Virginity Testing: Women as Guardians of Virtue and Honor

Show me a culture that does not understand or teach consent and I’ll show you many cultures that absolve men of accountability, murder women in the name of honor, violate young girls, and exacerbate trauma. Across borders and state lines, cultures and languages, a common, shared experience of being a woman is violation of consent.  …

Recap: 2018 Texas Symposium on Women, Peace, and Security

On Monday, November 5, 2018, the Bush School of Government and Public Service hosted the 4th Annual Texas Symposium on Women, Peace, and Security: Implementing the Vision of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017. The symposium was started by Dr. Valerie Hudson, the head of the Women, Peace, and Security program at the …

Women’s Mobility

I spent over five months researching women’s mobility in practice to create the world’s first scale of women’s mobility. I considered myself a feminist and a researcher of women’s issues before this project, yet I was unaware of how much an inability to more freely in public damages the lives of some women. Women in …

The WomanStats Awards

The WomanStats Project gives Awards each year to people, organizations, and countries for their achievements in raising the status of women throughout the world. These awards give credit to the people who can inspire us and show us that change for the betterment of women can happen, and indeed is happening. We also give reprimands …

Gender Quotas — by LKB

You’ve probably heard the term “gender quota” if you’ve done any sort of research about women who hold political office worldwide. This is a term that seems fairly obvious, but actually encompasses a wide variety of systems in implementation. The use of gender quotas has taken more heat in recent years, and it is being …

Inequality of Women in Education — by HJ

I grew up in a home where education was extremely important.  In Elementary School when I took interest in math, my parents and teachers encouraged me to continue with this interest.  I never felt discouraged from studying math or science. It wasn’t until college when I realized that not all girls grow up that way. …

Syrian Refugees — by VLF

With the world’s attention focused on the Islamic State and the growing numbers of refugees fleeing Syria, it is easy to think of these people and of their plight in stale numerical terms. But as the United States considers whether or not to take in these refugees, it is important to understand what life actually …

American Women’s Interest in Politics — by RNP

When I discuss the coming presidential election and the presidential candidates with other women, I tend to get things like “oh, I don’t really follow politics” or “I like [presidential candidate] but I don’t know much about politics.” Or when I discuss my ideal world and how I feel about various policies and contemporary conversations …

Women in Political Leadership — by GMK

In the United States we are one year away from our next presidential election. In both political parties there is a woman seeking their respective party’s nomination for president, but for now, the United States remains perhaps the most notable example of where women’s political leadership is lacking.  The sad reality is women’s political participation …

Investing in Female Literacy — by SJ

Discussions in development usually deal with the question of investment. For example, leaders often debate on the pros and cons of investing in climate change initiatives, economic development, or health care. How much money, time, and effort should be invested into these categories will be based on how high the returns are expected to be. …