Gender Bias Research Articles

Causes of Gender Bias in Chinas Education and Its Countermeasures

The existence of gender bias in education is a complex issue in the context of Chinese society. Through an in-depth study of the phenomenon of gender differences in China's cultural, historical, political, and economic contexts, this paper reveals the specific reasons behind it, its manifestations, and the effects it brings. Besides, some concrete suggestions and measures are also put forward. It can be concluded from the analysis that teachers hold different expectations and different educational attitudes towards students of different genders in the educational environment. The prejudice caused by such gender stereotyping will be consciously or unconsciously manifested in their teaching as well as in their contact with students. This will have an inescapable impact on students' academic development and career development. In order to eliminate gender discrimination in education, a series of measures need to be taken. Firstly, traditional cultural and socially perceived prejudices should be changed to improve the status and educational opportunities for women. Secondly, it is necessary to strengthen teachers' gender awareness and educational training so that they can focus on gender equality and justice in education. In addition, it is necessary to establish a fair and equal campus culture and evaluation system to encourage students to fulfil their potential and strengths.

A collective action approach to improving attitudes and self-efficacy towards gender equality among male STEM academics

AbstractDespite the implementation of equality interventions within higher education, progress towards gender parity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains slow. Male educators often exhibit poorer engagement with diversity initiatives, potentially contributing to persisting gender disparities in STEM given men’s longstanding dominance in these programs. Two experiments investigate how equality interventions should be designed to maximize support from male educators. Experiment 1 (N = 72; Mage = 39.72, SDage = 12.33) used virtual reality to manipulate 2 factors among male academics: (1) exposure to gender inequality and (2) virtually taking the perspective of a female scientist. Using self-report and behavioral measures, viewing an empirical presentation outlining the prevalence of gender issues in STEM yielded the greatest support for equality initiatives following successful perspective-taking. Experiment 2 (N = 120; Mage = 32.48, SDage = 10.36) varied two additional factors among male academics: (1) evidence-based methods to reduce gender biases in STEM (i.e., promoting self-efficacy) and (2) blaming male academics for gender inequalities. Promoting self-efficacy and blaming men for disparities led to greater confidence in male academics’ ability to address gender inequalities in their field. Notably, higher self-efficacy accounted for greater support for equality initiatives and internal motives to engage with diversity programs. Findings provide an empirical framework and high-tech training tools for promoting engagement with diversity initiatives among male educators, informing development of interventions within higher education to improve student and faculty experiences in STEM.

Gender dynamics of the impact of cash transfer on female educational expenditure of informal settlements in Bangladesh

Gender-biased educational investment remains a critical issue for vulnerable households. Despite increased female enrolment in the past decade, motivation to invest on female education remains low. Resource scarcity and low woman empowerment are two major reasons of low educational expenditure on female children of a vulnerable household. As the most vulnerable households in a society, informal settlers (slum households) are supposed to spend less on female children. However, whether there is any gender bias in informally settled households’ spending on education remains a question. Further, Cash Transfer (CT) programs provide resources to vulnerable households for investing on human capital elements like education. This study aims to examine three research questions: whether a informally settled household’s spending on education is gender biased, whether the households in which women receive CT spend more for female education than those in which women do not receive CT, and finally whether the impact of female receipt of CT differs from that of male receipt of CT in terms of female education expenditure. As the assignment of female access to CT is not randomized, the simple comparison between the treated and untreated suffers from selection bias. We employ propensity score matching (PSM) as an identification strategy to address selection bias. Inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) has been applied as a robustness check. The study's policy implications highlight the significance for policymakers in the domains of women's education, empowerment, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

Breaking the WAVE and shattering stereotypes: addressing organizational change and team dynamics with female leaders

Research methodology The research consisted of a questionnaire and in-depth interview with the CEO. Secondary research was conducted to read through various articles and literature available on the organization. Relevant courses are organizational behavior/organization development/strategic management. Case overview/synopsis In a landscape traditionally dominated by male leadership, this case study highlights the compelling narrative of a new leader with an unconventional leadership style. This purpose of this case study aims to explore the change management challenges faced by Molade, CEO of WAVE, a leading vocational education social enterprise based in Lagos, Nigeria, as she grapples with the issue of organizational culture and gender bias and their impact on team dynamics while implementing a new strategy. Her leadership journey reflects not only personal triumphs but also the broader impact of diverse perspectives at the helm of organizational decision-making. Despite having over a decade of industry experience and being well-respected in her field, Molade is met with resistance and patronizing behavior from some of the existing team members who question her authority and decision-making abilities. The case discusses leadership challenges faced by Molade, a female leader, its negative implications on her performance and her ability to implement change within the organization. Ultimately, Molade’s perseverance and strategic thinking enabled her to successfully navigate her dilemma. Complexity academic level Undergraduate business course(s) which include organizational behavior, organization development and strategic management.

