Spain: For the first time in Western Europe, local governments in Gerona, Catalunya, began to provide menstruation leave to employees who were experiencing discomfort during their periods. The new idea was also adopted by other Catalan municipalities.
Philippines: A new law bans child marriage which becomes punishable by 12 years of prison. In the Philippines one in six girls is married before 18 years old which makes it the country with the highest rate of child marriage in the world according to the database of Plan International.
Luxembourg: Tampons and condoms are now available for free in the public toilets of Luxembourg.
USA: Maya Angelou is the first Afro-American woman to be on a US coin or banknote outside of limited series. Maya Angelou was an African-American writer, actress, screenwriter, dancer, poet, and civil rights activist best known for her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which became the first nonfiction bestseller by an African-American woman in 1969.
Iraq: Bushra al-Hajjar a gold medal-winning athlete who opened the first boxing hall for women in the city of Najaf in Iraq. Now, a lot of them have opened and women get more engaged in sport. She aims to break the taboos about women and sport.
Pakistan: Ayesha Malik is the first Pakistani woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Along with 16 men, she will be the only woman.
European Union: Roberta Metsola, a conservative politician, became the new president of the European Parliament. She is very criticised for her anti-abortion statements.
Uganda: A trader association banned women from the front of trucks because their short skirts and naked thighs were causing accidents.
Chile: The new government is composed of a majority of women, 14 out of 24 members.
France: Conversion therapies for LGBTQ+ people are now officially prohibited in France. People offering these therapies risk a fine of 30 000 euros and 2 years of prison.
Sources:
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220106-iraqi-women-boxers-aim-sucker-punch-at-gender-taboos
https://www.npr.org/2022/01/25/1075556977/ayesha-malik-pakistan-supreme-court
https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-roberta-metsola-the-new-president-of-the-european-parliament/a-60454204
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/21/chile-gabriel-boric-cabinet-majority-women