To create an economy where Black women can succeed, we must center Black women in policy solutions, following the Black Women Best principle: “If Black women—who, since our nation’s founding, have been among the most excluded and exploited by the rules that structure our society—can one day thrive in the economy, then it must finally be working for everyone.”
Category: Justice & Law
Looking Back on 2020: The Status of Black Women Then, Now and Beyond
“We’ve certainly seen that Black women are among the most effective and sophisticated political actors on the scene right now, across the country,” Andrea Young, executive director of ACLU of Georgia, told Ms.
Groundbreaking Massachusetts Abortion Law Repeals Parental Consent for Older Teens
On Monday, the Massachusetts legislature passed a new law creating an affirmative right to abortion in the state, expanding abortion access after 24 weeks, and removing a parental consent requirement for 16- and 17-year-olds.
By this law, Massachusetts became the first state ever to legislatively remove a parental consent requirement as unnecessary.
Federal Judge Halts Trump Administration’s Plan to Execute Lisa Montgomery
Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row, was scheduled to be executed on January 12—until a federal court ruled on December 24 that her execution date violated federal regulations establishing the procedures for carrying out the death penalty, a ruling that may save her life.
25 Photos from 2020 That Capture the Power of the People
In a year defined by unprecedented political and social tension, coupled with inequality exacerbated by COVID-19, it’s even more important that we take joy in the little things.
That’s why we’ve compiled some of our favorite posters spotted at protests this year. They represent the best in our ever-evolving society: resilience, empathy, courage and hope.
State Policy Trends 2020: Reproductive Health and Rights in a Year Like No Other
This year, 24 abortion restrictions were enacted, as were 16 provisions that protect and expand access to abortion services (including two identical sets of provisions in Virginia), and another 74 provisions that expand access to reproductive health services and education.
Not a Moment but a Movement: The Case for Transitional Justice in the U.S.
The United States has a history of exporting principles of human rights and democracy around the world. Now the world looks on, in the wake of recent high-profile killings of unarmed Black Americans, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Is the U.S. prepared to confront its own truths?
In 2020, the U.S. needs transitional justice—an important practice whenever there has been a lack of accountability and redress for widespread and systemic harms. (Sound familiar?)
What to Expect From a Biden Presidency: On LGBTQ+ Equality
President-Elect Joe Biden has pledged to pursue an aggressive plan to advance LGBTQ+ equality in the U.S. and around the world. After four years of the Trump administration rolling back LGBTQ+ rights at home and abroad, Biden has his work cut out for him.
The Biden-Harris administration plans to move the U.S. toward a government-wide focus on uplifting of LGBTQ+ people at home and abroad.
In the Battle Over Abortion, Polish Feminists with Disabilities Are Claiming Their Rights
In a disturbing irony, Poland’s decision to remove the “fetal defect” grounds for abortion will have a disproportionately negative impact on the lives and well-being of women with disabilities.
Indeed, Polish feminists with disabilities have brought powerful dissent and insights to the ongoing protests and discussions about abortion in Poland—both on- and offline.
“Invisible Women”: Excluding 50 Percent of the World’s Population Has Real Consequences
For too long, women have been invisible in world affairs, and this invisibility of approximately 50 percent of the world’s population has real consequences. It leads to incomplete and inaccurate pictures of reality, which in turn leads to poorly planned policies, or perhaps a lack of policies in issue areas that need them.
Ultimately, the invisibility of women in world affairs leads to unnecessary pain and suffering, for women and men alike.