New Poll Highlights the Most Dangerous Countries for Women

A recent New York Times article highlights new TrustLaw poll results from the Thompson Reuters Foundation which list the top five most dangerous places for women around the globe.  Thompson Reuters Foundation is the charitable arm of the Reuters news agency.  TrustLaw asked 213 gender experts to rank countries by overall perceptions of danger and by six risks, including health threats, sexual violence, non-sexual violence, cultural or religious factors, lack of access to resources and trafficking. 

Afghanistan was ranked the most dangerous country for women, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, India and Somalia.  The expert poll indicated that:

* Afghanistan tops expert poll of dangers to women
* Congo plagued by rape as weapon of war
* Pakistan blighted by acid attacks and 'honour killings'
* India cited for trafficking and sexual slavery
* Somalia seen as having full gamut of risks

The poll results shed a light on the dangers that so many women face around the world, and in many cases crime victims have no recourse. Poverty, limited access to health services, lack of political will, legal restrictions, cultural taboos, and harsh gender inequality all conspire to put women at risk of harm resulting from unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, unattended childbirth, and unsafe abortion.  The PPFA International Program works to build movements that promote and protect the reproductive health and rights of vulnerable women and young people.  Planned Parenthood is a leader in working to eliminate barriers to basic reproductive health care services that are essential to the lives of billions of women and men worldwide.

Learn more about PPFA's International Program here.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, international program