He said no country could defeat inequality alone and called for major reforms to global financial and political institutions, including the United Nations Security Council. Ramaphosa argued that the current system does not adequately serve developing countries or protect global peace.

His remarks came during the second meeting of the International Panel on Inequality, launched under South Africa’s G20 presidency and backed by Brazil , Norway and Spain. The panel aims to become a leading global source of inequality data, with South Africa expected to push for its permanent establishment at the UN General Assembly.

President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to prioritise funding for gender equality , warning that without sustained investment, the continent’s development will remain incomplete. Speaking at a high-level meeting in Addis Ababa, he said achieving Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals depends on unlocking the full potential of women, whom he described as Africa’s most underutilised resource. He added that despite longstanding commitments, gender initiatives remain chronically underfunded and are often the first to face cuts during periods of fiscal constraint.

Ghana to expand visa waivers as passport strength rises

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced plans to s ign more visa waiver agreements in the coming months to strengthen the global standing of the Ghanaian passport. Speaking after bilateral meetings at the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, he described visa waivers as a key priority and signalled major announcements from March through May. Ablakwa said Ghana is positioning its passport among the most valuable in Africa, citing upgraded chip-embedded technology, enhanced security features and expanded travel access.

Three major hospitals accused of defying GHS directive in hit-and-run death

A 29-year-old engineer, Charles Amissah, died after being turned away by three major hospitals in Accra despite a Ghana Health Service directive banning the denial of emergency care over bed shortages. According to reports, he remained in an ambulance outside the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, the Police Hospital and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for nearly three hours before dying, in what has been described as another case of ‘no-bed syndrome’. In 2018, the GHS ordered that no emergency patient should be refused treatment due to a lack of beds, following a similar incident involving a 70-year-old man who was reportedly rejected by several hospitals before his death.

Outrage over alleged Russian luring Ghanaian women into filmed encounters

Between 12 and 13 February 2026, Ghanaian social media, particularly X, was dominated by controversy surrounding a man claiming to be Russian and identifying himself as Yaytseslav. Videos circulating online show him approaching women, mainly at Accra Mall, striking up conversations and recording the interactions . Posts allege that some encounters extend beyond first contact, with the footage later edited into content for his TikTok and YouTube pages. Users claim dozens of such videos involving Ghanaian women are publicly available, while additional material is reportedly shared via a private Telegram channel said to charge a monthly subscription of about $5.

Two siblings found dead in unsecured manhole

A family at Abokobi near Somanya is in mourning after two young brothers drowned in an uncovered manhole at their home. The boys, Jason Teye Mensah, 8, and Nathaniel Ayernor Kofi, 9, went missing after returning from school and were later found dead in the manhole around 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 12. Fire Service personnel helped retrieve the bodies, which have been taken to the Yilo Krobo District Hospital for autopsy. Police have confirmed the incident and begun investigations.

The map above shows how, even as much of the country had legalised interracial marriage, a swath of states, primarily in the South, still enforced laws that made it illegal for people of different races to wed.

These “anti-miscegenation” laws were among the last vestiges of institutionalised segregation. According to the online timeline of marriage laws, more than one-third of U.S. states had such bans well into the 1960s.

The watershed moment came on June 12, 1967, when the Loving v. Virginia decision by the Supreme Court of the United States declared that laws prohibiting marriage between people of different races were unconstitutional, saying that “the freedom to marry … resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State.”

However, the map from 1966 reminds us that until that ruling, countless couples faced legal prohibitions simply because of their race.

Some states’ bans lingered on the books long after they became unenforceable — for example, the state of Alabama didn’t officially remove its constitutional prohibition against interracial marriage until a voter referendum in the year 2000.

Why this history still matters

At first glance, these laws might seem like a chapter from long ago, but they speak directly to ongoing debates about equality, identity and the meaning of marriage. For example:

Several political parties and civil society groups in Tunisia have publicly condemned what they describe as an “attack” on the headquarters of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT). The incident has intensified existing tensions between the government and the country’s largest trade union, which has historically been a pillar of Tunisia’s social dialogue. The condemnation reflects growing concern over the government’s treatment of organised labour and its potential impact on Tunisia’s fragile political stability.

Political parties and organisations say they are fully supportive of Gabes' protests

Political and civic organisations have voiced strong support for ongoing protests in Gabes, a southern industrial city plagued by pollution and unemployment. Demonstrators have demanded urgent government intervention to address the environmental and economic crises in the region. The solidarity statements from political parties underline the national significance of the movement, as Gabes continues to symbolise broader frustrations over inequality and governance failures.

Parties and organisations denounce one-month suspension of ATFD activities

Women’s rights organisations and political parties have denounced the one-month suspension of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD). The suspension, ordered by authorities, has been criticised as part of a wider crackdown on civil society and gender rights activism. The ATFD, known for its decades-long advocacy for gender equality, has pledged to challenge the suspension and continue defending democratic freedoms.

Political parties and NGOs call on Tunisian diplomacy to act immediately regarding the Sumud Flotilla

In response to developments surrounding the Sumud Flotilla, Tunisian political parties and NGOs have urged the government to take swift diplomatic action . The flotilla, organised in solidarity with Palestinians, has reignited Tunisia’s long-standing commitment to the Palestinian cause. Activists argue that the Tunisian government must take a more assertive stance on international platforms to support humanitarian efforts and peace initiatives in Gaza.

Drawing on data from Wikipedia and The World in Maps, the study highlights nations where women presently hold the highest executive offices, whether as presidents or prime ministers and traces their rise to power between 2018 and 2025.

Across continents, the map reveals both firsts and milestones. In Africa, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, as reported by Global South World, became Namibia’s first female president in March 2025, joining Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, who has been in power since 2021.

In Europe, Mette Frederiksen continues to serve as Denmark’s prime minister, while Kaja Kallas of Estonia and Ingrida Šimonytė of Lithuania represent a new generation of women shaping European politics. In the Americas, Mia Mottley of Barbados and Xiomara Castro of Honduras remain powerful voices advocating for inclusive governance and social reform.

Asia saw a major development today, October 21, when Japan appointed its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, breaking a long-standing political tradition

Her historic appointment highlights a broader pattern: women are finally rising in regions where top political roles were long seen as unattainable. However, analysts note that symbolic representation must evolve into substantive power, as Takaichi’s cabinet still includes only two women.

Despite these achievements, the map makes one fact clear: female leadership remains unevenly distributed, often concentrated in smaller or progressive nations. It is a reminder that parity has not yet been achieved, while visibility has impro ved .

Structural barriers ranging from gendered party systems to cultural norms continue to restrict women’s pathways to power.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations’ Women’s Power Index , as of August 2025, only 29 women serve as heads of state or government worldwide, underscoring that women still make up less than 15% of all global leaders.

Similarly, UN Women’s 2025 report shows that just 23% of cabinet positions globally are held by women.

Countries once overlooked in global labour rankings are now setting bold new standards for paternity leave, offering fathers time to bond with their newborns and share caregiving responsibilities from day one.

According to the IRIS Global Parental Leave Index , Peru, Laos, Rwanda, Comoros, and Benin lead the way, granting some of the world’s longest paid paternity leaves among developing nations.

Peru tops the list with 21 weeks, followed by Laos with 17 weeks, Rwanda with 16, Comoros with 15, and Benin offering 12 weeks

These numbers stand out in a world where the average paid paternity leave remains under two weeks, and only about 53% of countries legally guarantee fathers any paid time off at all.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) notes that leave policies specifically designed for fathers can be a game changer in reducing gender inequality at work and home, improving child well-being, and reshaping social norms around caregiving

In countries like Rwanda, where gender equality is part of national development goals, expanding paternity leave reflects a deeper social commitment. Similarly, Peru’s 21-week provision—the highest in the Global South—signals that progressive family policy is not the preserve of wealthy nations.

In Laos, Comoros, and Benin, these reforms also highlight how smaller economies are prioritizing family welfare and gender balance despite limited resources.

Globally, the push for longer parental leave gained momentum during and after the COVID-19 pandemic , as workplaces grappled with new norms around remote work and caregiving.

In many high-income countries, cultural and professional barriers still limit men’s participation in parental leave. But in the Global South, legal reforms are moving faster than societal skepticism, showing that ambition, not affluence, drives change.

On October 3, 2025, South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled that the country’s existing parental leave laws are unconstitutional. Under the old regime, new moms were entitled to four months of maternity leave, while fathers got just 10 days of paternity leave.

The Court found that this disparity was discriminatory and violated principles of equality and human dignity.

As an interim remedy, the Court ordered that both parents may now share a total of four months and 10 days of parental leave. That means couples can divide the time however they choose, either sequentially, concurrently, or in other combinations.

Parliament has been given 36 months to amend the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and related laws to align with the constitutional directive.

South Africa’s move joins a growing list of countries in the Global South that are already giving fathers’ leave entitlements.

In Peru, for example, fathers are entitled to 21 weeks of paid paternity leave, while in Laos, paternity leave is legally 17 weeks. In Benin, the statutory paternity leave is 12 weeks of paid leave. Rwanda continues with 16 weeks, and Comoros at 15 weeks.