LGBTQ rights, deep false threats, declining fertility: Asia’s gender landscape in 2024

From legal advances in LGBTQ Rights to alarming rates of violence against women, Asia witnessed in 2024 progress on gender equality, overshadowed by stark reminders that systemic challenges remain.

Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to legally recognize same-sex marriage, paving the way for the fight for marriage equality in the region.

However, this year also revealed the grave dangers women and girls face, with a brutal case of rape and murder sending shockwaves around the world. Indiaa crisis of gender-based violence that emerged in Australiaand a fight against deepfake pornography in South Korea revealing the online threats women face.

Policymakers also continued to grapple with declining fertility rates in the region as Asia grapples with changing views on marriage and childless lifestyles.

As 2024 draws to a close, This Week in Asia reflects on coverage of the obstacles facing women and gender minorities in the region.

South Korean author Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize for Literature, attends the Pony Chung Innovation Award ceremony in Seoul on October 17. Photo: AFP/Pool