It’s International Women’s Day! To celebrate, we’ve partnered with our sister organization, Report for the World, to spotlight some of the most important stories written by and about women and women’s issues across the United States and the world this year.  Want to help continue this critical local reporting? Lend your support today: bit.ly/womenreporting

Minnesota: St. Paul makes history with all-female city council, a rarity among large US cities

Experts who track women in politics said St. Paul, with a population of about 300,000 people, is the first large U.S. city they know of with an all-female city council. All seven women are under 40 years old, and six out of the seven are women of color. From civil engineering to nonprofit directing, they have a wide range of professional experiences, which helps capture the city’s diversity.

Missouri: Period management crisis impacts St. Louis women and girls

St. Louis University associate professor Anne Sebert Kuhlmann has been fighting period poverty for almost 10 years. Her work in the area of public health and social justice found that girls in the region miss school due to a lack of access to the products they need. Serbet Kuhlmann’s research shows that women who suffer from period poverty often show low self regard dignity because they can’t afford feminine hygiene products. She said, “I think it’s imperative to consider that aspect, the feeling that they can take care of themselves.”

New York: Women Forward: Mayor Adams on $43M gender equity plan

Mayor Eric Adams is aiming to cement the city as a national leader on gender equity, including for LGBTQ+ communities, with a $43 million investment in his Women Forward NYC action plan. The plan seeks to address gender disparities in the city’s workforce, dismantle barriers to health care, reduce gender-based violence, and target housing services for formerly incarcerated women and survivors of domestic violence.