Global Scans · Gender · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Achieving global gender parity will take many decades yet. Read on to understand the trends, challenges and efforts to advance parity at a faster pace.

• [New] Britain and the other European powers could see earlier demands for female political rights especially if the Napoleonic wars last long enough that after seeing the effectiveness of female soldiers in the French army, they too decide to fight fire with fire and levied women into their armies. alternatehistory.com
• [New] The French government will be even more prone to military coups as female soldiers and veterans will demand political rights for women. alternatehistory.com
• [New] What happened in France might spread to slave women (and men to some extent) in the USA, Caribbean, Brazil ... as antislavery, antiracist, egalitarian and feminist radical movements. alternatehistory.com
• [New] Queensland women are joining forces with scientists to tackle breast and gynaecological cancers as survival disparities and rising diagnoses put thousands at risk. @MaterNews
• [New] Women rights defenders face additional risks online, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence: In a global survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit, 38% of women reported personal experience with violence online, from hacking and stalking to image-based sexual abuse. Just Security
• [New] By opening new pathways for participation, leadership and scholarship, the NCAA strengthens its commitment to expanding equitable opportunities for women and embracing the evolution of modern sport. NCAA.org
• [New] Welcoming women's flag football into the Emerging Sports for Women is a meaningful step toward expanding access, equity and opportunity. NCAA.org
• [New] The 50-50 crew rule in The Ocean Race Atlantic will give equal opportunities to the best female and male offshore sailors in the world in a new point to point race format. World Sailing
• [New] The total fertility rate will fall to 1.53 births per woman by 2026, far below the 2.1 level needed to maintain a stable population. / USA Economic Times
• [New] A female prime minister is expected to bring a sense of freshness and novelty capable of revitalising Japan's stagnating political landscape. East Asia Forum
• [New] Winter conditions are intensifying hardship, with families sheltering in flooded tents, newborns facing heightened risk of hypothermia, and pregnant women lacking safe spaces to rest or give birth, and has called for an urgent scale-up of assistance to protect health and support women and girls. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitar
• [New] Failing to level the playing field for women pursuing leadership roles is a business risk companies can not afford to risk in 2026. Fair Play Talks
• [New] With the trend of increasing complexity and ambition in healthcare systems throughout the Middle East, the role of a female healthcare CEO in 2026 will be a structural adjustment instead of a symbolic one. The Arab Women Leaders
• [New] The emphasis on the workforce and inclusive care delivery will be one of the greatest contributions of female healthcare CEOs in 2026. The Arab Women Leaders
• [New] Automating domestic chores could help rebalance unpaid labour, which often disproportionately falls on women (a disappointing 40% more than men, reported by NBC), while reducing physical strain that often leads to long-term health issues. Homes and Gardens
• [New] In 2026, solo female travelers will prioritize independence, safety, discretion, and deeply restorative experiences, prompting leading brands to rethink service design around anticipation and empowerment. WLCC
• [New] Personalized symptom management: With over one billion women expected to experience menopause by 2030, AI-driven platforms are providing individualized treatment recommendations based on symptom patterns. ZIRO Healthcare Solutions
• [New] Beyond generational differences, 2026 will demand greater attention to specific life-stage needs, particularly for working parents and women navigating menopause. HR Executive
• [New] A draft update to NICE's guideline on suspected cancer proposes new thresholds for the CA125 blood test that reflect how ovarian cancer risk changes as women get older. www.pathologyinpractice.com
• [New] More women with ovarian cancer could be diagnosed earlier under proposed new NICE guidance that replaces a one-size-fits-all blood test threshold with personalised, age-based criteria. www.pathologyinpractice.com
• [New] The inclusion of more women in the screening program is expected to save lives and improve the quality of care available to women in Saskatchewan. ACMA Association Blog
• [New] The American Cancer Society and other organizations recommend women with a high lifetime risk of breast cancer have both an annual mammogram and breast MRI, scheduled six months apart. NPR
• [New] In 2026, pharma companies will face pressure to commit to deep, multi-year collaborations that deliver sex-specific data, new endpoints for better outcomes for women. Pharmaphorum

Last updated: 22 January 2026