Croatia recently became the latest in a string of countries to add femicide to its statute books, making it a dedicated offence to kill a woman or girl because of her gender.
Such laws are clearly needed when you consider that, across the world, an average of five women or girls are killed every hour by a member of their own family. Cyprus has taken similar action to Croatia and in Costa Rica, an existing law was extended to enable the conviction of people who kill women outside their family or personal relationships. This recognises that gendered violence is often a weapon of war and oppression.
Criminologist Madhumita Pandey examines what makes laws of this kind successful – but also where they fall short.
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A protester in Athens at a rally against femicide.
EPA/Orestis Panagiotou
Madhumita Pandey, Sheffield Hallam University
Croatia has become the latest in a string of nations to make killing women because of their gender a specific offence.
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CDC/Pexels, State Library of NSW
Meru Sheel, University of Sydney; Alexandra Hogan, UNSW Sydney
The chance of living one more year is up to 44% more likely thanks to the past 50 years of vaccines, according to new research. But global drops in vaccine coverage pose a risk.
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Anti-war movements can yield much positive coalition building towards peace, but can also trigger backlash. Protesters gather in an encampment set up on the University of Toronto campus in Toronto on May 2, 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
Kawser Ahmed, University of Winnipeg
Communication about conflict is the fundamental starting point for future action. In modeling non-violent communication, university leaders can proactively counter potential extremism.
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Erin O'Brien, Griffith University
The situation in Gaza undoubtedly requires urgent international attention and a peaceful resolution. Yet it is not the only armed conflict or humanitarian crisis in the world.
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Raymond Offenheiser, University of Notre Dame
A United Nations agency known as UNRWA is the main player in crisis response in Gaza – but Israel will no longer work with UNRWA, and border crossings are not consistent in getting aid through.
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Seheno Andriantsaralaza, Université d’Antananarivo
In Madagascar, communities and scientists are growing tens of thousands of baobab seedlings to restore the 1,000-year-old forests.
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Carol Opdebeeck, Manchester Metropolitan University
Being arrested, getting a divorce, losing your job – all of these things are associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
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Helen Vassallo, University of Exeter; Anne Whitehead, Newcastle University; Edward Sugden, King's College London; Hyunseon Lee, SOAS, University of London; Lucyl Harrison, University of Hull; Rafael Mendes Silva, Trinity College Dublin
Six brilliant novels from around the world but only one can win.
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Bethan Jones, University of York
Baby Reindeer, the autobiographical Netflix series about one comedian’s experience of stalking, has consistently been in the streamer’s top ten most-watched since its release. The story follows barman-cum-comedian…
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Nikki Crowley, Penn State
Singer Amy Winehouse died from alcohol toxicity in 2011, the same year that the American Society of Addiction Medicine publicly recognized addiction as a brain disorder.
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