50.50 is the section of openDemocracy.net that publishes critical and in-depth coverage of gender and sexuality, by women from around the world. Today we are at a crucial moment for both independent media and women’s rights, and we need to be bolder and more impactful than ever. In 2017, we launched an ongoing investigation tracking the backlash against sexual and reproductive rights. We opened a special series on women’s rights and the media, welcomed two new columnists, and organised workshops and mentoring for women’s rights activists and young reporters. We are publishing more original journalism, and our readership is growing.

Recent 50.50 articles have followed how UK anti-abortion activists use American tactics to shock and shame women, and how Romania became a battleground in the transatlantic backlash against LGBT rights, supported by US conservatives. We also reported on the international court battles of a controversial Christian conservative ‘legal army’.

See 5050's series tracking the backlash against our sexual and reproductive rights.

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah profiled five inspirational feminists who passed away this year. Investigative journalist Jeta Xharra told us about challenging politicians and patriarchy in the Balkans. I'm a trans teenager in Northern Ireland, where bigotry is taught at school is a powerful first-person account of discrimination and how ‘anti-rights’ groups target young people.

Other 50.50 articles this year reported on widespread sexual harassment at work in Italy, violence against women journalists in Zimbabwe, misogyny within the United Nations, and a unique café in India, run by survivors of acid attacks. We looked at the politics of nudity as feminist protest and published a call for a new, radical vision of feminist sisterhood.

In 2018, we will continue to expose threats to our rights and support more women, girls and trans writers to confidently investigate and write about issues that impact them. We will strengthen collaborations, publish a special series on women and the far right, and launch a new 50.50 feminist investigative journalism fellowship for young writers.

We need fearless, independent feminist media. This is 50.50.

Support 50.50. Every £1 donated will fund more critical and in-depth coverage of women’s rights, gender and sexuality, by writers from around the world. No contribution is too small, and all support is significant.

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