A comprehensive analysis of diversity in Türkiye's intensive care medicine: Leadership, workforce and authorship.

Childbearing decisions are a pivotal factor shaping the future professional and personal trajectories of nursing students, profoundly influenced by a confluence of socioeconomic, cultural, and individual factors. This qualitative descriptive study explores the childbearing attitudes, intentions, plans, and their underlying influencing factors among university nursing students in China. The empirical material was generated from semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2024 and March 2025, with thematic analysis applied to the data. Four major themes emerged: a polarized value perception of childbearing, framed as either a path to life fulfillment or a "high-risk event"; childbearing as a rational choice contingent upon constructing a "safe zone" of economic, professional, and psychological readiness; the critical influence of key relational actors, including partners and grandparents; and the structural pressures of the macro-social environment, such as high rearing costs and gender culture. The findings indicate that contemporary nursing students have transformed childbearing decisions into a cautious evaluation of a "high-risk life milestone," with procreation predicated on achieving an ideal state of readiness-a threshold significantly elevated by a desire to "surpass the previous generation." Consequently, effective pro-natalist policies must move beyond mere financial incentives to address the structural barriers and deep-seated anxieties related to career development, gender equality, and workforce support within the healthcare sector.

This study Research This study analyzes the social criticism discourse presented by female comedians in the Adu Cuanda x TAYTB Women Warriors program on OCBC YouTube, placing digital media as a space for women's advocacy and empowerment. Based on Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and Rodney H. Jones et al.'s analysis of digital discourse, this study highlights aspects of text, context, interaction, and power relations and ideology. The results show that the comedians raise issues of gender, culture, family, economics, politics, morals, and religion, including stereotypes, objectification, subordination, double burdens, socio-economic inequality, and religious and mental health stigma. These findings confirm that stand-up comedy functions as a medium for social criticism and empowerment, while YouTube serves as an inclusive digital space for the struggle for gender equality.

Infertility is emerging as a significant but under-recognized public health challenge in many developing countries, with profound demographic, psychosocial, and economic consequences. Cameroon provides a compelling case study for examining the multifactorial drivers of rising infertility across sub-Saharan Africa. This paper synthesizes epidemiological evidence to analyze infectious, health-system, environmental, and socioeconomic determinants shaping infertility patterns. Persistent reproductive tract infections including untreated sexually transmitted infections, post-abortal sepsis, and puerperal infections remain leading contributors to tubal factor infertility. Weak health-system capacity, limited access to skilled obstetric and gynecological care, inadequate laboratory diagnostics, and fragmented referral pathways exacerbate delayed diagnosis and treatment. Environmental exposures, including pesticide use, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals associated with rapid urbanization and informal industrial activity, further compound reproductive risks for both men and women. Socioeconomic pressures poverty, gender inequities, stigma, and limited insurance coverage for fertility services intensify barriers to timely intervention and amplify psychosocial distress. The Cameroon case illustrates how infectious burden interacts with structural and environmental vulnerabilities, producing a cumulative risk framework rather than isolated causes. Addressing infertility in similar contexts requires integrated strategies encompassing infection prevention, strengthened reproductive health systems, environmental regulation, male reproductive health inclusion, and financial protection mechanisms. Recognizing infertility as a cross-sectoral development issue is essential for advancing reproductive justice and sustainable population health outcomes in resource-constrained settings.

The relationship between personality and social attitudes represents a significant component in understanding resistance to gender equality. This study examined how the Dark Triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, Narcissism, & Psychopathy) relate to attitudes toward women’s empowerment among university students located within Gujrat, Pakistan. The study used a cross-sectional survey design. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample size of 400 (53.5% Female, 46.5% Male) students from faculty of social sciences, University of Gujrat, Pakistan. Data were collected through the Short Dark Triad (Jones & Paulhus, 2013) and the Attitude toward Women Empowerment Scale (Shuja et al., 2020). The study performed a Pearson correlation and found a statistically significant negative correlation between Dark Triad traits and support for women’s empowerment (r = -.28, p < .01). The findings of multiple regression analysis highlighted that the Machiavellianism was a statistically significant (beta = -.30, p < .001) negative predictor of support for women’s empowerment. Narcissism and Psychopathy reached no statistical significance within multiple regression analysis. The study also found that males had a significantly higher score on the Dark Triad traits versus and also provided lower support for women’s empowerment than females (d = -.58). The findings of this study are framed in Social Role Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, indicating that psychological inhibitions to gender parity are largely attributed to strategic

