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Abstract Background Malaria in pregnancy remains a major public health problem in endemic areas of the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region. However, there is limited understanding of the association between women’s empowerment and the uptake of sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp-SP) in Kenya. This study examines the association between women’s empowerment indicators (decision-making power, control of assets, education, and employment status) and the uptake of three or more doses of IPTp-SP in the Lake endemic region of Kenya. Methods The analysis utilized a dataset from a cross-sectional baseline survey of 3129 women aged 15–49 years in Kisumu and Migori Counties who had a live birth within the last 2 years preceding the study. Data were collected between June to August 2021. A descriptive analysis was conducted to show the distribution of respondents by key background characteristics, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to examine statistically significant associations between women’s empowerment measures and the uptake of 3+ doses of IPTp-SP. Results Among the 3129 women surveyed, 1978 (65.7%) received 3+ doses of IPTp-SP during their most recent pregnancy. Controlling for individual characteristics and the number of ANC visits, the odds of taking 3+ doses of IPTp-SP increased among women who had high decision-making autonomy (AOR = 2.33; CI = 1.81–3.01; P

The conversion of mangroves into shrimp ponds occurred in the coastal area of Kampung Beting, Pantai Bahagia Village, Bekasi Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia, in the period 1990–2010. High income from shrimp ponds makes people ignore the ecological functions of mangrove forests, one of which is to prevent abrasion. However, since 2010, the destruction of hundreds of hectares of mangrove forests, worsened by climate change that hits almost the whole world, especially island countries like Indonesia, has submerged the shrimp ponds in Pantai Bahagia Village with sea water. Now, not only the shrimp ponds as their major income have disappeared, but also their living space is also threatened by severe abrasion. Gender inequality and the marginalized role of coastal women also make the socio-economic conditions of the community become worse. This study observes the role of women in Pantai Bahagia Village in responding to environmental and socio-economic problems in their area. This study uses a phenomenological approach, data is collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study show that women's empowerment plays a role in conserving critical land. Women's responses to environmental problems in their area include: 1) creating changes in women's awareness and behavior as an effort to repair and restore damaged mangrove land, and 2) carrying out activities to protect mangrove plants. Women's responses to socio-economic problems include 1) women's active involvement in productive economic activities 2) Utilization of non-timber mangrove products in processed food and crafts. Finally, this study recommends a concept to address critical coastal land issues, namely by involving women in various activities, both nature conservation and empowerment activities.

Abstract Women in rural communities remain the most vulnerable population in accessing agricultural productive resources with dire implications for food security, malnutrition, and poverty. Effective agricultural and food-related policies should be based on a better understanding of the complex inter-relationship of how socioeconomic, demographic, gender, women empowerment, and geographical location indicators simultaneously affect access to agricultural productive resources and food security. The study quantified the level of inequality in access to agricultural productive resources and explored the mechanism through which socioeconomic status mediates the effect of geographic location on food security. This is a community-based cross-sectional study using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling design to generate a representative sample of the target population who live in coastal and non-coastal communities. The Gini inequality index, generalized structural equation models, multivariable modified Poisson and Negative binomial regression models were used. The inequality in access to agricultural productive resources was marginally higher among women than in men, higher in the coastal areas than in the non-coastal areas, and higher among women with low empowerment in agricultural production decision-making. The empowerment of women in agricultural decision-making was found to increase with age, as older women were more empowered to make decisions in agriculture. Approximately 17% [95% CI 15.6–18.6] of the population were food-secured (coastal = 13.9%, non-coastal communities = 20.7%). Socioeconomic status mediates the effect of living in coastal versus non-coastal rural communities on food security. To improve food security, the government should prioritize interventions geared toward improving women's access to productive agricultural resources. These interventions must consider gender-specific constraints, poverty alleviation schemes, legal framework, sociocultural factors, and decision-making power.

The study analysed women’s contribution to agricultural activities in small, medium and large farm sizes and also examined the socio-economic factors that affect women’s participation in the agricultural sector.

