Self-care note: This wrap-up includes discussion of suicide, anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and behaviours, gender based violence, and more. If you find this distressing or triggering, remember to take it at your own pace. You may prefer to read small sections, wait until you feel ready to read it all, or choose not to read it at all.
1. Scottish young people urge rethink of under-16 social media ban 📱
More than 150 young people and youth organisations in Scotland have urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to rethink plans for a UK-wide social media ban for under-16s.
In a letter led by the Scottish Youth Parliament, campaigners warned that a blanket ban could have unintended consequences, including pushing teenagers towards less regulated parts of the internet. They are calling for young people to be meaningfully involved in developing the policy and for the UK Government to carry out a children’s rights impact assessment.
The groups point to Australia, where research suggests more than 80% of under-16s continued using social media three months after a similar ban came into force. The UK Government says young people have already contributed to its consultation and that it will continue working with them as the proposals are finalised.
Source: STV News
2. Campaigners call for mandatory women’s health training in NHS 🩺
The family and friends of Nicola Thyne, a 35-year-old West Lothian woman who died by suicide in 2024 after years of debilitating pain linked to endometriosis, are campaigning for mandatory women’s health training for NHS professionals in Scotland.
Their proposed “Nicola’s Law” would require ongoing education covering menstrual, reproductive and hormonal health, menopause and the psychological impact of chronic pain. Campaigners say too many women still experience delayed diagnoses or feel their symptoms are dismissed by healthcare professionals.
A petition calling for the change has been submitted to the Scottish Parliament. Public Health Minister Maree Todd said delays in accessing diagnosis and treatment were unacceptable and that the Scottish Government would respond to the petition in due course.
Source: The Scotsman
3. Meta glasses banned in courts in England and Wales 👓
Courts in England and Wales have banned the use of Meta smart glasses to prevent potential misuse.
The courts have a strict policy prohibiting the taking of photographs or videos, and because Meta glasses can record video while being worn, they have been banned over privacy concerns.
Anyone wearing them in court would have the glasses confiscated and returned when they leave the court.
Meta glasses have already been banned in several restaurants, theatres and pubs in the UK, as well as in courts in New York.
Recent investigations have revealed that the glasses have been used to film people, particularly women, without their consent.
Source: The Guardian
4. Experts warn period-tracking apps remain largely unregulated 📱
Menstrual cycle and fertility-tracking apps need stronger regulation to protect users’ safety, according to a new editorial published in The BMJ.
As of 2021, more than half of women under 45 in the UK used an app to track their periods. However, neither the women’s health strategies in England and Scotland has addressed the regulation of these apps, which may pose risks to users’ safety and privacy, as well as raise wider public-health concerns.
Many period-tracking apps predict ovulation and display “fertile windows”, which some people may rely on to avoid pregnancy. But fertility-awareness methods depend heavily on accurate and consistent tracking: according to figures cited in the editorial, effectiveness can fall from up to 99% with perfect use to around 76% with typical use.
The author argues that gaps in how these apps are classified and regulated could leave users relying on reproductive-health information without adequate safeguards.
Source: BMJ Journal
5. England on track to eliminate hepatitis C 🧪
England may soon become one of the first countries to eliminate hepatitis C, new findings reveal.
The country has already reached its target of treating 80 per cent of people diagnosed with hepatitis C, while deaths from the virus have fallen by 36 per cent over the last decade.
The goal of reducing hepatitis C-related mortality by 65 per cent compared with 10 years ago may also be met before the 2030 target date.
Hepatitis C is a dangerous virus spread through contact with infected blood.
If left untreated, it can cause serious liver damage.
Source: BBC News
6. Nurses warn extreme heat is making hospital conditions unsafe 🌡️
Nurses are fainting during shifts due to the extreme heat and the “inhumane and impossible” conditions it causes, the Royal College of Nursing said.
The union said staff had collapsed or felt dizzy and nauseous while working in unsafe conditions.
A nurse told The Guardian that their ward in the south-west of England does not have air conditioning and reached temperatures of more than 30°C, leaving staff really struggling in the heat.
Source: The Guardian
7. Vaping may compromise embryo development, new study finds 🚭
A flavouring additive used in vapes may harm embryo development, new research has revealed.
A team of researchers conducted laboratory experiments and found that vanillin, which is widely used in e-cigarettes, may disrupt the normal development of embryos in pregnant people.
The researchers said that individuals who are pregnant or trying to conceive should be advised against vaping.
Experts cautioned that the study was conducted in cells rather than humans, meaning the findings do not prove that vaping causes these effects during pregnancy. They nevertheless called for more research and clearer disclosure of ingredients used in e-cigarette flavourings.
Source: The Independent
8. Half of Afghan women rarely go out, UN warns 🚨
According to UN Women, half of Afghan women leave their homes only once or twice a month, as the Taliban have imposed restrictions on freedom of movement and participation in public life.
Almost three-quarters of women also said they feel unsafe going out without a male guardian.
These strict rules, which isolate women, have contributed to a mental health crisis, with seven in 10 women describing their mental health as “bad” or “very bad”.
Five years after the Taliban regained power, they have issued more than 100 decrees targeting women and girls, including banning them from secondary education and university.
Source: Reuters
