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By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello!

It’s almost one year since the United States Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide in the country. To mark the day, today’s newsletter will focus on the gender disparities that continue to grow in the nation and beyond.

Since the Supreme Court eliminated federal abortion protections on June 24, 2022, and allowed states to limit or ban abortion care, 14 states have pushed forward legislation banning abortions, but many states have blocked restrictions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research group.

Click here for an in-depth infographic on how access to abortion has changed.

Dr. Alan Braid and his daughter and clinic manager Andrea Gallegos, set up an exam room at Alamo Women’s Clinic in Carbondale, Illinois, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

After the ruling, dozens of clinics closed, forcing patients to travel thousands of miles to end pregnancies. These included clinics of Dr Alan Braid and his daughter Andrea Gallegos in San Antonio, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Braid, an abortion provider since 1972, and Gallegos, manager of their clinics, decided to uproot their families in Texas to open clinics in New Mexico and Illinois, two states where abortion remains legal.

“I don’t think I ever really thought about quitting,” said Braid, who made national headlines when he defied Texas law in September 2021 by performing an abortion on a patient who was past six weeks pregnant. “My motivation,” he said, “is to provide a safe place for women to come who have made the decision to terminate their pregnancy.”

Abortion rights supporters did manage in some states to fight off new proposed restrictions or codify abortion protections.

Ahead of a rally set for Saturday in Washington, Rachel Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March activist organization, acknowledged the devastating blow dealt to reproductive rights by the Supreme Court’s reversal last year. “We are framing this to lift up the wins that we’ve had in the last year, but of course it’s a somber day for us,” Carmona said.

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to deliver a speech on the issue a week before a new Republican-backed law takes effect in the state, banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, down from the current 20-week window.

Speaking of Republican-backed laws, a Christian-owned wellness center is exempt from the federal law prohibiting employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, a federal appeals court ruled.

The company said it was run according to Christian beliefs, including opposition to homosexuality and upholding specific gender roles. It had sought a court order shielding it from EEOC enforcement under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a 1993 federal law limiting government agencies’ ability to burden anyone’s religious freedom.

And on the topic of rolling back freedoms based on sexual orientation, a state prosecutor in northern Italy has demanded the cancellation of 33 birth certificates of children born to lesbian couples dating back to 2017, saying the name of the non-biological mother should be removed.

The move by the prosecutor of Padua highlighted the legal morass facing gay families in Italy. It came months after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government ordered city councils to stop registering same-sex parents’ children.

An Afghan woman walks with her children on the anniversary of the fall of Kabul on a street in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 15, 2022. REUTERS/Ali Khara

Charli Rogers, senior vice president at UK-based software firm Yext, shares her thoughts on gender inclusivity in the artificial intelligence space:

“Tomorrow marks ‘International Women’s Engineering Day’, which serves as an important reminder for our industry to try and inspire more women to be part of the engineering workforce.”

“This is particularly important at a time when the industry is going through considerable technological change, with new developments such as generative AI.”

“In the last six months, we have seen an explosion in the use of AI. However, according to a recent World Economic Forum (WEF) report, AI professionals are predominantly men – with 78% of the AI workforce being male.”

“This raises concerns about the potential for gender bias in AI algorithms, as experiences and perspectives from predominantly male backgrounds may be overrepresented, which can lead to unbalanced developments. This highlights the need for greater gender diversity in the field of AI and engineering.”

“To combat this, we need to create an inclusive and supportive environment for women. This should include providing equal opportunities for females to join the engineering sector and creating a more inclusive environment.”

“To achieve this, companies must look at how they promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education internally and externally, particularly through mentorship opportunities.” 

“Only by doing this can we ensure that women have a seat at the table and can contribute their unique perspectives and talents towards shaping the future of the industry.”

Japan plans to “aggressively” push for women’s participation in society, especially in politics, top government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno said on Wednesday, after an annual report showed the country was struggling to narrow the gender gap.

The World Economic Forum report measuring gender parity ranked Japan 125th out of 146 countries this year, compared with 116th in last year’s report.

Director General of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, during an interview with Reuters at his office in New Delhi, India, June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Today’s Spotlight takes us to India as it invests in new supercomputers that detect cyclones earlier. And click on the video below for a clip on how environmental concerns will take center stage in a new art exhibition in Britain.

India is investing in new supercomputers, high-resolution radar systems and automated weather observatories to improve cyclone forecasting efforts over the next five years, its top weather official said.

The most dramatic overhaul in nearly a quarter century comes after early warnings and timely evacuations this month helped the South Asian nation avert major casualties after cyclone Biparjoy hit its west coast near neighboring Pakistan.

“In the next five years, our cyclone forecasting will get even better,” Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), told Reuters in an interview.

Video on artists sharing environmental concerns in London exhibition. June 19, 2023. Reuters

Meanwhile, environmental concerns and hopes for our planet take center stage in a new art exhibition opening this week at London’s Hayward Gallery.

“This exhibition is called ‘Dear Earth: Art and Hope in a Time of Crisis’ and the premise was to ask artists to reframe, re-contextualize the climate change today and connect to Mother Earth, our Earth,” said Rachel Thomas, chief curator at the gallery.

“We’re trying to fall back in love with our planet as a relative, to connect that we have compassion for the animals that are dying. So I think this show slightly offers a compassionate, hopeful way forward.”

“People who need urgent healthcare should not be afraid to step out of their homes for fear of their safety, and women’s right to reproductive healthcare must be upheld, conflict or no conflict.” 

Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director at the United Nations Population Fund 

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