Introduction: Women's empowerment is crucial for gender equality. This study, utilizing NFHS 4 and 5 data, assesses GBV and women's empowerment, including health indicators in Karnataka and India, aiming to evaluate achievements and challenges impacting women's lives for gender equality. Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed NFHS 4 (2015–16) and NFHS 5 (2019–21) data for India and Karnataka, covering health, Gender-based Violence, education, economic and social-political empowerment. Data analysis used MS Excel 365 and Datawrapper tools. Results: Karnataka's female population increased by 7% (NFHS4 to NFHS5), surpassing India's 1%. Health indicators improved, including menstrual hygiene, family planning, prenatal and postnatal care, and reduced early marriages. Educational attainment, economic involvement, mobile phone ownership, and women's participation in household decisions increased. However, Karnataka saw a notable rise in GBV cases among young women, with spousal violence at 44.4% and sexual violence at 11% (NFHS5). Conclusion: This study depicts the evolution of women's empowerment and gender-based violence in Karnataka, India. Results show improvements in health, education, economic involvement, and specific empowerment indicators. However, the documented rise in GBV cases in Karnataka highlights the need for targeted interventions. Karnataka's experience can be a blueprint for achieving gender equality and women's empowerment in India.

ASEAN has been vocal with its support to gender equality and women empowerment, they formed committees and regional mechanisms that will guide them in achieving this. They also spearheaded various meetings with its member states and established partnerships with other organizations outside ASEAN to further enhance their response to gender and development. Their aim is to promote gender and development with its three pillars to create a gender sensitive society. Based on the data gathered, the LGBTQI+ Community and the women sector of all ASEAN member states are still struggling to get the support and acceptance of ASEAN as well as most of the people especially to those countries who are culture centered, but despite of their struggle they remain positive and hoping that the society will soon accept them wholeheartedly. There may be developments, but hardships are still visible in their work and in society, they still lack opportunities to grow in the fields that are dominated by men, they are still suffering from unequal treatment, and some are still not represented in politics.

This study aims to explore the influence of literacy rate, women's involvement in parliament, fertility rates, and female life expectancy on the female labor participation rate in member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The study employs panel data analysis methods for 20 OIC member countries spanning from 2019 to 2021, utilizing data from the World Bank. The data is processed using Eviews 12 software. Findings from the Fixed Effects Model (FEM) approach indicate that women's participation in parliament harms the female labor participation rate. However, literacy rate, fertility rate, and female life expectancy do not significantly affect the female labor participation rate. Based on the research outcomes, governments should evaluate the causes of the declining female workforce participation rate, engage in dialogue with various stakeholders, and formulate policies that support women's involvement without compromising their participation in the workforce. Additionally, strengthening family support policies, promoting gender equality in parliament, and enhancing women's financial literacy are essential measures.

BackgroundMost neonatal deaths occur during the first week of life (i.e., early neonatal deaths). In this analysis, we aimed to investigate the determinants of early neonatal deaths in a nationally representative sample of births in Indonesia over the five years before each survey.MethodsData were obtained from the 2012 and 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS), including information from 58,902 mothers of children aged

The main objectives of this paper are three-fold. First, to identify the barriers to financial independence of female vegetable producers in the Gambia. Second, to assess the potential use of Islamic financing modes as enablers that can capacitate women in the Gambia’s horticultural sector. Finally, it proposes an inclusive financing mode to empower women in the country’s horticultural sector. To achieve these three objectives, different methodological approaches were used, drawing on various data collection techniques, including primary and secondary data collection methods. The results from the study indicate that lack of irrigation and storage facilities, access to markets and farming inputs (seeds, fertilisers) are the main challenges women encounter in their gardening activities. The study further found that the benefits of accessing and using microfinance services are impeded by these challenges, thereby preventing women vegetable producers from upscaling their horticultural activities. However, it is established in the paper that microfinance has great potential for promoting the financial independence of women in the Gambia, particularly women who engage in the horticultural sector. Based on these findings, the paper recommends using Parallel Salam Contract to tackle the problems of irrigation, storage facilities and market access. Murabahah/Musawamah contracts are also suggested to tackle the issue of the lack of farming inputs used by women in the horticultural sector. We further recommend that Islamic financial institutions educate the public about their business activities and for the regulators, including the Central Bank of the Gambia, to establish a Central Shari’ah Board to ensure the unification of fatwahs in the emerging Islamic finance sector in the Gambia, thereby ensuring transparency in the activities of the financial institutions participating in this sector and thus encourage more investors to partake in this burgeoning part of the Gambian economy.