Preoperative prediction model for risk of readmission after total joint replacement surgery: a random forest approach leveraging NLP and unfairness mitigation for improved patient care and cost-effectiveness

BackgroundThe Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) imposes payment penalties for readmissions following total joint replacement surgeries. This study focuses on total hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasty procedures as they account for most joint replacement surgeries. Apart from being a burden to healthcare systems, readmissions are also troublesome for patients. There are several studies which only utilized structured data from Electronic Health Records (EHR) without considering any gender and payor bias adjustments.MethodsFor this study, dataset of 38,581 total knee, hip, and shoulder replacement surgeries performed from 2015 to 2021 at Novant Health was gathered. This data was used to train a random forest machine learning model to predict the combined endpoint of emergency department (ED) visit or unplanned readmissions within 30 days of discharge or discharge to Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) following the surgery. 98 features of laboratory results, diagnoses, vitals, medications, and utilization history were extracted. A natural language processing (NLP) model finetuned from Clinical BERT was used to generate an NLP risk score feature for each patient based on their clinical notes. To address societal biases, a feature bias analysis was performed in conjunction with propensity score matching. A threshold optimization algorithm from the Fairlearn toolkit was used to mitigate gender and payor biases to promote fairness in predictions.ResultsThe model achieved an Area Under the Receiver Operating characteristic Curve (AUROC) of 0.738 (95% confidence interval, 0.724 to 0.754) and an Area Under the Precision-Recall Curve (AUPRC) of 0.406 (95% confidence interval, 0.384 to 0.433). Considering an outcome prevalence of 16%, these metrics indicate the model’s ability to accurately discriminate between readmission and non-readmission cases within the context of total arthroplasty surgeries while adjusting patient scores in the model to mitigate bias based on patient gender and payor.ConclusionThis work culminated in a model that identifies the most predictive and protective features associated with the combined endpoint. This model serves as a tool to empower healthcare providers to proactively intervene based on these influential factors without introducing bias towards protected patient classes, effectively mitigating the risk of negative outcomes and ultimately improving quality of care regardless of socioeconomic factors.

Protocol Against Sexual Abuse, Harassment, Mistreatment And Discrimination In National Sports Activity: Chilean Model

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the process of implementing a new legal protocol intended to prevent and sanction behaviors of harassment, abuse, discrimination, and mistreatment in the sports environment. Theoretical Framework: It is based on alarming statistics indicating a significant percentage of young athlete’s face abuse in sports globally. The literature examines power dynamics, the closeness between coaches and athletes, and the lack of effective protocols as factors facilitating abuse and sexual harassment. Method: A qualitative methodology was adopted to analyze official documents related to the Supreme Decree from the National Sports Institute and the Ministry of Sports of Chile, involving thematic content analysis to extract explicit and implicit meanings from legal texts. Results and Discussion: The findings revealed and highlighted the effectiveness of Decree 22, which introduces mandatory educational and preventive measures, and the designation of institutional representatives to manage complaints, demonstrating a significant advancement in sports legislation to protect athletes, particularly minors. Research Implications: The research underscores the necessity for a systematic and rights-based approach to protecting athletes, suggesting that the Chilean model could serve as a reference for other countries. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature on violence in sports by detailing the implementation of an innovative legislative protocol in Chile, offering insights into how such measures can be replicated and adapted globally.