ABSTRACT Schoolyards play a crucial role in children’s physical and cognitive development, as well as in fostering social interaction and overall well-being. This systematic review synthesises empirical studies, published between 2004 and 2024, examining the impact of schoolyard design on the physical activity and play preferences of children between the ages of 5 and 12 through a gender-sensitive lens. A systematic search in five databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Dialnet, ERIC, and PubMed) was conducted in April 2024 and January 2025 following PRISMA guidelines. Of 984 records identified, 26 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlight the importance of diverse schoolyard features to enhance physical activity, reduce sedentary behaviour and foster gender equity. Key strategies for effective schoolyards interventions include increasing the availability of permanent play facilities, such as green spaces, loose equipment, swings, play structures, courts, coloured markings and climbing equipment, to create more engaging and inclusive outdoor environments.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an increasingly prevalent problem that can take many forms, have different levels of severity, and different ways of perpetuation. Palliative care providers’ holistic focus assists in improving the quality of life of patients by identifying and responding to various factors that cause suffering in their patients, which provides a unique perspective on identifying GBV. In Uganda, there is a high rate of GBV due to cultural norms, gender inequities, and gender roles. This qualitative case study explored perspectives on GBV through the lens of palliative care providers in Uganda. During 2023, five focus group discussions were conducted across Uganda among different palliative care providers. Thematic analysis was used to identify six themes from the data: Perceptions of What Constitutes GBV, Training Experiences & Recommendations, Identification of GBV, Factors Influencing GBV, Intersectionality of GBV and Palliative Care, and Impact on Family. This study displays the need for developing targeted training, improving collaborative efforts, and creating culturally tailored and appropriate interventions to address GBV through the lens of palliative care providers.

ABSTRACT Gender inequality in Australian universities is pernicious and entrenched. Higher Education (HE) leaders are widely recognised as potential change agents and key to creating workplaces which manifest gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Their capability to do so, however, is less certain. This article examines the capability of HE leaders to create respectful workplaces with the aim of better understanding their knowledge of the problem and know-how to drive change. Data are provided from in-depth, qualitative interviews with a discipline-diverse sample of Australian HE leaders. Drawing on the concept of gender competence, we find important limitations in how the nature and causes of gender inequality are understood and their concomitant solutions. Leaders often understand the problem narrowly, as numeric, with few recognising the systemic and structural drivers. Notably, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) leaders were more likely than Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) leaders to externalise the problem and treat it as a pipeline issue. This research corroborates and extends current knowledge on gender inequality in HE, indicating new opportunities for universities to strengthen change efforts. Notably, our findings demonstrate the need for enhanced gender capability of HE leaders and further research-based, disciplinary relevant training and interventions.

The world faces overlapping crises of global scale and consequence. Given limited attention and capacity, which crises garner attention and framing as important? Which are neglected in ways reflective of broader, systemic concerns that challenge established institutional arrangements? Here, we place gender inequality, a key topic raised by Japanese governmental and non-governmental organizations, in conversation with national level open-response survey data from over 30,000 Japanese participants, collected in March 2020. Using a combination of automated text analysis, manual keyword curation, and discourse analysis, we reveal how expressions of abiding social concern are articulated throughout Japan. We found that the most frequent issue raised was shōshi kōreika (low birth rate, aging population), while phrases related to ‘gender inequality’ were sparse. A subsequent discourse analysis of the open-ended survey responses revealed distress and broader anxiety around gender disparities folded into the phrase shōshi kōreika. We conclude, then, that shōshi kōreika operates as a macro-level ‘idiom of distress,’ a shorthand capturing a dissatisfaction with gender inequality. The significance of this is twofold: (1) it offers insight into how collective concerns are expressed or obscured within dominant narratives of crisis; and (2) it suggests the absence of a national level of concern for gender inequality that is nevertheless complexly embedded in many aspects of daily life.

Declining fertility preferences are recognized as a key driver of fertility reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing the need to understand their determinants and evolution. This study investigates how the relationship between gender attitudes and desired fertility has changed over time among young women aged 15-24. Using Demographic and Health Surveys from Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, and Zambia, we analyze country-specific associations between attitudes towards wife beating and ideal number of children across four consecutive surveys spanning approximately 15 years. A pooled cross-country model includes a context-specific education measure to assess its moderating effect on the association. Findings show that tolerance of wife beating is linked to higher desired fertility in all countries at one or more time points, though the strength and direction of this relationship vary over time and by context. As egalitarian gender attitudes spread, women endorsing gender equality begin to diverge from high-fertility norms, while those holding traditional attitudes remain pronatalist, widening the gap in fertility preferences between the two groups. This shift is more likely in countries where the national average of women's education is relatively high (more than 4.5 years), suggesting that rising education fosters both egalitarian attitudes and changing fertility ideals.

