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The first 1,000 days of life shape every day that follows.
We need to know more about them.
A beat by Irene Caselli
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Lessons from a ‘no-go’ neighbourhood
Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is a tidy, green city, with wide boulevards and neoclassical architecture in the city centre and socialist apartment buildings in the outskirts. In autumn, the air pollution becomes bad because the city is enclosed by mountains, but overall Sofia is
Forever in the archive
Over the last few weeks, I’ve had some difficult talks about abortion. And that’s a very good thing
During my current stay in Argentina, I’ve sat through a bunch of dinners where abortion was compared to murder. I have friends and extended family who believe that a person is formed at the moment of conception and that an embryo or a foetus should
The birth of a movement: how activists are winning the battle to make abortion a right
Despite the sometimes deadly consequences, church and state have always made sure abortion was legally restricted in Argentina. But the tide is turning. By engaging with young people and building a diverse coalition, pro-choice activists are forcing the government to act.
Women subjected to FGM are not just victims. Many are actively fighting back to stop the practice
We euphemistically call our vulvas and vaginas our “private parts”. I don’t like using euphemisms for our genitalia, but what this euphemism does get right is the idea that our sexual and reproductive organs are exclusively ours and should be shared only when we decide. Unfortunately,
Why ‘vagina’ should be part of everyone’s vocabulary
“Does the female form make you uncomfortable, Mr Lebowski?” The question comes from Maude Lebowski, an avant-garde artist and feminist played by Julianne Moore in The Big Lebowski, one of my all-time favourite movies. “The word itself makes some men uncomfortable: vagina.” When I first watched
Why would you ever argue against daycare for every child?
It’s good for society, it’s good for your kids, and it’s good for the economy. If we want equal and prosperous societies, we should make daycare a universal right. When does education start? As late as 2011, Unesco* hadn’t even contemplated formal education for children under the age
The benefits of making mistakes
Growing up, mistakes were something to be avoided at all costs – or to be covered up if they ever happened. I was used to getting the best grades and had a hard time admitting to having done something wrong. So, when my newsletter last
What I’ll be writing about in 2020 – and how you can help
When I introduce myself to people as the First 1,000 Days correspondent, some think that I belong to a religious cult, others are simply confused. So I usually break it down for them and explain that I write about early childhood, reproductive rights, sexuality and
Callout: Join my first 1,000 days advisory board
As part of my exploration into the first 1,000 days of human life, I’d like to tell as many stories as possible, so I need to hear from you. The 1,000 days start, and they can look very different based on who you are and
Let’s talk about sex, baby (and gender, too)
Part of what we do here at The Correspondent is explain our learning curve as writers and bring our readers along for the sake of transparency. Last week, my latest article came out about my challenges as a feminist mother raising a boy. It started off as
From boys to feminists: raising a child in a gender-free environment
Wanting to raise a feminist son has forced me to confront some of my own uncomfortable biases. But a world without gender benefits boys just as much as girls.
Forever in the archive:
We need to end the stigma around menstruation. Period
Last weekend, I travelled for about 30 hours to get from my birth family that was reunited in Trento, Italy, to the family I married into that lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Some 25 hours into the journey, on the plane, I suddenly felt a
Trauma can be inherited. We need to understand what we’re passing on
When it comes to negative experiences in childhood, the body seems to keep score. But even small changes can positively affect health in later life.
Leaving crumbs behind
Little Thumb is one of those old fairytales with so many horrible details that it would never make it into a children’s book these days. It became popular in the 17th-century version, written by France’s Charles Perrault, the author of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. The story
Reading time
(Featured photo: Andrea Spinelli Barrile) “Are you reading to him?” This was the question that my son’s paediatrician asked when I last called. I wanted to make sure that I would not miss any important check-ups or vaccinations since we are going to be in
Why I’m “wasting my time” writing about children
I will be blunt this week. If you are a parent or carer, or are expecting at some point in your life to be part of the first 1,000-day journey, I’m thrilled to have you among my readership. But you’re not the readers for whom
Let’s remember the day play went from being a privilege to a right
The Convention on the Rights of the Child set out to enshrine children’s wellbeing, safety and security – not to mention their right to play. There is much work still to be done, but on its 30th anniversary, it’s worth reflecting how much has been achieved.
Childhood pictures
If you have been reading my newsletters and my work for The Correspondent so far, you already know that I have a nine-month-old son, and that his name is Lorenzo. You will, however, not have seen an image of him, and that will stay like
Who can afford to become a mother?
Kabul-born illustrator Moshtari Hilal did this drawing to accompany my article in Unbias the News. I am using the drawing with their permission. Lorenzo was born nine months ago, on a Tuesday evening, 10 days earlier than the expected date. On the Monday night, unaware
How the things we don’t remember shape us just as much as those we do
Aged 12, Maryam Zaree discovered she had been born in one of Iran’s most notorious prisons. I spoke to her about her new documentary, Born in Evin, which explores childhood memory and trauma.
Doing the laundry
A laundromat may not be your ideal location to spend a Saturday afternoon. Even less so if you are out and about with a small child. But I have to admit that my Saturday afternoon doing laundry was actually quite pleasant. My family and I
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