If Maria Emilia is a Latin American scientist, half of her colleagues are probably also women, but her chance of being admitted to the National Academy or National Agency is much lower than for her male colleagues. What are the main challanges women in science face in Latin America and the Caribbean? And what policies would (or should) support them?

Much debate surrounds the choice of indicator used to determine economic performance and stage of development for governments, businesses and citizens.

In light of recent news including the coordinated sexual assaults on women in Cologne, and a spike in attacks against Syrian and Iraqi women, Dr Hope Ferdowsian co-authors a timely piece reflecting on sexual violence crimes during times of conflict. Could justice be better served if clinicians extended their role and were required to provide forensic medical evidence in Courts of Law?

Increasingly affluent and powerful female consumers in China and India are expected stimulate extraordinary growth – and deliver growth to the companies that serve them.

Fuel briquette technology is a promising alternative source of energy that could address unmet needs for cooking fuel, and create a number of socio-economic opportunities for women and low-income earners in Kenya.

Gender equality in both the workplace and the home can only be reached if mindsets change in parallel with the creation of new laws, and codes of practice.

With research showing that a mere 32 per cent of employed scientists and engineers are women, the challenge lies in being able to retain female scientific talent and encouraging a higher level of participation beyond school and into the workplace.

The past half century has seen leaps in women’s working rights, yet statistics show that sexual harassment is still a pervasive threat in the workplace.

Imagine trying to attend classes in these schools while you have your menstrual period. Imagine your menstrual period is extremely painful. Imagine your reuse-able pad is soaked through but there is no running water to clean it, or that there is no trash bin to get rid of it. And don’t forget this happens every month.