Women

Forbes Names World’s Most Powerful Women of 2025

Forbes has released its annual ranking of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, spotlighting leaders whose decisions shape economies, technological advancement and global policy. The 2025 list underscores how women…

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Latvia votes to exit treaty opposing violence against women

The Latvian Parliament on Thursday voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty aimed at supporting women who are victims of violence. The tally from the ballot was 56 to…

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Women’s share on German company boards slips slightly: study

The proportion of women who sit on supervisory boards at German-listed companies has edged down slightly, according to a new study by the group Women in Supervisory Boards (Fidar). Women…

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UK Supreme Court rules legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex

The United Kingdom's top court on Wednesday upheld an appeal by a campaign group on whether transgender women are legally women under equality legislation, ruling that the law referred to…

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Cyprus has the lowest number of female MPs in the EU

Only 14.3 per cent of MPs in the Cypriot government are women, ranking Cyprus the lowest among all EU countries according to a recent Eurostat study. At 14.6 per cent,…

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‘Historic’ 1st women’s Panini sticker album

The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina on Thursday unveiled the first Panini soccer album for Italian women players which he described as 'historic'. The album, Calciatrici 2024-2025, is…

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Germany offers maternity leave for women after miscarriage

The German Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, on Thursday evening passed a law that extends maternity leave protection to women who suffer a miscarriage after 13 weeks of pregnancy.…

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Number of female business leaders in Britain falls in 2024

The number of women who hold executive reins in corporate Britain has fallen for the first time in eight years in an "unacceptable" reversal that could delay gender parity for…

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Women footballers call on FIFA to end partnership with Saudi Aramco

A group of over 100 professional women's soccer players sent an open letter to FIFA urging the world governing body to end its partnership with oil and gas conglomerate Saudi…

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Italy’s women doctors outnumber male medics for first time

Italy's women doctors outnumbered their male colleagues for the first time last year, physicians' pension agency Enpam said in a report this week. It said there were 180,916 women doctors…

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Taliban laws ban women’s voices and bare faces in public

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have issued a ban on women’s voices and bare faces in public under new laws to combat immoral behaviour and promote virtue. The laws were approved by…

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Inaugural Women’s Club World Cup to be held from Jan-Feb 2026, FIFA says

The first edition of the Women's Club World Cup has been proposed to start during January-February 2026 and the 16-team tournament will be held every four years, world soccer governing…

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Women in UK finance earn a third less than male colleagues, data shows

Some of Britain's top financial firms pay women 28.8% less on average than male counterparts, salary data from 21 companies reviewed by Reuters shows, even though they say they are…

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More Chinese women choosing singledom as economy stutters

By Laurie Chen XIAN, China, (Reuters) - Freelance copywriter Chai Wanrou thinks marriage is an unfair institution. Like many young women in China, she is part of a growing movement…

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UEFA to include a minimum of two women on Executive Committee

UEFA will have at least two women on its Executive Committee after European soccer's governing body passed an amendment to its statutes at its Congress in Paris this week.Aleksander Ceferin's…

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Japan Inc opens door to more women directors, but managers remain rare

By Anton Bridge TOKYO, (Reuters) - Mitsuko Tottori's appointment as Japan Airlines' 9201.Tnext president makes her something of a rarity in Japan - a female head of a well known…

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England women to play Austria and Italy in February

England will play Austria and Italy in a pair of February friendlies in Spain in preparation for Women's Euro 2025 qualifying. The Lionesses will travel to southern Spain for a…

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Czech Senate fails to ratify European treaty on violence against women

PRAGUE, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Lawmakers in the Czech Republic's upper house Senate narrowly voted against ratifying a decade-old international treaty aimed at preventing and combating violence against women. The…

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Women’s appointment to board level at EU financial firms’ slows -EY

LONDON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The percentage of women appointed to board-level roles at large financial services firms in the European Union fell last year, making it harder for the…

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After landmark World Cup, more sponsors keen on women’s sport in 2024

By Amy Tennery A gender-equal Olympic Games next year will coincide with increasing sponsorship opportunities for female athletes, experts say, after the Women's World Cup soccer tournament underscored the growing…

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How media attention harms female political candidates

A video of Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin dancing at a party was leaked in August 2022. There was massive media reaction to what was, essentially, a young female politician…

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World champions Spain top FIFA women’s rankings

Women's World Cup winners Spain have moved to the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time, displacing Sweden from the number one spot, world soccer's governing body said.…

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Most online hate targets women, says EU report

(Reuters) - Women are the main targets of online hate, including abusive language, harassment and incitement to sexual violence, a European Union report said. This should encourage the EU and…

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Thousands worldwide protest violence against women

Thousands of people in cities across the world rallied on Saturday to condemn violence against women on the occassion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.…

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Italy’s parties unanimously back clampdown on violence against women

By Angelo Amante Italian lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously backed a raft of measures to clamp down on violence against women after the killing of a university student, and the arrest…

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Pope Francis: Too many women are victim of violence and abuse

Violence against women is a "poisonous weed" that must be eradicated from society, Pope Francis said on Thursday. "Violence against women is a poisonous weed that afflicts our society and…

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Back your women’s teams properly, FIFA women’s officer tells FAs

By Christian Radnedge LONDON, (Reuters) - National football associations need to properly support their women's teams so they can perform at their best, FIFA chief women's football officer Sarai Bareman…

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Council of Europe expresses concern at Italy’s violence-against-women data

The Council of Europe said Friday that it was worried about Italy's figures regarding violence against women. The human rights body's Committee of Ministers said that it "notes with concern"…

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Only 28.9% of women living in southern Italy work

Only 28.9% of women living in southern Italy, fewer than one in three, are in employment, compared to 52% in the north of the country, retailers association Confcommercio said in…

