Virginia - What to watch in 2026
As of November, Virginia voters have approved three constitutional amendments protecting reproductive freedom, marriage equality, and voting rights. The November 3 results mark a significant change in Virginia's …
Julie Slovin is the founder of the Women’s Rights Data Initiative, a fact-based initiative tracking how laws and policies shape women’s rights across the United States.
View articles →Anvi Batra studies political science at George Washington University. Her experience includes legal research, political campaigns, and reporting, with interests in reproductive rights and domestic violence. She is a policy research intern for WRDI.
Aparna Parthasarathy studies political science and human rights at Barnard College. Her experience includes legal research and advocacy for survivors of violence, with interests in women’s health and maternal care. She is a reporting intern for WRDI.
View articles →Imani Wright is a UNC-Chapel Hill student studying sociology, media, and journalism, with a minor in women and gender studies. Her research examines race and gender in political campaigns. She is a reporting intern for WRDI.
Olivia Sanchez Dunn is a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate in public policy and data science. She analyzed policy for NC Governor Stein and now studies digital governance as an Austrian Combined Fulbright Scholar. She is a policy research intern for WRDI.
Prasidha Padmanabhan is a Yale public health graduate student and UNC-Chapel Hill graduate in public policy and data science. Her experience spans reproductive rights, health policy, and legislative research. She is a policy research intern for WRDI.
Pritika Patel is a Georgetown University student and editor for The Hoya and Georgetown’s Undergraduate Law Review. Her editorial and legal interests include education policy, Title IX, and family law. She is a reporting intern for WRDI.
Siya Lakireddy studies public policy and health at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her experience includes legislative work and research on Medicaid and Medicare access, with interests in women’s and maternal health. She is a policy research intern for WRDI.
Washington, DC can pass its own laws, but Congress has the power to block or overturn them. This structural reality shapes nearly every area of women’s rights in the …
In late 2025, Wisconsin lawmakers advanced two abortion-related bills that point in opposite directions. One proposal (SB 556) would expand legal recognition of fetal personhood, potentially restricting reproductive care …
There’s been a flurry of conversations about how LinkedIn’s algorithm treats women’s content. Journalists, analysts, and everyday users have started looking closely at gender differences in reach …
In early 2025, the removal of federal DEI requirements and the rollback of corporate DEI programs dismantled key workplace equity infrastructure. For years, DEI functioned as hidden infrastructure: the audits, …
In November, the U.S. Department of Education proposed a definition change that could reshape access to graduate programs in several essential and female-dominated fields. Here’s what to …
A new Wisconsin proposal (AB 718) takes a different approach to restricting abortion — instead of focusing on patients or providers, it frames abortion pills as an environmental hazard. Here’s …
Washington, DC, has some of the strongest legal protections for reproductive care in the country, strengthened further after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Abortion remains legal, self-managed abortion …
In November 2024, Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment protecting reproductive freedom, including access to abortion and contraception. The amendment was formally certified and took effect in 2025, placing reproductive …
In 2024, Maryland enacted a new grant program to expand abortion access and strengthen provider capacity across the state. The program directs state funds toward staffing, training, and service expansion, …
As lawmakers and courts revisit abortion restrictions across the country, more states are treating reproductive health care —including both pregnancy outcomes as well as abortion — as a potential criminal offense. …
In 2022, Maryland enacted a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program designed to provide workers with paid time off for caregiving, medical needs, and family leave. In …
In 2025, federal officials opened an investigation into Oregon school districts’ policies allowing transgender students to participate in school sports consistent with their gender identity. No final findings or major …