Women and Nationality Laws in the GCC States Gender Discrimination and Violation of Constitutional Rights

The paper reviews the situation of a number of GCC states where women married to non-national husbands find themselves and their children in a unique and un-justiciable position. The paper systematically reviews constitutional provisions for equality, and looks at the case law in these states that promise gender equality for all before the law. But it notes that a major exception in all GCC states is that of the right of women married to non-national men, to pass nationality to their children. The objectives of this article rest on proving that nationality laws of the GCC States appertaining to the practice of not allowing national women married to foreign men to pass nationality to their children is breaching a constitution rules. The study adopted a comparative and analytical approach, where the relevant data have been analyzed; this includes constitutional laws, nationality laws, case law of the high courts in the GCC States as well as books and articles. This study has shown that although all GCC States have declared in their constitutions that rights and freedoms are ensured and guaranteed, in practice, the story is different: the right of gender equality and right of litigation are being violated. This study has demonstrated that rules on acquisition of nationality in the GCC States involves clear discrimination against national women. Such a situation undoubtedly beaches the constitutional provisions of equality, and therefore should be amended. In a situation of developing human rights awareness in the GCC states, this paper explores how there appears to be an exception, in the form of nationality rights for women and children. The paper reviews the situation of a number of GCC states where women married to non-national husbands find themselves and their children in a unique and un-justiciable position. The paper systematically reviews constitutional provisions for equality, and looks at the case law in these states that promise gender equality for all before the law. But it notes that a major exception in all GCC states is that of the right of women married to non-national men, to pass nationality to their children. The paper asks if this anomaly is still justified in the 21st century. The objectives of this article rest on proving that nationality laws of the GCC States appertaining to the practice of not allowing national women married to foreign men to pass nationality to their children is breaching a constitution rules. The study adopted a comparative and analytical approach, where the relevant data have been analyzed; this includes constitutional laws, nationality laws, case law of the high courts in the GCC States as well as books and articles. This study has shown that although all GCC States have declared in their constitutions that rights and freedoms are ensured and guaranteed, in practice, the story is different: the right of gender equality and right of litigation are being violated. This study has demonstrated that rules on acquisition of nationality in the GCC States involves clear discrimination against national women. Such a situation undoubtedly beaches the constitutional provisions of equality, and therefore should be amended.

Impact of the guidelines recommendations in the management of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction according to gender. Analysis of 30-day mortality

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements None. Background Current non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) guidelines recommend early invasive treatment (<24h) and simple antithrombotic treatment with aspirin (ASA). Classic studies describe a gender bias in the infarct treatment. Purpose To evaluate the impact of the guidelines recommendations in real-life management of NSTEMI in regards to invasive strategy and dual antiplatelet pretreatment (DAPT), and to analyze 30-day mortality according to gender. Methods A prospective unicentric registry of NSTEMI patients admitted to an Acute Cardiac Care Unit was conducted from January 2017 and December 2022. We analyzed the rates of early angiography (<24h) and pretreatment according to the guideline publication (01/09/2020). Patients were classified in two groups, depending on the time of admission in pre-guidelines (preCG) group (from January 2017 to September 1st 2020) and post-guidelines (postCG, admitted after September 1st 2020). We also analyzed the differences in management and 30-day mortality according to gender. Results A total of 787 consecutive NSTEMI patients were included, 24.9% women, mean age 65.3 years. Pretreatment with DAPT was routinely used in 90,2% of the cases, irrespective of gender or the new guidelines recommendation. Early angiography (<24 hours) was performed more frequently in men than women (61.6% vs 53.1%, p=0,035), although since the new guideline publication the early invasive management has increased in both genders (51.3% vs 72.6% in men, p<0,001; and 43.3% vs 64.1% in women, p=0,003). 30-day mortality tends to be higher in men, although the difference was not significant (4.6% in men vs 2.6% in women, p=0,212) and was not affected by the guideline publication (preCG 4.6% vs postCG 4.6% in men, p=0,994, preCG 2.9% vs post CG 2.2% in women, p=0,752). Conclusions In our NSTEMI registry there was an increase in the rates of early angiography, both in men and women, since the guideline publication, but there’s still a gender bias in the invasive treatment. Most NSTEMI patients still received DAPT pretreatment, without differences after the guideline publication. Despite the increase in early invasive management, 30-day mortality rates remain unchanged in both groups.

Advancing Equity: Understanding, Addressing, and Mitigating Bias in Assessment in Medical Education

Despite the growing presence of women and historically underrepresented groups in academic medicine, significant disparities remain. This article examines a key aspect of these disparities: biases in assessment and learning environments. Reviewing current literature, including in OBGYN, reveals persistent gender and racial biases in subjective clinical narrative assessments. The paper then outlines a 2-pronged approach for change: first, enhancing the learning environment, and subsequently, providing targeted recommendations for individuals, academic leaders, and healthcare institutions to effectively address these biases.