Her Story, a women's film written and directed by Shao Yihui, challenges traditional gender structures and patriarchal discourse by creating idealized female characters and instrumentalized male characters. This film represents the rise of women's cinema, reflecting the awakening of global gender equality consciousness and the transformation of social structures. The emergence of women's cinema is closely related to equal rights movements and gender equality policies. Meanwhile, advancements in digital technology have lowered the barrier to production, enabling female creators to express the female perspective more broadly through independent films and streaming media platforms. Women's cinema undertakes a significant deconstruction and reconstruction of gender symbols at the narrative and semiotic levels. In Her Story, the English title Herstory cleverly subverts the traditional male-dominated historical narrative by replacing "his" in "history" with "her," thereby incorporating women's voices into the historical framework. This transformation of linguistic symbols demonstrates a challenge to and reshaping of gendered discursive power. Furthermore, most male characters in the film are symbolized by functional titles, while female characters are endowed with richer symbolic meanings, breaking the monolithic nature of traditional gender identities and affording women more autonomous and diverse expressive space. The film also showcases the richness of symbolic imagery through the dislocated interpretation of everyday objects, a treatment that not only challenges the fixed meanings of traditional symbols but also enhances the complexity and depth of the female characters within the family and society. Although women's cinema has made cultural and social progress, it still faces issues of symbolization and consumerism. In the future, women's cinema needs to break through the singular gender framework to explore more diverse expressions of cultural symbols. From a semiotic perspective, women's cinema can promote the further development of gender equality and cultural diversity, becoming an important force for social change

Ecological resettlement (ER), or conservation-led displacement, is widely implemented to safeguard biodiversity but often produces complex socio-ecological outcomes. This study assessed the environmental justice (both social and ecological) impacts of ER in Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) using an enhanced (including social, ecological, and environmental aspects) environmental justice (EJ) framework. Data were collected from 240 households across all resettled villages within the Chitwan and Parsa National Parks (NPs) of Nepal through household interviews, key informant interviews, focus groups, and field observations, supplemented by policy reviews, reports, and unpublished documents. Household demographics indicated an average family size of 5.5, gender parity (664 females, 658 males), and diverse caste/ethnic composition (ethnic: 146 households; higher caste: 64; lower caste: 6). Wealth distribution and literacy were uneven, with disparities in land ownership, assets, and social positions. Social and ecological justice outcomes were analysed using chi-square and McNemar tests. We observed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in substantive justice (food, shelter, clothing, and security) attributes before and after the resettlements. Similarly, significant improvements post-resettlement were observed in procedural and recognition justice: participation in decision-making increased from 43% to 62% (χ2 = 12.34, p < 0.05). However, recognition of Indigenous knowledge and FPIC rights remained low, with 93% of households reporting inadequate acknowledgment (χ2 = 198.5, p < 0.05). Distributive justice indicators, including access to compensation and forest resources, showed mixed outcomes, with 52% reporting fair compensation and 48% citing inequities (p < 0.05). Ecological outcomes also shifted significantly: forest cover decreased in 65% of surveyed areas post-resettlement, while grassland extent increased in 28% (χ2 = 27.4, p < 0.05). Water source accessibility declined for 48% of households (χ2 = 21.6, p < 0.05), and bushfire incidence decreased by 15% (χ2 = 9.8, p < 0.05). Composite scoring revealed strong linkages between social justice deficits and ecological downturn in the resettled areas, suggesting that inadequate participation, recognition, inequitable compensation, and ecological degradation shift the issues from parks to the outside and exacerbate environmental vulnerability. These findings demonstrate that ER can achieve partial ecological objectives inside the parks but often perpetuates social inequities and ecological downturn in the resettled areas, undermining the long-term sustainability of the socio-ecological landscape. The study highlights the critical need to integrate social justice, participatory governance, and ecological monitoring into resettlement planning. Future policies should be grounded in the understanding that conservation effectiveness and social equity are mutually reinforcing, and that ignoring justice dimensions risks undermining both biodiversity outcomes and human wellbeing.