Education is a powerful tool that improves socio-economic conditions and empowers individuals, especially women. However, women face gender disparities resulting in lower literacy rates compared to men. Besides understanding the educational status of women agricultural workers and their accessibility to schools and colleges, this study investigated the impact of education on their income levels, language proficiency in mother tongue and English and their preferences to spend more on their children education. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected and analysed from a random sample of 5,044 rural women agricultural workers across 98 revenue villages in the Union Territory of Puducherry. The findings revealed that half of the respondents completed education ranging from 6th to 10th class, where as one out of every four respondents were illiterates and a small percentage possessed higher qualifications of a degree and above. Most of the respondents had access school and six out of ten had access to college within 5 km range. The study established a positive correlation between education level and both individual and family income and a higher level of language proficiency in both the mother tongue and English. The educated rural women workers showed a preference for private schools to educate their children, indicating a growing inclination to spend more on education.

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the impact of women empowerment and free senior high school on secondary school enrolment in Ghana. The Autoregressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) estimation method, which examines both short- and long-term effects, was utilized to analyze data obtained from the World Bank database and the ILO database covering the period 1992–2021. Employing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) modeling technique, it was observed that the proportion of women to men in parliament, the FSHS policy, and pre-secondary school enrollment all have positive effects on secondary school enrollment in both the short and long run. Again, though we observe a negative impact of FSHS on female secondary school enrollment in the short run, in the long run, it increases the enrollment by large, while we observe that women to men in parliament and presecondary school enrollment also increase female secondary school enrollment in the long run. These findings have important implications for policymakers and stakeholders in Ghana’s education sector.

In the framework of the sustainable development goals, this study aims to answer the question of how the higher degree of gender inequality may affect children’s health. Study findings confirm statistically significant associations (P-value

This document provides a list of research articles and studies that examine the impact of microfinance on women's empowerment. The articles cover various topics, including women's attitudes towards empowerment through microfinance, their involvement in decision-making and ownership, and the economic, social, political, and psychological aspects of empowerment. The studies offer evidence from different countries, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges of microfinance programs for women. The articles aim to deepen our understanding of the relationship between microfinance and women's empowerment. [Extracted from the article]