Gender Bias in Artificial Intelligence-Written Letters of Reference.

Letters of reference (LORs) play an important role in postgraduate residency applications. Human-written LORs have been shown to carry implicit gender bias, such as using more agentic versus communal words for men, and more frequent doubt-raisers and references to appearance and personal life for women. This can result in inequitable access to residency opportunities for women. Given the known gendered language often unconsciously inserted into human-written LORs, we sought to identify whether LORs generated by artificial intelligence exhibit gender bias. Observational study. Multicenter academic collaboration. Prompts describing identical men and women applying for Otolaryngology residency positions were created and provided to ChatGPT to generate LORs. These letters were analyzed using a gender-bias calculator which assesses the proportion of male- versus female-associated words. Regardless of the gender, school, research, or other activities, all LORs generated by ChatGPT showed a bias towardmale-associated words. There was no significant difference between the percentage of male-biased words in letters written for women versus men (39.15 vs37.85, P = .77). There were significant differences in gender bias found by each of the other discrete variables (school, research, and other activities) chosen. While ChatGPT-generated LORs all showed a male bias in the language used, there was no gender bias difference in letters produced using traditionally masculine versus feminine names and pronouns. Other variables did induce gendered language, however. ChatGPT is a promising tool for LOR drafting, but users must be aware of potential biases introduced or propagated through these technologies.

Sexual Harassment, Abuse, and Discrimination in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Unlike other surgical specialties, obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) has been predominantly female for the last decade. The association of this with gender bias and sexual harassment is not known. To systematically review the prevalence of sexual harassment, bullying, abuse, and discrimination among OB-GYN clinicians and trainees and interventions aimed at reducing harassment in OB-GYN and other surgical specialties. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted to identify studies published from inception through June 13, 2023.: For the prevalence of harassment, OB-GYN clinicians and trainees on OB-GYN rotations in all subspecialties in the US or Canada were included. Personal experiences of harassment (sexual harassment, bullying, abuse, and discrimination) by other health care personnel, event reporting, burnout and exit from medicine, fear of retaliation, and related outcomes were included. Interventions across all surgical specialties in any country to decrease incidence of harassment were also evaluated. Abstracts and potentially relevant full-text articles were double screened.: Eligible studies were extracted into standard forms. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence of included research were assessed. A meta-analysis was not performed owing to heterogeneity of outcomes. A total of 10 eligible studies among 5852 participants addressed prevalence and 12 eligible studies among 2906 participants addressed interventions. The prevalence of sexual harassment (range, 250 of 907 physicians [27.6%] to 181 of 255 female gynecologic oncologists [70.9%]), workplace discrimination (range, 142 of 249 gynecologic oncologists [57.0%] to 354 of 527 gynecologic oncologists [67.2%] among women; 138 of 358 gynecologic oncologists among males [38.5%]), and bullying (131 of 248 female gynecologic oncologists [52.8%]) was frequent among OB-GYN respondents. OB-GYN trainees commonly experienced sexual harassment (253 of 366 respondents [69.1%]), which included gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. The proportion of OB-GYN clinicians who reported their sexual harassment to anyone ranged from 21 of 250 AAGL (formerly, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) members (8.4%) to 32 of 256 gynecologic oncologists (12.5%) compared with 32.6% of OB-GYN trainees. Mistreatment during their OB-GYN rotation was indicated by 168 of 668 medical students surveyed (25.1%). Perpetrators of harassment included physicians (30.1%), other trainees (13.1%), and operating room staff (7.7%). Various interventions were used and studied, which were associated with improved recognition of bias and reporting (eg, implementation of a video- and discussion-based mistreatment program during a surgery clerkship was associated with a decrease in medical student mistreatment reports from 14 reports in previous year to 9 reports in the first year and 4 in the second year after implementation). However, no significant decrease in the frequency of sexual harassment was found with any intervention. This study found high rates of harassment behaviors within OB-GYN. Interventions to limit these behaviors were not adequately studied, were limited mostly to medical students, and typically did not specifically address sexual or other forms of harassment.

