Period tax scrapped in Pakistan: what the ruling means for women
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Two lawyers filed a court case. Thousands signed a petition. Pakistan just agreed to scrap its sales tax on period products. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced the move this month, calling sanitary products “daily necessities that are Read More...
Chile’s maternity leave expansion led to a three-year employment boost
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In October 2011, Chile extended postnatal leave from 12 to 24 weeks for women contributing to the country’s social security system. The reform also introduced five days of paid paternity leave. A study published this year by economist Francisca Read More...
Podcast Transcript March 6, 2026— (Guest Interview) From 18 Women to 80,000: How Sambhali Trust is Empowering Girls in India | International Women's Day 2026
Episode Description: This episode is dedicated to Badan Kanwar. In the early 1990s, a woman named Badan Kanwar was widowed in Rajasthan, India. Her world shrank the way it does for widows there — she lost status, voice, and belonging. Her son, Govind Singh Rathore, watched. Years later, he Read More...
Why turning support into action matters on International Women’s Day
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM International Women’s Day arrives each year with a familiar mix of brightness and gravity. On March 8, communities around the world celebrate women’s achievements: the breakthroughs, the leadership, the care work, the creativity, and the stamina it takes Read More...
Rowing against the current: Botswana’s women safari guides inspire and empower
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In the calm of Botswana's Okavango Delta, where the morning sun creates a golden glow on the water's surface, an amazing metamorphosis is occurring. Women are taking the lead in changing an industry that was formerly thought of as a man's domain: guiding Read More...
Bogotá's Care School for Men empowers fathers to embrace caregiving
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL STAFF A remarkable scene plays out at Bogotá's Sanitas University when a select group of young men congregate for an unusual class. They all grab a plastic doll, rash cream, and diapers. Felipe Contreras, their instructor, leads them through a routine that is Read More...
Celebrating International Women's Day: this year's theme and transformative solutions
International Women's Day, observed on March 8 every year, has a rich history that dates back over a century. The origins of this day are disputed, with some claiming it started with socialist women and textile workers in New York in 1909 or was proposed as a global holiday by anti-fascist and Read More...
France sets a global precedent, guaranteeing abortion as constitutional right
French parliamentarians passed a historic bill to include abortion rights in the country's constitution, demonstrating strong support for women's reproductive rights. France is now the only country that specifically guarantees a woman's right to terminate her pregnancy. President Emmanuel Macron Read More...
Parental leave revolution: South Africa's landmark decision sets new standards
South Africa plans to pioneer shared parental leave, making it the first country in Africa to implement this provision. The country's highest court recently declared that both parents had the right to time off following the birth or adoption of a child, allowing them to determine how to divide a Read More...
The summer of triumph for women's sports: a new era unfolds
This past summer, women's sports flourished, reaching goals that were formerly thought to be unattainable. Women's sports have entered a new age, leaving a huge impact on the world of athletics, from gender pay equality to record-breaking viewership. The rise of women's football The phenomenal Read More...