Background: There is a global consensus that child immunization plays an important role in promoting the health and well-being of children. Despite the quintessential role of immunization, not all children receive full immunization coverage. We examined the association between women empowerment and childhood immunization coverage in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods: The most recent Demographic and Health Survey data of 17 SSA countries were used for the analysis, with a sample of 19,223. The outcome and exposure variables were full immunization coverage and women empowerment, respectively. Full immunization was computed from percentage of children between the ages of 12 and 23 months who had received the following vaccines at any point in time: one dose of Bacille Calmette–Guérin, three doses of the vaccine protecting against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus or the tetravalent/pentavalent vaccine, three doses of the polio vaccine, and one dose of the measles vaccine (either as a standalone measles vaccine or as part of a combination with other immunogens). Women's empowerment was an index of labour participation, acceptance towards spousal violence, decision-making capacity and general knowledge level. Descriptive analysis and multilevel logistic regression were performed. Results were reported in adjusted odds ratio with a corresponding 95% confidence interval. Results: The study found that 56.6% of children were fully immunized. Children of employed mothers were 1.16 times more likely to be fully immunized. Children of mothers with higher acceptance toward violence were less likely to be fully immunized [aOR = 0.90, CI 0.81, 0.99]. The odds of full immunization were higher among children born to mothers with high [aOR = 1.11, CI 1.01, 1.22] decision-making capacity. Higher odds of full immunization were found among children born to mothers with medium [aOR = 1.24, CI 1.13, 1.36] to high [aOR = 1.44, CI 1.27, 1.63] general knowledge level. Conclusions: We conclude that empowering women through livelihood empowerment interventions can increase their decision-making capacity and foster their resolve to ensure the full immunization of their children. This can be achieved by consciously investing in initiatives such as vocational training programs, job placement services, or support for entrepreneurship initiatives to encourage and support women's workforce participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown a possible link between women achieving some degree of economic independence through empowerment and a decline in gender-based violence (GBV). However, inadequate funding has been a major challenge in developing economies, while foreign aid has been seen as an alternative funding source. Foreign aid for promoting women's rights and gender equality is improving in African countries. Yet, according to official statistics, the frequency of GBV in Africa is among the highest in the world. Given this, this paper examines the impact of women's aid and institutional quality on factors that can reduce GBV using both cross-sectional autoregressive lags to investigate short- and long-run implications and the Panel Vector Correction Model to examine the shock effect of aid on other variables. Also, the mediating role of institutional quality and women's aid are considered. The metrics used for the factors that reduce GBV are female children out of school, the secondary school gender parity index, the genital mutilation prevalence rate, and the metrics for institutional quality are the rules of law and government effectiveness. The implications from the findings show that enhancing the legal structure is very important in Africa, given the low coefficient values to reduce discrimination against the right to education; more should be done to increase the enrolment of female students through the maximisation of women's aid in order to achieve the short- and long-term objectives of reducing gender violence. The findings also show that the rule of law significantly aids in the reduction of female genital mutilation in the short and long run; government effectiveness is insignificant. Also, they show that women's aid also reduces female genital mutilation, albeit at a low rate. The results of this study call for strong enhanced government support and funding to end the practice of female genital mutilation and discrimination against female education in the short and long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of financial inclusion on women's empowerment. We contribute to the growing interest in financial inclusion effectiveness literature by conducting an empirical analysis of 42 African countries to examine the role of financial inclusion in empowering women. We also examine and compare the effectiveness of the three dimensions of financial inclusion viz. usage, access, and quality, and the first most influential indicators, based on their PCA score, of these dimensions. Our findings suggest that financial inclusion has a significantly positive effect on women's empowerment‐measured by females' human development index. Examining the relative importance of financial inclusion dimensions, we find access to financial services has a higher effect on women's empowerment. These results are robust to alternative measures of women's empowerment and financial inclusion, and alternative estimation procedures. We also find that the effect of financial inclusion on women's empowerment is higher in low and lower‐middle‐income countries compared with upper‐middle‐income countries in the region. This study provides evidence of one of the channels through which financial inclusion contributes to reducing gender inequality, and thereby enhancing economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Historically, the transport sector has been male-dominated in all countries, including Portugal. In recent years, Portugal has struggled to balance the proportion of men and women working in the transport sector through policies, programs, and awareness campaigns. In most cases, the overall impact has been rather unsatisfactory, questioning the necessity of introducing other methods and strategies. OBJECTIVE: The main objectives were to assess the existing gender inequalities in the Portuguese transport sector labour market, identify the causes, and propose guidelines and possible solutions towards a more inclusive and gender-neutral society. METHODS: Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the methodological background of this research is divided into three main parts: (i) a literature review of academic publications, reports, and laws in the European and Portuguese context, (ii) semi-structured interviews with representatives of two Portuguese transport companies, and (iii) statistical analysis compiling data from European and national official sources. RESULTS: There is evidence of differences in opportunities between women and men, starting with lower mobility and access to the labour market. Some companies in the sector have already recognised the existence of asymmetries and have introduced policies and measures to reduce them. Nonetheless, the actions already implemented have not led to the expected results. CONCLUSION: More governmental and institutional attention should be provided to develop gender-neutral employment policies for the transport sector and more accurate gender equality measures and instruments to change the status quo are needed. This paper presents a series of recommendations for better governance of gender inequalities in the Portuguese transport labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sexuality, Gender & Policy Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Focusing on online brand communities (OBCs) centred around K-pop music consumption, this study explores the influential role of women as peer-leaders. By analysing data from Twitter using social network analysis (SNA) and sentiment analysis techniques, we observe that (1) OBCs naturally form transnational consumer segments, (2) where peer leadership emerges organically, and (3) women often occupy these leadership positions due to their social capital and engagement in relevant conversation topics. This study contributes to demonstrating the increasing empowerment of women in a realm that has long been criticized for its portrayal of gender-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ongoing body of research documents that women empowerment is associated with improved outcomes for children. However, little is known about the long-run effects on health outcomes. This paper adds to this literature and studies the association between maternal exposure to suffrage reforms and children's old-age longevity. We utilize changes in suffrage laws across US states and over time as a source of incentivizing maternal investment in children's health and education. Using the universe of death records in the US over the years 1979-2020 and implementing a difference-in-difference econometric framework, we find that cohorts exposed to suffrage throughout their childhood live 0.6 years longer than unexposed cohorts. Furthermore, we show that these effects are not driven by preexisting trends in longevity, endogenous migration, selective fertility, and changes in the demographic composition of the sample. Additional analysis reveals that improvements in education and income are candidate mechanisms. Moreover, we find substantial improvements in early-adulthood socioeconomic standing, height, and height-for-age outcomes due to childhood exposure to suffrage movements. A series of state-level analyses suggest reductions in infant and child mortality following suffrage law change. We also find evidence that counties in states that passed the law experienced new openings of County Health Departments and increases in physicians per capita. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the impact of financial inclusion on women entrepreneurs in India, specifically focusing on women-owned enterprises in Vellore, Tamilnadu. The research findings indicate that financial inclusion has a positive impact on the efficiency of these businesses. The article emphasizes the importance of reducing gender disparity in financial intermediation and suggests implementing laws and regulations to achieve this. It also highlights the need to increase gender diversity to foster innovation and recognizes the crucial role of women-owned businesses in economic expansion. The text further discusses the benefits of women's economic engagement for national development and the efforts of the Indian government to increase women's access to financial services and promote their participation in the workforce. The research aims to examine the impact of financial inclusion on women entrepreneurs in India and explore factors influencing their decisions to start businesses. It emphasizes the significance of gender parity and the role of women in stimulating innovation and economic growth. Access to capital is a major challenge for women entrepreneurs, and financial inclusion positively impacts the success of their businesses. The study suggests that policymakers should focus on promoting gender equality, providing access to education and property ownership, and implementing policies that support women's economic and social security. The document provides a list of references to various research articles and studies related to women entrepreneurs and financial inclusion in India, offering empirical evidence and insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by women entrepreneurs and the role of financial inclusion in their success. [Extracted from the article]

The adoption of sustainable agricultural practices at the farm level is essential for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and creating sustainable food systems. This study explored the nexus of women’s empowerment in agriculture and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in Pakistan. A face-to-face survey using multistage simple random and purposive sampling techniques was used to collect the data from 384 Pakistani women farmers. A partial least-squares structural equation model was used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that empowering women in agricultural asset control (β = 0.38, p < 0.01) positively influences the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices on farms. Similarly, women’s empowerment in decision-making (β = 0.41, p < 0.01) also significantly affects the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Moreover, women’s empowerment in legal rights (β = 0.14, p < 0.01), productivity and skills (β = 0.15, p < 0.01), and information and communication technology (β = 0.19, p = 0.02) significantly increases farm-level adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research study explores/ analysis the portrayal of women empowerment in Pakistani drama "Ghisi Piti Mohabbat". The drama is on aired on leading Pakistani drama channel ARY Digital. Furthermore, it examines women empowerment under the following categories. The main categories will be Decision Making, Social Mobility, Confident and Financial or Economic Independence. The study analysis the portrayal of women in Pakistani drama by using qualitative method of discourse analysis in order to find out the contextual meaning of dialogues used in drama "Ghisi Piti Mohabbat". Liberal feminist theory was employed as the theoretical frame work for the study. The finding of the study might suggest that women are shown/ represented in confidence, self-made and strong character, and shown as taking ownership of decision they take on the life. Finding further might suggest that women face many societal pressures throughout their life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides new evidence on the impact of migration of male household heads on the autonomy of their spouses. Using panel household survey data from Ethiopia, the methodology mainly relies on an instrumental variables approach that addresses the endogeneity inherent in the relationship and carefully pays attention to the role of remittances. After correcting for endogeneity, we find consistent evidence that male migration increases female self-determination and decision-making power, and (to a lesser extent) the ability to protect one's interests. As all these variables measure autonomy, our results suggest that migration of husbands offers an opportunity for women to become more autonomous in traditional societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study analyzes the influence of tourism development on the lives of Moroccan women employed in tourist accommodation venues in the town of Erfoud in southern Moroccan. The investigation considers both the economic advantages of women's involvement in tourism and the cultural and religious implications of such participation on the lives of these predominantly illiterate women. The study adopts an ethnographic method and argues that while employment in the tourism and hospitality industry undoubtfully brings financial benefits to an otherwise impoverished region, it fails to improve the social status or gender relations and identities of the women. It is found that these are worsened in many cases since working in tourism presupposes that the women maintain sexual relations with their male coworkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality and women's empowerment are essential for sustainable development, yet several constraints make achieving them difficult. A strategic management tool is required to address these challenges and manage objectives and goals effectively. This study aims to redesign Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a strategic management tool for gender equality, to enable the strategic management of goals and indicators related to the fifth sustainable goal (SDG 5) proposed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The BSC for gender equality was developed through a comprehensive literature review on gender-specific targets and indicators and the restructuring of the traditional architecture of the BSC to include new dimensions, guiding questions, and objectives to achieve this study's goals. Moreover, a strategy map was constructed to illustrate the strategy and cause-and-effect relationships across the BSC dimensions. This research provides concrete gender strategies that help organizations implement a management tool to measure and manage their performance related to gender equality and sustainable development. The findings suggest that the BSC for gender equality can contribute significantly to a clearer understanding of how organizations can measure and promote gender equality. The implications of this study are significant for promoting and advancing gender equality, helping organizations, researchers, and civil society translate this goal into practical terms, and applying the concepts discussed for sustainable development and women's empowerment in practical circumstances. Ultimately, using the BSC for gender equality is expected to result in social and economic benefits for current and future generations, making it a valuable tool for organizations and policy makers to promote sustainable development and gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistani working women face problems in each field. However, the media profession offers more problems than any other field in the country. Plenty of studies support the statement that Pakistan is unsuitable for media women. In Hyderabad, many media-working women are facing problems silently. This study is a milestone in exploring their problems. Thus, the current research applied qualitative research and a purposive sampling method. Twenty women participants selected from print, electronic and digital media were recruited for in-depth interviews. The findings revealed that women experienced myriad problems in the industry. Nepotism and favoritism impeded many women's career development. Insecurity of jobs, unsafe workplaces, non-cooperative behavior of co-workers, and female-to-female jealousy were the striking problems in the media industry. It was found that more significant numbers of women were working in glass-ceiling positions. Besides, the results exhibited that gender inequality and sexual harassment were the two predominant problems in the industry. A concrete policy should be implemented to curb gender