Gender Policy Journal

The Gender Policy Journal was a student-run publication at the Harvard Kennedy School that published interdisciplinary work on gender policy, gendered power dynamics, and gender-based systems of oppression, including patriarchy and white supremacy. The Gender Policy Journal was originally founded in 2001 as the Women’s Policy Journal and was revived in 2017 after a 5-year hiatus before being re-named in 2021.

Explore all Articles

filter by–Topic

filter by–Region

filter by–Country

search by–Keyword

Restricting Reproductive Rights Dooms Regional Growth Prospects

04.3.23

In this article, Marlee Stark argues that failing to frame reproductive rights as an economic issue jeopardizes widespread equitable economic growth.

A Plea for Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care Curriculum in Medical Schools

04.3.23

In this article, Divya Jain presents the argument for compulsory comprehensive reproductive health education in US medical schools

A Plea for Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care Curriculum in Medical Schools

04.3.23

In this article, Divya Jain presents the argument for compulsory comprehensive reproductive health education in US medical schools

The green domino effect: the global impact of the feminist mobilizations for sexual and reproductive rights in Latin America

02.15.23

In the last decade, we have witnessed worldwide policy and law changes regarding sexual and reproductive rights. In some countries, such as the United States, federal and state-level legal decisions evidence a withdrawal of gender equality policies[i] regarding sexual and reproductive autonomy. At the same time, contentious politics and legal efforts have led to their […]

Fight Like a Girl: Russian Feminists Leading the Resistance Against the Invasion of Ukraine

02.15.23

Abstract In a patriarchal country like Russia with “traditional” values endorsed by the official Kremlin propaganda, the first organized group[i] to confront the government after Putin’s declaration of the invasion of Ukraine was paradoxically comprised of feminists. Within 24 hours, they mobilized to form the Feminist Anti-War Resistance (FAR). For an embarrassingly long time, they […]

Gender, Race and Identity

Voting will Not Save You: Why the American Left Needs to Re-learn how to Protest to Protect the Future of Abortion Rights

02.15.23

Two years after the start of the Arab Spring in 2011, I moved from the Middle East to the United States for college. I left having seen with my own eyes the power of people coming together, regardless of socio-economic or religious background, to challenge entrenched power structures and demand greater political rights. There is […]

Gender Quotas: For Parliament, From Parliament

02.15.23

  Dedicated to honor the memory of our dear friend and co-author, Rodrigo Ventocilla. He will always be remembered for his intellectual motivation, passion for activism, kind friendship and invaluable contributions to the class of 2023.   The world has taken great strides toward gender equality in recent years, and this is apparent in many […]

Can social movements improve female nutrition?

02.10.23

Introduction Despite economic progress in South Asia, female undernutrition continues to be a significant challenge in the region. This paper focusses on nutrition-focussed social movements initiated by development programming and explores whether such social movements can help improve female nutrition across Low-and-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in this region. The first section provides a brief background to […]

Argentina’s Road Towards the Right to Choose

02.8.23

Argentina has a long tradition of women mobilizing for their own rights, human rights, and justice in their country. The 30-year-old struggle for abortion rights in Argentina was paved by local women’s organizations and by a constant persistence in guaranteeing women’s right to choose. Getting there was not a coincidence nor just luck. It took […]

The Saudi Form of Democracy: How Women Got to Drive

02.5.23

Introduction  To what extent are state-led social interventions for women authoritarian? Western literature on the Middle East, and in particular on Saudi Arabia, suggests decision-making is centralized and a result of enlightened despots such Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS). But this approach misses upward dialogue initiated by citizenry to communicate desired rights for women to leaderships. […]

Menstrual Equity in US Prisons and Jails: A Gender-Based Analysis and Policy Responses

07.18.22

Summary Across the United States, many incarcerated people have inadequate access to menstrual products. Because policies that surround requiring access to menstrual products vary from state to state, incarcerated menstruators are denied “menstrual equity,” or sufficient access to menstrual products regardless of their circumstances.[1] One reason for the lack of inclusive policies regarding menstruation is […]

Expanding Postpartum Medicaid Coverage: A Racial and Gender Justice Imperative

07.11.22

American society was not built for birthing people to thrive—or at times even to survive. The United States lacks paid parental leave and universal childcare policies and has the highest rate of maternal mortality among all industrialized countries. There are stark racial disparities in the maternal mortality rate in the United States: Black mothers die […]

Call for Submissions


Join the HKS Student Policy Review—

to research, write, and learn about policy in a new way. We offer Harvard students an opportunity to engage with the most important policy issues of our time, across a whole range of topics and regions.