Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Data and Trends
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting poses serious physical and mental health risks for women and young girls, especially for women who have undergone extreme forms of the procedure. According to a Population Reference Bureau data sheet, an estimated 100 million to 140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting and more than 3 million girls are at risk for cutting each year on the African continent alone. (September 2008)

Sex Ratio at Birth Begins to Improve in India
There has been increasing international news coverage of the highly skewed sex ratio at birth in India resulting from the abortion of female fetuses. The strong preference for sons is especially evident in some Indian states where the ratio of boy to girl babies is extremely high, but the practice of sex-selective abortion to ensure a male child has been documented in many parts of India and among Indians living abroad. But news media have not yet reported new evidence that the situation in India, while still very serious, has begun to improve. This improvement is due, in no small part, to efforts by the central and state governments to discourage the abortion of female fetuses. (August 2008)

PRB in the Field: Women's Edition Meets in Johannesburg
In early April, the Population Reference Bureau assembled a group of eight women journalists from seven developing countries in South Africa to participate in a weeklong seminar on the causes and consequences of rape and other violence against women. The eight journalists are members of PRB's global network called Women's Edition, funded by USAID. Johannesburg was chosen as the venue for a seminar on gender-based violence because it has one of the world's highest rates of rape. (May 2008)

Ensuring a Wide Range of Family Planning Choices
The use of contraception varies widely around the world, both in terms of total use and the types of methods used. In many countries, women and couples rely largely on one or two contraceptive methods, because of government policies, the way that national family planning programs have evolved, and cultural or social preferences. Understanding why people prefer some contraceptive methods over others can be useful for strengthening family planning programs. (April 2008)

How Older Women Can Shield Themselves From Poverty
Elderly women are highly vulnerable to poverty. On average, they are likely to live 13 or 14 years longer than their male partners. And they are more likely than men to run out of resources in late life. Divorced or separated older women are the most vulnerable, because they have lower incomes and fewer resources. It's a group that will grow in size as the baby boomers age and as more women divorce or separate, said Timothy Smeeding in a presentation at the Population Reference Bureau on Feb. 28, 2008. Also view a 13-minute webcast interview with Professor Smeeding. (March 2008)

Fertility Declining in the Middle East and North Africa
Population growth of the mainly Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa has been slowed by a veritable revolution in marriage and childbearing in recent decades. While a young population structure ensures momentum for future growth, the pace has slackened thanks to fertility declines in some of the region’s largest countries. (April 2008)

Women Prevail Against Violence
Mama Joyce and Josephine are unlikely heroines. Both women were brought low by abusive husbands who beat them, took away their dignity and choices, and left them with AIDS. Yet both women emerged as heroines in "SASA! A Film About Women, Violence and HIV/AIDS." This film tells the story of how these courageous women triumphed over gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS and gained power that helped them organize, become activists in their communities, and build meaningful and rewarding lives. (January 2008)

PRB Discuss Online: "Gender Equality and the Family"
The gender revolution in the public sphere has continued apace throughout the industrialized world. Women are leading countries and holding prestigious positions in government, business, and academia. But in the private sphere of the family, much less change has occurred. Women still shoulder most of the responsibilities. For women to reach equality with men, these inequities in the public and private spheres need to be addressed. Fran Goldscheider, professor emeritus at Brown University and professor at the University of Maryland, led a PRB Discuss Online on this topic. Read a transcript of the questions and answers. (November 2007)

Gender Disparities in Health and Mortality
Gender differences in mortality and life expectancy vary by country. But in most countries, men live shorter lives than women. In Russia, for instance, the difference between male and female life expectancy is 13 years (59 vs. 72). In other countries, such as the United States, the male disadvantage is smaller: 5 years (75 vs. 80). And in some countries, such as Afghanistan, there is little or no male disadvantage (42 vs. 42). (November 2007)

PRB's Women's Edition Journalists Cover 'Women Deliver' Conference
At Women Deliver, a global conference marking the 20th anniversary of the launch of the global Safe Motherhood Initiative, more than 1,800 people gathered in London from Oct. 18 to 20, to focus on creating the political will to save the lives and improve the health of women, mothers, and newborns around the world. Nine members of PRB's Women's Edition, a network of journalists, covered the conference, reporting and writing articles for the conference newsletter. (November 2007)