Thomson Reuters Foundation: Davos: On the path towards gender equality
Toyin Ojora Saraki, founder and president of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa

“…[At the World Economic Forum held in Davos this] year, it has been reassuring to see gender equality at the top of the global agenda. Yet far more needs to be done to support the plight of women, especially in the developing world. Improving access to health care and education is an obvious first step in our fight against gender equality. … [Ensuring equal access to education] is a key step toward reaching gender parity and draws attention to the need for investment in girls’ education in countries where education is not universal. Another invaluable area for investment with proven positive impact on gender equality is health care, particularly maternal and reproductive health care. Ensuring that there is ‘health for all’ will go a long way in reducing the gender gap, while also reducing poverty and driving economic growth. These areas deserve prioritization and commitment, and I urge international institutions and governments to respond to the critical needs of women globally…” (1/29).

Washington Post: How anti-feminism is shaping world politics
Ishaan Tharoor, writer for the Washington Post

“Last week at the World Economic Forum, women’s rights seemed at the top of the agenda. … Indeed, you don’t have to look hard to see the political appeal of anti-feminism in many parts of the world. A host of illiberal governments have rooted a kind of anti-feminism at the core of their nationalist platforms. … [I]t’s a reflection of a broader phenomenon: right-wing governments all wielding anti-feminism as a political cudgel. The enduring reality of the moment is that it remains a profoundly effective tactic. But, in the United States at least, there’s a brewing backlash. A historic number of female candidates are competing for major office in the 2018 midterm elections. … Whether they succeed in bringing a new wave of American women to power, however, they may find themselves confronted by an all-too-familiar opponent” (1/30).