As Halloween fills the streets with goblins, ghosts, and witches, an even more sinister specter looms on the global stage—the surge of authoritarianism. This season, the chills don’t come from haunted houses but from a dangerous trend sweeping across nations, threatening freedoms, human rights, and especially women’s rights.
Voting is already underway in the United States as it faces an extremely divisive election this year, but the country isn’t alone. Malaysia, Guinea-Bissau, Romania, and many others are also preparing for contentious elections these next few months, while Mexico and Mozambique have recently grappled with election-related violence. Worldwide, the threat of authoritarianism is on the rise and the consequences disproportionately impact women.
Under authoritarian regimes, women are among the first to have their rights and freedoms stripped away – be it limiting reproductive rights, changes to family law, increases in gender-based violence, physical insecurity leading to restricted mobility, loss of livelihoods and access to services, or an alarming rise in physical and online violence. These regimes often undermine women’s rights, weaken protections, and foster environments where violence and prejudice become commonplace. Democratic backsliding often correlates with regressive policies that reverse decades of hard-won progress on equality.
Women may be among the most resilient members of our society, but the misogyny and threats to physical, financial, emotional, and legal security that prosper under authoritarian rule cause undue harm, particularly to women. Women shoulder immense responsibilities—caring for families and elderly, advocating for social causes, and working to sustain their communities even in the face of adversity. Yet, under such regimes, they are often stripped of autonomy, restricted from participating in public life, and forced to confront significant social and economic hardships.
As we face imagined frights from kids in costumes this Halloween, let’s not lose sight of the very real threats that authoritarianism poses to rights and freedoms everywhere. Supporting women’s rights organizations like WLP and our incredible partners, amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, and safeguarding human rights are all ways to resist this chilling global trend