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Background: The empowerment of women has implications on the health and dietary needs of children. Using the survey-based women's empowerment index (SWPER), we examined the association between women's empowerment and dietary diversity among children aged 6–23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 21 countries were utilized. Descriptive spatial map was used to present the proportions of dietary diversity among the children. Multilevel binary logistic regression was used to examine the association between SWPER and dietary diversity. Results: Overall, 22.35% of children aged 6–23 months had adequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD) in sub-Saharan Africa. The countries with the highest proportions of adequate MDD were Angola, Benin, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. South Africa had the highest proportion of MDD (61.00%), while Liberia reported the least (9.12%). Children born to mothers who had high social independence were more likely to have adequate MDD compared to those with low social independence [aOR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.21, 1.41]. In addition, children born to women with medium [aOR = 1.12; 95% CI 1.03, 1.21] and high decision-making [aOR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.14, 1.37] were more likely to receive MDD than those with low decision-making. Conclusions: Insufficient dietary diversity is evident among children aged 6–23 months in sub-Saharan Africa. MDD in children is influenced by women's empowerment. Policies and interventions promoting women's empowerment can enhance MDD, especially for vulnerable groups in rural and poorer households. It is crucial to leverage media and poverty reduction strategies to improve MDD among children in sub-Saharan African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty remains a serious problem in Nigeria; women are among those mostly affected and are often deprived in many ways. This paper uses the multidimensional approach to examine poverty levels among women in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State. Primary data was obtained from a sample of 393 women across the population density areas on socio-economic characteristics and poverty indicators (health, education and standard of living). The Alkire-Foster multidimensional approach was used to estimate the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) for the sampled women. The weights assigned to these poverty dimensions were generated using the multiple correspondence analysis. The MPI for each woman were categorized as abject poor (deprived in at least two dimensions), moderate poor (deprived in one dimension) and non-poor (not deprived in any dimension). The mean age of the women was 30.8±6.7 years. One-third of the respondents were mostly artisans (30.0%) and traders (26.5%), and 52.2% had completed secondary education. About 23.0% of women were deprived in education, 61.0% in health and 70.4% in standard of living. Based on location, the study indicated that the women in the medium and high density areas are mostly deprived in the different dimensions of poverty. When the poverty cut off K= 1, poverty incidence is 94% and 51.7% of the women were multidimensional poor as against 28% poverty incidence and 19.6% poor women when k=3 using the Alkire-Foster Multidimensional methodology. This implies that when women are deprived in at least one dimension; 51.7% are multidimensional poor. More than half of the respondents (51.0%) were categorized as moderately poor, 26.0% were abject poor while 23.2% were non-poor. This study revealed high poverty levels among women in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. Deprivation in standard of living and health in the three areas could be improved upon through the concerted effort of the government with appropriate ministries by initiating more productive and empowerment programs to improve their purchasing power and disseminating educative information that will improve their nutritional status through health talks to reduce the level of multidimensional poverty in urban locations respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The unstoppable and exponential growth of social media use has given rise to concerns about the consequent effects on users. Among the major concerns are the psychological consequences, which have received considerable academic attention. The current mixed-methods research aims to examine women's social media use and its effects on their psychological well-being in a patriarchal culture, namely Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a mixed-method research methodology. The quantitative section collected data from 240 women and used structural equation modelling to test the proposed hypotheses. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the in-depth interviews with ten women. Findings: The integration of the findings revealed increased use of social media by women and its beneficial effects (communication and socialisation, escapism and self-presentation), though qualitative findings revealed the cultural implications and obstacles that women face (online anonymity and digital asylum). The study calls attention to women's social media usage patterns and the resulting effects on women's psychological well-being in a low-income country with a patriarchal social structure. Originality/value: Most research remains limited to Western societies and young populations. The situation is somewhat different in developing economies with traditionally preserved cultures compared to Western societies. This study uniquely examines the influence of social media on psychological well-being in a developing country with a special cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the push for family-oriented eugenics and pronatalism within the United States, chronicling social and political movements and their impact on the American mother. The essay illustrates this problem through Edith Summer Kelley's Weeds (1923), a novel that utilizes eugenic rhetoric of the American Progressive Era to expose problems in American maternity and parturition. Kelley's female protagonists present not only a crisis of motherhood but also a crisis for American families, as unhappy mothers symbolized issues of dysfunction. This reading positions itself alongside historical examples of pronatalism and eugenics, and utilizes American media to argue that women felt compelled to reproduce in order to meet national standards of progress during the post-World War I era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite technological, political and economic progress, Pakistan is still a traditionally patriarchal society, and cultural norms curb women's freedom of socialization, which contributes to poor mental health. The digital technology spaces are rampant with male dominance, and offline cultural behaviours are replicated. Therefore, the current research in Pakistan intends to focus solely on women, their social media uses and the consequent impact on their psychological well-being. Furthermore, the mediation role of social capital is explored, which is linked to women's socialization. In virtual communication, women can expand their connection or remain limited to known people. Methods: An online survey collected 240 responses from women social media users. The questionnaire was divided into demographics, social media use patterns like access, online time, frequency of use, social media uses, online social capital and psychological well-being. The obtained responses were statistically analyzed using Smart PLS. Results: Pakistani women use social media extensively; however, their uses are culturally influenced. The women use social media and socialize online but do not openly disclose their personalities and emotions to extend the connection. They seek information only from acquaintances and do not trust newly developed online contacts. Therefore, the mediation role of bonding social capital is significant, referring to the importance of close ties and trust in psychological well-being. Though virtual spaces provide an opportunity for bridging social capital, women use social media for socialization; however, it doesn't contribute to women's psychological well-being. Conclusion: Despite the higher penetration of digital technologies, cultural power still rules in developing countries like Pakistan. Social media uses are gender- and culturally specific, contributing to psychological well-being and developing social capital. The results from Pakistani society recommend ensuring a secure digital experience for women to get maximum benefits from social media and enhance their psychological well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book review discusses Philip Sipiora's edited collection, "Ida Lupino, Filmmaker," which explores the work of pioneering actress, director, producer, and screenwriter Ida Lupino. The collection includes sixteen chapters written by various scholars, covering a wide range of topics related to Lupino's work in film and television. The book examines Lupino's directorial ventures, such as "The Hitch-hiker" and "The Bigamist," and also explores her underrepresented directing roles in television, including Westerns. The review praises the collection for its engaging and varied content, which adds depth to the limited existing scholarship on Lupino and addresses wider socio-historical, gender, and industrial issues. [Extracted from the article]