For many of us, September is a time of both renewal and closing in. Children are back at school after the summer break, adults are returning to work after the summer vacations, and there is a renewed drive to get things done before the end of the year. At the same time, in the northern hemisphere, the night’s drawing in, days turn colder and wetter, and we start to settle in for the winter ahead. It seems fitting then – in the spirit of both renewal and closing in – that the UN Equal Pay Day is held on September 18th. Although several countries have observed such days for some years, the UN only instated this day in 2020. Intended to draw attention to the gender pay gap, Equal Pay Day helps pace ourselves for the long battle ahead and renew efforts to fight the gender pay and wealth gap.

In a landmark ruling, the United States Supreme Court has just voted to overturn Roe v Wade, ending the constitutional protections to abortion across the nation. This decision has been anticipated after a draft decision was leaked in early May suggesting the Supreme Court was preparing to overturn the 1973 precedent. This follows years of growing tension among pro-choice activists and allies as abortion access has been chipped away. Recent appointments to the Supreme Court by the Trump administration have pulled the balance of the court to the extreme right, despite statements from all three justices in question during their confirmation hearings saying they would recognize the precedent. In doing so, the United States becomes one of only four countries worldwide to remove legal abortion protections in more than 25 years.

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