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 …
As of November, Wisconsin's political landscape has shifted following the 2026 elections. Democrat David Crowley won the governor's race, and Democrats gained control of both legislative …
As of November, Wisconsin's 2026 election has significantly changed the state's political landscape, creating new possibilities for legislation affecting women's rights. Abortion remains legal …
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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, several developments are reshaping the voting landscape across the United States.
In Washington, the House has once again passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility …
Each March, Women’s History Month invites reflection on the progress women have made — and the work that remains. International Women’s Day (March 8) similarly serves as a global …
Several states are advancing policies designed to strengthen protections for reproductive healthcare, including laws that shield providers from out-of-state legal actions, protect patients traveling for care, and expand …
Ohio’s public universities are beginning to implement major provisions of a higher education law passed in 2025. Senate Bill 1—known as the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act—introduces …
On February 18, 2026, Kansas enacted Senate Bill 244, a law defining sex in state law based on biological characteristics at birth and requiring state agencies to apply that definition …
Ohio has enacted a new law revising several aspects of the state’s election procedures, including voter registration verification, identification requirements, and absentee ballot timelines.
The legislation, Senate Bill 293, …
Several states are advancing new policies that expand how abortion restrictions are enforced, including proposals that introduce criminal penalties, broaden legal definitions of fetal personhood, or create new legal mechanisms …
A California law requiring certain health insurance plans to cover infertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), took effect on January 1, 2026. It expands existing state requirements and applies …
Project 2025 is a long-term policy blueprint created by a group of conservative organizations and led by the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think tank. Released ahead of the …
A maternal care desert is a place where people who are pregnant or giving birth have a hard time getting maternity care. Sometimes there’s no hospital nearby that delivers …
Federal laws play a powerful role in shaping women’s rights in the United States. Even when enforcement and impact vary from place to place, these laws establish national standards …
The word “protected” sounds definitive.
In everyday language, it suggests something settled—a right that’s been secured and placed out of reach of change. In law, the meaning is …
