What’s Current: Husband of woman who bled to death during childbirth sues Los Angeles hospital for negligence

  • After the death of his wife in childbirth, a US man is suing a Los Angeles hospital for malpractice. Charles Johnson claims that his wife, Kira, was ignored during critical moments of birth and that he was told, “Your wife just isn’t a priority right now.”  WIS News 10 reports: 

“Approximately 700 women in the U.S. die in childbirth every year. It is the only developed country with a rising death rate for pregnant or new mothers. For black women, like Kira Johnson, the risk of death is even higher.

Globally, more mothers die in childbirth in America than in Iran, Turkey or Kazakhstan.”

  • A parliament member of Nepal has been acquitted of rape charges, sparking outrage from women’s rights groups. A female employee in the assembly accused Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a senior member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NPC), of sexual assault.
  • On Wednesday, hundreds of Iraqi women protested for the right to be involved in political action. Women cited their role in anti-government protests to assert the significance of their role in shaping politics.
  • Women in Mexico protested outside of the presidential residence following the murder of a seven-year-old girl. Protestors shouted, “Femicide is a state crime,” as they demanded that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador take action to prevent violence against women.
Genevieve Gluck

Genevieve Gluck is a writer and advocate for women's sex-based rights and creator of Women's Voices, an audio library dedicated to bringing awareness to feminist texts and speeches.