9 must-read stories about gender

This week’s digest of stories about how the gender gap plays out around the world – in business, health, education and politics. Subscribe here to receive this by email.

A bottomless pit of mentors. Do women suffer from a surfeit of support? (New York Times)

Croatia elects its first female president. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, a conservative populist, ousts the centre-left encumbent. (Al Jazeera)

And India gets its first transgender mayor. Madhu Kinnar is from the lowest caste and beat her opponent by 4,500 votes. (Times of India)

Women take charge at GDF Suez. French energy utility set to hand its two top jobs to women. (Wall Street Journal)

Stereotypes, violence and victim-blaming.  A disconcerting study finds teenagers often believe assault is the woman’s fault. (World Economic Forum)

Women call for Women’s Science Congress to be scrapped.India’s female scientists want an equal playing field, not special support. (Scroll.in)

Orthodox Israeli women rebel against male-only ballots. “We are doing everything. We are the providers. We should have a bigger say.” (Bloomberg)

“I present myself as a secretary so no one realises I’m a bodyguard.” Meet the women who defend China’s millionaires. (Vice)

How pregnancy tinkers with the structure of the brain. Becoming a parent looks a lot like falling in love. (The Atlantic)

Statistic of the Week

Women wrote 17% of 2014’s top 250 grossing films, from Guardians of the Galaxy to Gone Girl.

That’s an improvement from 2013, when women accounted for 10% of the writers working on the top 250 films.

Quote of the Week

“It’s time to step up and do more.”

Amid criticism over Silicon Valley’s gender imbalance, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich pledged $300 million over five years to make his workforce more diverse.

Author: Ceri Parker, Associate Director, Forum Agenda.

Image: A woman walks in Madrid’s business district Paseo de la Castellana March 23, 2010. REUTERS/Andrea Comas