OP v Commune d’Ans: Another Step in the Wrong Direction for Headscarf-Wearing Women

Abstract This article analyses and criticises the latest Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) case concerning the wearing of Muslim headscarves at work. OP was refused permission to wear a Muslim headscarf at work because her employer, a public authority, had a policy of exclusive neutrality, prohibiting employees from wearing any form of religious clothing or symbols. The CJEU judgment limits the employment opportunities of Muslim women who want to wear headscarves for religious reasons and allows member states and infra-state bodies a margin of discretion to decide whether to ban religious clothing and symbols for all employees, only for employees who come into contact with service users or not to ban such items at all; and, it ignores any possibility of the presence of gender, race or multiple discrimination. Prohibitions on religious clothing and symbols affect especially Muslim women, who are often from a non-European background and thus could amount to gender discrimination, race discrimination and to discrimination on a combination of religion or belief, gender and racial or ethnic origin.

The Lesser of Two Evils? Explaining Chinese Rural Migrant Workers’ Preference for On-demand Food Delivery Work With Reference to the Legal Framework

Drawing on a series of interviews with on-demand food delivery riders, who are rural migrant workers, this paper seeks to explain the workers’ decision to give up stable jobs in factories in favour of largely unregulated and precarious on-demand work. Focusing on those aspects of the legal framework which shape workers’ decisions, it presents the explanation under the dual banners of ‘income’ and ‘freedom and flexibility’. In terms of income, Chinese law often enables low factory wages and a reliance on overtime; migrant workers view social insurance contributions as a loss; issues with payroll and wage arrears are significant. In terms of freedom and flexibility, insufficient rest rights lead to inadequate breaks for assembly line workers and, compounded by unspecified ‘special working time’ permit physically unbearable shifts without extra compensation. Age and gender discrimination are prevalent both in factories and various sectors. In contrast, on-demand delivery work has relatively low barriers to entry.

Radical Feminism Analysis in the Novel Kim Ji Young, Born 1982

Conducting empirical research is crucial as it endeavours to uncover the challenges faced by women concerning the issue of feminism depicted in literary works. Essentially, the feminist movement emerges from a pressing desire to achieve equality between men and women, highlighting the perceived lack of respect for women in accessing opportunities and making decisions in life. The research aims to identify instances of radical feminism that appear in the novel Kim Ji Young, Born 1982. In this research used a qualitative descriptive method to find out the appearance of radical feminism in the novel Kim Ji Young, Born 1982. From the analysis, the researcher found that there are 13 data that show the problem of radical feminism during that period in the novel, the novel illustrates the pervasive nature of gender-based discrimination and inequality, reflective of the broader societal structure rooted in patriarchal values. The data points consistently depict the deeply ingrained gender roles, biases, and discriminatory practices that manifest within familial, educational, and professional settings.

FORMATION OF GENDER COMPETENCE IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS

The article highlights the need to develop gender competence in future social work professionals and the use of an integrated approach in this field. The study aims to theoretically substantiate the peculiarities of gender competence formation in future social workers. The implementing possibilities for the Strategy of Gender Equality in Education until 2030 have been identified. The availability of gender studies in institutions of higher education has been analyzed. It is stated that domestic training programmes have the gender component included in curricula of various specialities. The studies in the field of gender equality and social work demonstrate that although there are specific disciplines that include aspects of preventing discrimination and violence against women, they need updating and adapting to modern challenges. The article analyses training and scientific programmes in the speciality “231 Social Work” in terms of content and specifics of preparing specialists to perform their duties taking into account the requirements of gender equality. It has been found that most of them are based on the requirements of state standards for the formation of competencies in human rights and anti-discrimination. It is emphasized that Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University has established Gender Centre that is a member of the All-Ukrainian Centre for Gender Education in Ukraine. Training future specialists in the specialty “231 Social Work”, forming their ability to carry out professional activities in compliance with human rights and the principle of gender equality, and developing competencies in preventing and combating gender discrimination are among the Centre’s main tasks. The author substantiates the need to form gender competence in future social workers by including a gender approach in the educational process as specialised disciplines revealing applied aspects of gender equality and participation in non-formal education play an important role there.

