The World’s Most Powerful Women: August 19

This week, Egypt’s state radio and TV broadcaster, which is headed by a woman, suspended a group of female anchors for being overweight, the BBC reported. The women were given a month to lose weight so they could go on TV with an “appropriate appearance.”

Needless to say, the move by the broadcaster—headed by former anchor Safaa Hegazy—caused outrage among women’s rights groups and free-press advocates alike. The Women’s Centre for Guidance and Legal Awareness said the decision “violates the constitution.” And Mostafa Shawky, an advocate with the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression, told the New York Times, “The fact that it is a woman who is doing all of this just makes it all the worse.”

Hegazy, for her part, told AFP the decision affected six to eight anchors, who could “continue working in production during the period when they have to diet.” She said the move was “within the framework of developing the broadcaster.”

Body shaming is alive and well, though it’s worth noting that there are a few isolated signs of hope. Take the support Mexican gymnast Alexa Moreno received from Twitter users after her appearance was initially criticized at the Rio Olympics. Then there’s London’s new mayor, Sadiq Khan, who banned body shaming ads on the Tube.

But this week’s episode goes against such sentiments. At a time when it appears that body image is dissipating as an issue for women, in reality, it’s just as bad as it has always been.

@laurascohn

If you want to share an experience you’ve had with body shaming in the workplace, email me at: [email protected], or use the “Send Tip” button above.

EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA

May's honeymoon
She's only been at 10 Downing Street for a little over a month, but British PM Theresa May appears to be winning over the country. According to a new poll, more than half of voters say they're satisfied with May--and less than one in five are dissatisfied.
Bloomberg

Merkel's message

At an election campaign event for her party in advance of next month's regional vote, Angela Merkel sought to distance her refugee policy from a recent spate of attacks in Germany. "The phenomenon of Islamist terrorism, of IS, is not a phenomenon that came to us with the refugees," said the German chancellor, whose popularity ratings sank after the attacks.

Reuters

THE AMERICAS

Changing the world

Check out Coins2Day's Change the World list, which came out yesterday and features 50 companies that "do well by doing good." The list includes firms--such as Coca-Cola, Salesforce, Gap and Crystal Group--that have programs aimed at enhancing opportunities for women in the workplace.

Coins2Day

Managing Trump

Now that Donald Trump has named Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway as his new campaign manager, a series of profiles have cast her as an expert in attracting female voters. This piece looks at Conway's record, and says the post may be her "toughest" job ever.

Bloomberg

Attracting women

Amazon wants women. At the company's Women's Entrepreneur Conference, Amazon vp Maria Renz pitched businesswomen on using its online marketplace by pointing out that it can be used for marketing and warehousing, and added that the company is "very well suited to serve the needs of women entrepreneurs."

Bloomberg

ASIA-PACIFIC

Rebuilding boards

Companies in India have made progress in their effort to get more women onto corporate boards, increasing the percentage to 14% from 7% over the last three years, but there's still work to be done. That's the message of Sarika Bhattacharyya, CEO of diversity consulting firm Biz Divas, who says having more women in the boardroom still needs to be seen as a "business imperative."

Business Today