Obstetric complications affect many surgeons and their childbearing partners, yet workplace dynamics surrounding pregnancy remain underexplored. To analyze the prevalence of obstetric complications among childbearing surgeons and childbearing partners of surgeons, identify the occupational risk factors associated with these complications, and explore the lived experiences related to obstetric complications. This survey study used convergent mixed-methods analysis of data from a 2024 survey of US surgeons administered to select members of the American College of Surgeons. The survey, which was available online from March to May 2024 and included free-text responses, asked about experiences related to family building, including obstetric complications and workplace support during pregnancy. Pregnancy or parenthood. Lack of workplace support (LOWS) was defined as feeling unsupported when reducing workloads during pregnancy, being discouraged from having children, being worried about childbearing-related stigma, and perceiving that childbearing conflicted with contractual obligations. Multivariable logistic regression models examined occupational factors associated with major pregnancy complications, comparing partners of nonchildbearing surgeons with childbearing surgeons and including and excluding exposures to LOWS. Qualitative thematic network analysis of free-text answers identified themes related to obstetric complications and perceptions of related workplace culture. Of 3125 respondents (9.5% response rate among 32 890 eligible surgeons), 1473 surgeon-parents were included; 949 (64.4%) were female, and 524 (35.6%) were male. Obstetric complications (eg, placental insufficiency, placenta previa, and intrauterine growth restriction) more often impacted female surgeons (295 [31.1%] female vs 120 [22.9%] males; P = .001) even after adjusting for demographics, multiple gestation, work hours, and time standing at work (odds ratio [OR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.01-1.78). LOWS was more common among female than male surgeons (606 [64.4%] vs 167 [31.9%]; P < .001). Adjusting for LOWS eliminated the sex-based differences in obstetric complications (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.89-1.59). Qualitative analysis of 697 free-text responses revealed 3 major themes: (1) physical demands of surgical work negatively impact pregnancy outcomes, (2) cultural norms discourage workplace accommodations, and (3) limited parental leave policies exacerbate challenges after pregnancy complications. Pregnancy-related LOWS is a modifiable mediator of increased obstetric risk that disproportionately affects female surgeons. Addressing flexibility stigma, improving institutional support, and implementing policies that align with contemporary family needs are essential to foster gender equity in family building among surgeons.

This policy commentary argues that forecasting and supply planning (FSP) for immunization systems must integrate gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) to bridge the gap between vaccine supply and actual utilization. While FSP traditionally focuses on supply-side efficiency, this narrow approach risks perpetuating inequities by leaving systematically excluded populations invisible in data and planning processes. Drawing on experience from the Immunization Collaborative Supply Planning Strengthening project, we demonstrate how contextual factors including gender dynamics, mobility patterns, seasonality and conflict shape vaccination demand among marginalized communities. The commentary outlines key practice implications, including strengthening supply-demand collaboration, embedding GESI expertise into FSP teams and improving data disaggregation. We conclude that this integration is essential to transforming forecasting into an inclusive mechanism that ensures equitable immunization access.

ABSTRACT This article presents findings from an evaluation of the Alberta Men's Network (AMN) Foundational Training Program – a community-based initiative designed to support facilitators working with men on gender justice, healthy and caring masculinities, and violence prevention. Grounded in transnational feminist, antiracist, and anticolonial principles, the program brought together a diverse group of participants over three sessions to engage with gender-based violence, group facilitation methods, and critical reflections on masculinity, responsibility, and community leadership. Participants were also introduced to Indigenous knowledge rooted in a Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) worldview, which offered alternative ways of understanding masculinity, identity, and relationality. Drawing on mixed-methods data, the evaluation highlights several key outcomes: participants reported increased confidence in addressing topics such as sexual violence, gender norms, and men's mental health; greater awareness of the role of privilege and systemic inequality; and a strengthened commitment to community engagement and collaboration. Feedback also pointed to the need for longer sessions, more interactive learning, and ongoing support. Overall, the training created a space for meaningful dialogue, skill development, and peer connection. This affirms the value of culturally responsive, grassroots programming that centers Indigenous knowledge and intersectional analysis in work with men.

ABSTRACT Research Question/Issue Do college application fees contribute to gender disparities in higher education, particularly at STEM‐focused institutions in decentralised admissions systems? Research Findings/Insights Using U.S. data from 2001–2020, we find that a 1% increase in application fees is associated with a 1.77 percentage‐point decline in the female share of applicants at STEM‐focused institutions, with larger effects at public universities. No comparable effect is observed at non‐STEM institutions. Additional analysis indicates that application fees primarily alter the composition of applicants rather than overall application volumes, with male applications responding more strongly than female applications. Practitioner/Policy Implications Although application fees are typically viewed as administratively neutral, our results suggest they can disproportionately deter women from applying to STEM‐focused institutions. In decentralised systems common across the Asia‐Pacific region, reviewing fee structures or introducing targeted fee waivers may help promote greater gender equity in STEM participation. Methods Used We use institution‐level panel data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and estimate fixed‐effects models exploiting within‐institution variation in application fees.