Subtle Social Critique in Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer

Subtle Social Critique in Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer

Buraku women, literacy as a path to empowerment

ABSTRACT Based on the analysis of the life histories of buraku women in the latter half of the 20th century, this paper explores the empowering potential of literacy classes and other educational activities. The paper focuses on the case study of Yamamoto Eiko, a woman born in the pre-war period in a poor buraku family in Kyoto who dedicated her adult life to the literacy movement and education. To have a deeper understanding of how multiple, interconnected factors such as buraku discrimination, poverty and gender have impacted buraku women’s life experiences, the paper adopts an intersectional perspective to look at education as a specific field of discrimination. I argue that literacy can become a tool for empowerment both on a personal level, making women more independent and raising their self-esteem, and on a societal level because it allowed them to participate more actively in the liberation movement and advocate for women’s needs. Still, buraku women’s experiences reveal the deep-rooted patriarchal social structure inside buraku communities and the gender discrimination they encountered inside the liberation movement itself.

STEM and gender gap: a systematic review in WoS, Scopus, and ERIC databases (2012–2022)

IntroductionThis article offers a thorough examination of relevant literature in the WoS, Scopus, and Eric databases for the period 2012–2022, utilizing the PRISMA model (2020) to address STEM and gender gap factors.MethodsA comprehensive search of the Web of Science, Scopus, and Eric databases spanning the years 2012 to 2022 was conducted. Employing the PRISMA (2020) model, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identify pertinent studies that examined the relationship between STEM education and the gender gap. After rigorous evaluation, 24 articles that adhered to the established criteria were selected. These articles were thoroughly analyzed to extract relevant information pertaining to the factors contributing to the gender gap in STEM fields and educational interventions designed to alleviate these disparities.ResultsThis analysis hinges on two fundamental dimensions. The first addresses the factors that contribute to the gender gap in STEM fields, while the second focuses on educational interventions crafted to mitigate bias. These interventions include activities aimed at enhancing skills in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology as well as fostering a growth mindset. The findings of this review suggest that research on gender and STEM predominantly emphasizes key issues using quantitative methodologies; however, it is recommended to explore other methodologies as well.DiscussionThe practical implications of this research relate to identifying critical areas in need of attention to address the identified gap and recognizing the necessity of diversifying the methods and tools used for gathering information to explore new factors that could account for gender biases in scientific fields. The study’s limitations lie in its exclusive focus on the binary gender gap between women and men without considering other relevant factors. Future analyses should incorporate the intersectionality perspective.

THE SPARŚA PROJECT: BUILDING A COMPREHENSIVE MENSTRUAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION IN NEPAL

This article addresses the pervasive silence around menstrual health management (MHM) in Nepal, emphasizing its impact on women's rights. Despite being a natural process, menstruation remains taboo, perpetuating gender discrimination and restricting women's empowerment. This study examines the lack of sufficient menstruation-related targets in international development agendas and focuses on Nepal's cultural norms concerning this issue that affect women's behaviour, health, and social participation. The paper advocates for a comprehensive understanding of women's experiences and preferences to design effective MHM interventions. It explores various strategies, including campaigns against practices like Chhaupadi, presents findings from a field survey and introduces the Sparśa project - a women-led social enterprise offering biodegradable pads to counteract menstrual discrimination across Nepal. The article emphasises the historical neglect of menstrual-related needs, resulting in adverse effects like school absenteeism and social marginalization. It highlights the crucial role of coordinated efforts and fostering knowledge-sharing to implement more impactful and comprehensive interventions in the field of MHM. The research highlights the Sparśa project's potential to transform societal perceptions of menstruation, break the silence, and contribute to women's rights. It offers insights into the challenges faced by Nepali women and provides valuable considerations for global menstrual health initiatives.

New primers for sex identification in the Chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar)

ABSTRACT 1. Male and female Chukar partridges are difficult to differentiate based on their morphology or by the Chromobox-Helicase-DNA binding (CHD) during early growth. 2. The current study developed a novel, simple, low-cost and rapid sexing protocol for Chukar partridges based on the newly defined sexing gene ubiquitin-associated protein 2 (UBAP2). 3. The length of polymorphism between UBAP2-W and UBAP2-Z homologous genes allows for easy sex discrimination in this species. Molecular sexing analysis was based on the simultaneous amplification of both genes, resulting in two distinct amplicons (947 bp and 535 bp) in heterogametic females and only a single band (535 bp) in homogametic males, which is easy to detect with agarose gel electrophoresis. 4. This technique is simple and convenient for genetic sex determination in Chukar partridges.