to the People report cover

    People power not state power – population policies that work 

    We take a look at some of the population policies around the world which gave people choices and improved their lives.

  • The fight for abortion rights in the US

    Today, the 24 June, marks one year since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States. In this guest post, Grace Long of the US-based organisation Population Connection takes us through the devastating impact on millions of Americans.

  • When will the contraception burden be equally shared?

    The overwhelming burden for contraception still lies with the female partner. The development of male alternatives (aside from condoms and vasectomies) has been slow, due in no small part to a mindset that wants to protect men from the kind of side effects that have impacted women for decades.

  • Young girl looks in mirror, menstrual hygiene, child marriage

    Menstruation, child marriage & fertility rates: the linkages

    Globally, 66% of girls, on average, know nothing about menstruation until menarche – their first period. This injustice contributes highly to early school dropouts, child marriage, and childbearing.

  • Pronatalism in the UK: should we be worried?

    The recent NatCon convention attracted a lot of newspaper column inches and backbencher Miriam Cates made a bit of a splash with a speech focusing on the importance of having children. Is there anything to be wary about here? 

  • Breaking the Barriers: Empowering Pakistani Women

    Laraib Abid works in Pakistan to increase healthcare, family planning access and opportunities for women and girls.