This paper examines women's attitudes toward physical intimate partner violence by husbands across 51 low- and middle-income countries from 1999 to 2020. Using panel data from MICS and DHS surveys, we analyze the role of human development and legal gender equality. Acceptance of physical IPV has declined significantly over time, particularly in countries with a higher level of development, as measured by the Human Development Index. Legal reforms promoting women's economic rights are also associated with lower acceptance, though their effect is weaker. Despite progress, acceptance remains high in some contexts, underscoring the need for sustained policy and norm-changing efforts.

ABSTRACT This paper critically and comprehensively examines whether gender equality qualifies as a norm of jus cogens within international law. It utilises the Afghan ‘Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, 2024’ as a case study to contend that the global legal conscience increasingly recognises gender equality as a peremptory norm. The study illustrates how gender equality is both widely recognised and ingrained in customary international law through doctrinal analysis and a synthesis of key international legal instruments, such as the UDHR, ICCPR and CEDAW. Further, the paper examines philosophical foundations derived from Rawls’ theory of justice and emphasises the normative dominance of jus cogens over religious and cultural relativism. It is demonstrated how gender equality represents the fundamental principles of the global community by tracing the development of gender rights in state practice and human rights jurisprudence. Conclusively, it is established that recognising gender equality as an emerging jus cogens norm moves discriminatory legislation toward constitutional incompatibility and places an increasing universal obligation on nations to respect and implement this principle. This development strengthens international commitments to justice, human rights, and dignity, while signalling that states must progressively align their legal systems with this evolving peremptory standard.

ABSTRACT Recently, research-performing organisations have invested in policies and programmes to reduce discrimination and promote inclusion, particularly around gender equality. Despite these efforts, progress remains slow, largely due to initiatives that fail to challenge deep-rooted gender norms and rely on superficial, policy-driven change. Lasting transformation requires more than new policies – it demands a shift in organisational culture and behaviours. The Advanced Strategic Platform for Inclusive Research Environments (ASPIRE) addresses this gap with an innovative, evidence-based framework. ASPIRE supports institutions in moving beyond performance metrics to focus on long-term cultural change. It promotes a holistic, intersectional approach that recognises how various personal characteristics shape experiences of discrimination. ASPIRE’s framework aims to implement, assess, and sustain Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practices. It connects progress indicators with attitudinal and cultural change, guiding institutions toward meaningful, embedded impact and offering clear recommendations for future action.

Purpose Gender inequality is a significant objective and obstacle to achieving sustainable development. Indonesia is encountering a comparable problem. The dilemma is rooted in a lack of education and awareness regarding gender equality. In addition to that, since 2004, firms worldwide have been consistently embracing femvertising, an advertising approach that seeks to empower women. Some companies use femvertising into their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Moreover, favorable customer perceptions of companies that endorse women's empowerment can result in positive consumer behavioral intentions, such as purchase intention, but only when there is a robust interaction between the companies and consumers. This study investigates the impact of CSR femvertising on women's empowerment and its influence on customer purchase intention and evaluates how the gender may influence the attitude toward femvertising. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted with multivariate structural equation modeling (SEM) and eight hypotheses were tested. This study successfully recruited participants virtually from a sample of 264 participants to investigate the relationship between a company's female empowerment program, brand-cause alignment, CSR association, organizational-public relationship (OPR), brand loyalty and purchase intention. Findings A positive and significant influence was found on attitude toward femvertising on purchase intention, femvertising is notably linked with brand-cause. The analysis found that brand–cause fit shows a significant connection with CSR association. Other results prove that CSR association is significantly tied to OPR. Finally, OPR is significantly associated with brand loyalty and brand loyalty significantly impacts purchase intention. Further theoretical and practical implications were described. Originality/value This study enriches CSR, advertising and consumer behavior research by investigating the impact of CSR femvertising on women's empowerment and its influence on customer purchase intention in the context of developing countries. It also elaborates on the influence of gender on femvertising toward attitude and evaluates the company commitment, which can be demonstrated through the consistent incorporation of feminist values, diversity and inclusivity in its advertisements.