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Pope allows women to vote at bishops meeting for first time

By Philip Pullella (Reuters) - Pope Francis, in a historic move that could lead to more inclusiveness in decision-making in the Roman Catholic Church, will allow women to vote for…

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Women facing violence, forced marriage may get EU refugee status, top court adviser says

PARIS, April 20 (Reuters) - Women from outside the European Union at risk of "honour" crimes, forced marriages or domestic violence in their country of origin may be granted refugee…

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Iran installs cameras in public places to identify, penalise unveiled women

April 8 (Reuters) - In a further attempt to rein in increasing numbers of women defying the compulsory dress code, Iranian authorities are installing cameras in public places and thoroughfares…

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As wages go up, Japanese women reckon with a vast pay gap

By David Dolan and Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO, (Reuters) - As Japanese companies offer their heftiest wage raises in decades, women in the world's third-largest economy are hoping it won't take…

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Women’s stories stand out in Oscars race, but Hollywood lagging in gender parity

By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES, March 7 (Reuters) - Michelle Yeoh battles her way through a multiverse, Angela Bassett leads a grieving nation at war, and Cate Blanchett deviously manipulates…

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Afghan female students not allowed to sit university entrance exam – Taliban ministry

KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban-run Ministry of Higher Education ordered private universities in Afghanistan not to allow female students to sit university entrance exams next month, underscoring its policy to…

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Push for more women on German company boards loses momentum in 2022 – study

BERLIN (Reuters) - The proportion of women on the executive and supervisory boards of large companies in Germany continued to grow in 2022 but at a slower rate than the…

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A sign of the times, NZ PM Ardern’s resignation resonates for women in power

WELLINGTON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Thursday's shock resignation of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who altered the face of global politics when she was elected the world's youngest female…

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Germany’s Scholz bets on immigration, more working women to counter labour shortages

POTSDAM, Germany, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this weekend Germany should attract more foreign workers and make it easier for women and older people to work in order to…

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England clinch Women’s Euro with 2-1 extra time win over Germany

LONDON :An extra time strike from forward Chloe Kelly gave England a 2-1 win over Germany in the Women's European Championship final on Sunday to claim their first ever major…

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Pope to give women a say in appointment of bishops

VATICAN CITY, July 6 (Reuters) - Pope Francis said he wants to give women more top-level positions in the Holy See and disclosed that for the first time he would…

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Phone app allows Gaza women to report domestic abuse anonymously

A phone app that allows women in the Palestinian Gaza Strip to report domestic abuse anonymously is allowing growing numbers of victims to seek help while avoiding the shame and…

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HSBC launches $1 bln lending fund for female entrepreneurs

SINGAPORE, May 12 (Reuters) - HSBC Holdings said on Thursday it was launching a $1 billion lending fund to invest in female-owned businesses over the next 12 months. The fund appears to be…

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UK sets target of 40% women on company boards

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Women should make up at least 40% of boards at British listed companies and one director should be a person of colour, the country's financial watchdog said…

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Number of women in Italian boardrooms at all-time high

Stock-market regulator CONSOB this week revealed that the number of women holding positions in Italian boardrooms has never been so high. "With regard to gender diversity, at the end of…

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Pope rules any baptised lay Catholic, including women, can head Vatican departments

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis on Saturday issued a new constitution for the Vatican's central administration, known as the Curia, stating that any baptized lay Catholic, including women, can head…

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EU gives initial agreement to board quotas for women, more talks needed

BRUSSELS, March 14 (Reuters) - European Union states have given initial approval to pushing firms to appoint women to at least 40% of non-executive director roles or 33% of all board jobs…

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Most EU women blame COVID pandemic for spike in gender violence -poll

BRUSSELS, March 4 (Reuters) - Nearly three out of four European Union women think the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred an increase in physical and psychological violence against them, according to a Eurobarometer…

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European firms make slow progress in appointing more women to boards

Jan 20 (Reuters) - The proportion of women in leading positions at major European companies rose last year, but fell behind schedule to reach the European Commission's proposed target of…

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Factbox-Women’s quotas on company boards: The EU’s frontrunners and laggards

(Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is making a new push at boosting women’s representation on company boards, trying to unblock European legislation for a women’s quota…

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Berlin might drop opposition to EU plans for women’s quota on company boards

The new German government is taking a fresh look at EU efforts to introduce a quota for women on company boards, a spokesman said, raising the chances that European legislation…

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EU’s von der Leyen in new push for women’s quota on company boards

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will make a new push at boosting women's representation on companies' boards, trying to unblock legislation for a women's quota which has been…

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Italian government moves to crack down on violence against women

Italy's government approved a bill to tackle gender-based violence and strengthen surveillance on suspects, amid growing worries over high levels of hate crimes against women. The Interior Ministry says 93…

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Taliban release decree saying women must consent to marriage

ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban government on Friday released a decree on women's rights which said women should not be considered "property" and must consent to marriage but…

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Clashes as protesters demand end to violence against women

Riot police in Turkey and Mexico have fired tear gas and smoke bombs at protesters calling for an end to violence against women. Thousands of protesters marched to mark the…

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EBRD pledges 600 million euros for women-led firms in Turkey

ISTANBUL, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is making 600 million euros ($693 million) in new financing available for Turkish women entrepreneurs, it said…

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COVID-19 vaccines not linked with pregnancy loss

Two studies in major medical journals add to evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe before and during pregnancy. One study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine this week,…

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Pregnant women in England urged to get Covid jab amid rise in hospital admissions

England’s top midwife is urging expectant mums to get the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible, as new data suggests a worrying rise in Covid-19 hospital admissions among unvaccinated pregnant…

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