inequality and sexual harassment in the media industry. Media authorities should provide a fair platform without nepotism and favouritism for each woman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed and delved into the life experiences of fisherwomen residing in the municipality of Caoayan, Ilocos Sur. Particularly, it aimed to: (1) examine the demographic profile of the participating fisherwomen in terms of their age, annual income, and family structure; (2) determine the challenges fisherwomen encountered or continue to encounter; (3) determine the benefits fisherwomen provide to fishing groups; and (4) create a simulacrum that could elucidate the experiences of fisherwomen. Upon analysis of the responses, the study found that, as fisherwomen, the participants encounter numerous experiences and challenges in their life. Moreover, the study merged their experiences into various themes containing several factors: Perspectives on fishing and gender issues; Balance and Security; and Facing and Resolving challenges. Through this, the study recognized the contributions of their experiences to the empowerment of women in their community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV/AIDS prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa remains an issue of concern and young women are disproportionately affected by the disease. Premarital HIV testing is one of the key strategies used in HIV prevention since heterosexual sex remains the primary mode of HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. This study uses the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey to examine the association between premarital HIV testing and the ability to negotiate sexual relations among married women aged 15 to 49 years (N = 3,672). Women's ability to negotiate sexual relations was measured using two variables: the ability to refuse sex and the ability to ask for a condom during intercourse. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Only 24.1% of the women had premarital HIV testing. Approximately 46.5% and 32.3% of women reported that they could refuse sexual intercourse and ask their partner to use a condom, respectively. In the multivariable model, having a premarital HIV test was positively associated with the ability to refuse sex odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.82 (1.38, 2.41; p < 0.001) and the ability to ask for a condom 2.30 (1.55, 3.41; p < 0.001). Premarital HIV testing can improve women's sexual negotiation ability and possibly prevent future HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is the most commnon type of cancer in women and the main reason people die from cancer in poor countries like Indonesia. Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and can be dangerous to a woman’s health. Cervical cancer has the second most cases and deaths in the world, after breast cancer. The East Java Provincial Health Office’s Health Profile for 2021 says that Trenggalek is an area with a low rate of cervical cancer screening. So, we started doing community service projects to make more people aware of cervical cancer and how to find it early. Some ot the things that are done are health education about cervical cancer and ways to find it early. During this practice, women of reproductive age (WRA) were also asked to take part in a free Visual Acetate Acid (VIA) test done by the team. The next event was a free VIA test, which 21 WUS students took part in. The results of the VIA test showed that 20 people had bad VIA and one person had good VIA. The team then sent people who had a good VIA to get more care. Women, cadres, and other important people in the community can learn more about cervical cancer through community service. However, community service in other areas is needer in the coming year so that this issue can be brought up and the community can benefit from it, especially since cervical cancer is on the rise. People also think that is would change how women with cervical cancer get their treatments and improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed is a promising marine macroalgae of the millennium, providing various ecological, social, and economic benefits. At present, seaweed production reached 35.8 million t from farming, accounting for 97% of global seaweed output, with a world market of US$ 11.8 billion. Seaweeds are an excellent source of nutritious human food because of their low lipid content, high minerals, fibers, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polysaccharides, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. Many seaweed sub-products offer unique properties to develop various functional foods for the food processing industries. In the perspective of climate change mitigation, seaweed farms absorb carbon, serve as a CO2 sink and reduce agricultural emissions by providing raw materials for biofuel production and livestock feed. Seaweed farming system also helps in climate change adaptation by absorbing wave energy, safeguarding shorelines, raising the pH of the surrounding water, and oxygenating the waters to minimize the impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia on a localized scale. Moreover, it contributes substantially to the sustainable development of the economic condition of coastal women by providing livelihood opportunities and ensuring financial solvency. This review paper highlights the significance of seaweed farming in global food and nutritional security, mitigation and adaptation to global climate change, and women empowerment within a single frame. This review paper also outlined the major issues and challenges of seaweed farming for obtaining maximum benefits in these aspects. The main challenges of making seaweed as a staple diet to millions of people include producing suitable species of seaweeds, making seaweed products accessible, affordable, nutritionally balanced, and attractive to the consumers. Various food products must be developed from seaweeds that may be considered equivalent to the foods consumed by humans today. Lack of effective marine spatial planning to avoid user conflicts is vital for expanding the seaweed farming systems to provide aquatic foods and contribute globally for mitigation and adaptation of climate change impacts. Hence, women's empowerment through seaweed farming is primarily constrained by the lack of technical knowledge and financial resources to establish the coastal farming system. All the information discussed in this paper will help to understand the critical needs for large-scale seaweed farming for climate resilience mariculture, potentials for global food security, and future research on various aspects of seaweed farming and their diverse utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]