What’s Current: 40,800 female births missing in Vietnam every year due to sex-selective abortions

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  • In Vietnam, a preference for male children prompts the sex-selective abortion of an estimated 40,800 girls every year, according to the United Nations Population Fund.
  • The government of Mexico approved a 75 per cent reduction in the budget allotted to women’s organizations and shelters even as violence against women in the nation has increased during the pandemic.
  • Lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in increased violence against women and children across Asia, including online sexual exploitation of children and a rise in girls being forced into marriage.
  • The murder of a 27-year-old student sparked demonstrations in Turkey calling for an end to violence against women. According to women’s rights organizations, 120 femicides have been recorded since the beginning of the year, and campaigners are calling for the government to ratify the Istanbul Convention, a set of laws aimed at protecting women from violence.
  • Ireland’s rape crisis centers experienced a 98 per cent increase in contacts seeking counseling during the period of March through June.
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.