Women This Week: First Woman Appointed to Top Position in the Holy See

Critics Continue to Question Barriers to Women in the Catholic Church 

The first woman, Sister Simona Brambilla, has been appointed to oversee a major Vatican office. She was named by Pope Francis to head the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, which is responsible for overseeing all religious orders for men and women in the Catholic Church. While this appointment is recognized as a win for the push to put more women in decision-making positions within the Church, many critics have questioned the Pope’s decision to name Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime as co-leader of the department. This decision is likely because women are banned from the priesthood and are therefore prohibited from performing many sacramental traditions. While many experts have noted that Brambilla has the qualifications to be named cardinal, Artime will serve those functions. “It’s definitely a positive shift at the Vatican,” said Kate McElwee from the Women’s Ordination Conference. However, she went on, “It just proves that there’s still some kinks to work out and hoops that women have to go through to assume these positions at the Vatican.” 

Push for Women to be Included in New Syrian Administration 

Thousands of women in Syria are demanding that the new leadership both respect and promote women’s rights. The rally came in response to comments made by the spokesman for transition and new political administration, who said that “female representation in ministries or parliament... is premature,” citing “biological and physiological nature.” Many Syrians fear that the new leadership will endorse religious rule and push women and other marginalized groups to the sidelines. The protestors also condemned fierce hostilities between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic forces. Kurdish-majority groups in Syria have endorsed an ideology of socialism and feminism, with one official, Hemrin Ali from the Kurdish-led administration of northeastern Syria, telling Reuters, “Yes to preserving the rights and gains of the women's revolution in northern and eastern Syria.” 

Sudanese Women Driven to Suicide Following Sexual Violence  

According to the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), at least ten women in Sudan’s East Al Jazirah region have committed suicide after being raped by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). With very few resources available for women who experience sexual violence, suicide has become common in areas that have experienced violent campaigns by the RSF. “They were driven to this desperate act after suffering gang rape at the hands of RSF fighters,” said SIHA regional director Hala Al-Karib. SIHA has documented over two hundred missing women since the war broke out in April 2023, with many allegedly being abducted after trying to flee RSF attacks. Even before the war began, Sudan had been engulfed in a massive humanitarian and displacement crisis. While human rights groups have been arguing that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were taking part in ethnic cleansing, the U.S. government only recently recognized the atrocities as a genocide and ordered sanctions that target the group’s leader.