Frederikson Takes Up Presidency of the EU
This week, Denmark, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, assumed the presidency of the European Union for a six-month term with the goal of increasing EU defense capabilities. Matching these priorities at home, the Danes have extended compulsory conscription to include women over the age of eighteen. Earlier in June, the Danish Parliament passed legislation to make the draft lottery gender neutral amidst growing Russian aggression and NATO commitments. The draft was originally set to include women in 2027 but that date was moved ahead to face updated military needs and fill gaps from volunteers. The aim is to increase the number of service members to 6,500 from roughly 4,700, and conscripts will now be required to serve eleven months instead of four months—five months in basic training and the following six in direct military operations. Last year, women made up about a quarter of the volunteers. “The focus is, of course, on the war in Ukraine, rearming Europe. Europe has to defend itself, and we have to be willing to do it. If we are not willing to stand up for ourselves, how should we expect someone else to do it?” said Frederiksen on her EU presidency.
UN Women Highlights Billions in Funding Gap to Achieve Gender Equality
This week, UN Women stressed the urgent need to reduce a $420 billion annual financial gap to accomplish gender equality as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla, Spain, UN Women adopted the “Compromiso de Sevilla,” a consensus agreement to reform the global financial system to support SDGs more effectively. The agreement emphasizes the central role of multilateral development banks, calls for more inclusive financing mechanisms, and encourages collaboration among international institutions and national development banks. That funding gap is especially pronounced in low-income countries, where support for women’s rights and services remains scarce despite being most urgently needed. At the FfD4, UN Women outlined several actionable recommendations to accelerate progress across SDG commitments. They include sustained public investment, gender-responsive budgeting, and structural reforms such as fairer tax systems and debt relief to ensure financing reaches women and girls effectively. “We cannot close gender gaps with budgets that are lacking a gender lens,” emphasized Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of UN Women.
Research Projects Uterine Cancer Rates to Continue Rising
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A new study from Columbia University anticipates that cases of uterine cancer will continue to rise, with Black women disproportionately impacted. Uterine cancer is the most common form of gynecologic cancer in the United States, with over 700,000 cases reported in 2024. Using population data and computer modeling to predict how many new cases and deaths from uterine cancer will take place over the next thirty years, the study showed that by 2050, cases will increase by 50 percent for Black women and about 30 percent for white women. Currently, Black women are two times more likely than their white counterparts to die from this diagnosis, according to the National Cancer Institute. “Black women often face delays in diagnosis and are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages, when the cancer is more difficult to treat,” said the study’s first author, Jason D. Wright. “Black women are also more likely to have aggressive types of uterine cancer.”
Janelle Umana-Limon is the intern for the Women and Foreign Policy Program
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Women This Week: Denmark to Expand Open Lottery to Draft Women
Welcome to “Women Around the World: This Week,” a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy. This week’s post covers June 28 to July 3.
July 3, 2025 2:22 pm (EST)
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- Blog posts represent the views of CFR fellows and staff and not those of CFR, which takes no institutional positions.
Frederikson Takes Up Presidency of the EU
This week, Denmark, led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, assumed the presidency of the European Union for a six-month term with the goal of increasing EU defense capabilities. Matching these priorities at home, the Danes have extended compulsory conscription to include women over the age of eighteen. Earlier in June, the Danish Parliament passed legislation to make the draft lottery gender neutral amidst growing Russian aggression and NATO commitments. The draft was originally set to include women in 2027 but that date was moved ahead to face updated military needs and fill gaps from volunteers. The aim is to increase the number of service members to 6,500 from roughly 4,700, and conscripts will now be required to serve eleven months instead of four months—five months in basic training and the following six in direct military operations. Last year, women made up about a quarter of the volunteers. “The focus is, of course, on the war in Ukraine, rearming Europe. Europe has to defend itself, and we have to be willing to do it. If we are not willing to stand up for ourselves, how should we expect someone else to do it?” said Frederiksen on her EU presidency.
UN Women Highlights Billions in Funding Gap to Achieve Gender Equality
This week, UN Women stressed the urgent need to reduce a $420 billion annual financial gap to accomplish gender equality as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla, Spain, UN Women adopted the “Compromiso de Sevilla,” a consensus agreement to reform the global financial system to support SDGs more effectively. The agreement emphasizes the central role of multilateral development banks, calls for more inclusive financing mechanisms, and encourages collaboration among international institutions and national development banks. That funding gap is especially pronounced in low-income countries, where support for women’s rights and services remains scarce despite being most urgently needed. At the FfD4, UN Women outlined several actionable recommendations to accelerate progress across SDG commitments. They include sustained public investment, gender-responsive budgeting, and structural reforms such as fairer tax systems and debt relief to ensure financing reaches women and girls effectively. “We cannot close gender gaps with budgets that are lacking a gender lens,” emphasized Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of UN Women.
Research Projects Uterine Cancer Rates to Continue Rising
More on:
A new study from Columbia University anticipates that cases of uterine cancer will continue to rise, with Black women disproportionately impacted. Uterine cancer is the most common form of gynecologic cancer in the United States, with over 700,000 cases reported in 2024. Using population data and computer modeling to predict how many new cases and deaths from uterine cancer will take place over the next thirty years, the study showed that by 2050, cases will increase by 50 percent for Black women and about 30 percent for white women. Currently, Black women are two times more likely than their white counterparts to die from this diagnosis, according to the National Cancer Institute. “Black women often face delays in diagnosis and are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages, when the cancer is more difficult to treat,” said the study’s first author, Jason D. Wright. “Black women are also more likely to have aggressive types of uterine cancer.”
Janelle Umana-Limon is the intern for the Women and Foreign Policy Program
More on:
