Poland: Abortion Witch Hunt Targets Women, Doctors
Criminalization, Pursuit of Alleged Offenders Violates Rights

Despite great strides made by the international women’s rights movement over many years, women and girls around the world are still married as children or trafficked into forced labor and sex slavery. They are refused access to education and political participation, and some are trapped in conflicts where rape is perpetrated as a weapon of war. Around the world, deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth are needlessly high, and women are prevented from making deeply personal choices in their private lives. Human Rights Watch is working toward the realization of women’s empowerment and gender equality—protecting the rights and improving the lives of women and girls on the ground.
September 21, 2023
September 18, 2023
Criminalization, Pursuit of Alleged Offenders Violates Rights
Afro-descendant Women and Access to Land in Alto Mira y Frontera, Colombia
Male Guardianship Rules Hamper Travel, Other Movement
How Male Guardianship Policies Restrict Women’s Travel and Mobility in the Middle East and North Africa
Authorities Should Step Up Domestic Violence Protections
88 (PSWG) Pre-Sessional Working Group
Decision Encourages Ratification, EU States Should Ratify Treaty Promptly
Ratification Sets Stage to Tackle Harassment, Violence at Work
Most Parliament Members Reject or Abstain From EU-Wide Criminalization
Year After Mahsa Jina Amini’s Death, Ramped-Up Repression
Criminalization, Pursuit of Alleged Offenders Violates Rights
The Taliban’s Continued Attacks on Afghan Women’s Rights are Not Just a Problem for Afghanistan but for the Whole World