Letter from the Editors

Dear Readers,

Welcome to another issue of Women Across Frontiers, which explores the challenges faced by women working in male-dominated fields.

The participation of women in the labor force on a full and equal basis is an indispensable element of women’s empowerment. Globally, women have broken into fields traditionally dominated by men, such as politics, the law, medicine, science, and engineering.

However, women continue to face a maze of structural, institutional, cultural, and attitudinal barriers to achieving full equality in the workforce. While companies’ initiatives to promote gender equality are expanding, their results are uneven: in the United States, for example, women still make less than men in median annual salary, earning about 82 cents to a man’s dollar, and fields that require long and irregular work hours continue to show wide inequalities. Moreover, 18 nations—including Jordan, Bolivia, and Mauritania—still require a wife to get her husband’s permission to work outside the home, according to a recent World Bank report.

In this issue, we are proud to bring you stories about pioneering women from around the world who are challenging gender stereotypes and barriers, and are succeeding in fields that have long been the domain of men. These include Julia Ballario, an Argentinian race car driver, and American war correspondent Lorna Tychostup. In other highlights, Emily Crain profiles Estereotipas, the Mexican pop trio that challenges Latin American gender stereotypes, and Dr. Andrea Pusik, a plastic surgeon who discusses her work with women disfigured by wartime violence.

Once again, thank you for your readership and support.

In solidarity,

Karina, Sylvia and the entire WAF team

                                                                               Issue Highlights

-Akayo Mie discusses the persistent obstacles faced by women politicians in Japan.

-Laura Rodriguez Claros introduces us to Argentinian racecar driver, Julia Ballario.

-Emily Crane profiles Estereotipas, the Mexican pop trio that challenges Latin American gender stereotypes with their punchy videos.

-Dr Andrea Pusik, a female plastic surgeon, discusses her work with women disfigured by wartime violence in Africa.

-War correspondent, Lorna Tychostup, recounts her stories from the front lines.

-Andrew Green shares the experiences of women miners in South Africa.

-“In Conversation with … ”, WAF editors talk with internationally acclaimed choreographer Robin Becker about her work through which she conveys her message of peace and reconciliation.

-Stay tuned for ‘Listen, Ladies”, WAF’s new podcast series, to be released this week! Our first episode will be available on iTunes, and it features three women with incredible stories of what it’s like to work in male-dominated fields, from directing movies, to cooking, to cross-country truck driving.