Women leaders prepare to fight as the US snatches away a basic healthcare right, and other stories

#WomenLead (Issue 104): Your weekly round-up on women in politics

Hello, and welcome to Issue 104.

We are all watching what’s happening in the United States of America right now with horror and disbelief. A country that often likes to claim to be the world leader and which talks about respecting individual freedom and rights is now a place where women are denied basic healthcare rights and dignity.

As the US Supreme Court overturns Roe vs Wade, and brings in effectively a ban on abortions, we are seeing what happens when religious fundamentalism overtakes the state machinery. A terrifying state of affairs.

In today’s edition, we bring you updates from Colombia, France, and India, and the spotlight is on the USA. In case you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here. 

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Quick Updates

🙌 HISTORY IN THE MAKING: India’s ruling party has put forth Droupadi Murmu as its candidate for the upcoming Presidential election due in July, setting the stage for the country to get its first head of state from a tribal community. Murmu, who belongs to the Santhal community, is a former teacher, and has served as an elected legislator, minister and governor at the state level. Since the ruling party and its allies seem to have the numbers, she is all set to become the second woman President of the country.