Whether or not to drop the surname given at birth and take the one belonging to one's partner has been around for some time. It has become the ultimate tool for some women to affirm independence and empowerment. In the US especially – where it is legally allowed to choose what surname to use upon marriage – some are vocally rejecting this tradition, that is still the norm there. The claims against it, expressed in growing numbers not only by the newer generations, go from the feeling of "ownership" it implies to the desire to honour the family of origin line. And, especially among the highly educated, more women...

    Schoolchildren are struggling. Well beyond the stress to keep their scores up. Data show a worrying drop in levels of their mental health, which many experts link to the effect of pandemic closures—directly caused by the loss of social contacts, the deaths of loved ones and the impact of the jobs setbacks in their families. Warnings on the possible tolls on children's development and the potential effects of widening inequalities have been published starting from day one of the first lockdowns. But Covid-19 has reinforced some trends that, in many cases, were already latent. Undoubtedly, it has affected children's...

    In which state are maternity protection policies around the world? How many days are entitled to dads when their child is born? The International Labour Organization (ILO) has gathered data to help answer these questions. And has recently announced two new digital tools: the Global Care Policy Portal and the Care Policy Investment Simulator. As ILO describes, its open-access portal is “a knowledge hub on legal and statistical indicators on national care leave policies and services.” While the Investment Simulator, free to use previous registration, “calculates the investment requirements in 4 care policy areas and...

    Since November, in Texas, young women under 18 must have parental consent to access free contraception offered by Title X. This federal grant program was created in 1970 to provide family planning and preventive health services. With this decision, the State, which has already been known for its conservative positions in matters of reproductive - then, also health at large - rights, further implements its restrictive laws in matters of family planning. And it does so just months after last year's overturning of the US Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which made the termination of pregnancy a constitutional right for...