Poverty, abuse and discriminatory laws are driving a huge rise in the number of women in prison globally, according to a new report [supported by the Global Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status]. With the rise of the far right and an international backlash against women’s rights, the research said there was a risk that laws would increasingly be used to target women, forcing more behind bars. More than 733,000 women are in prisons around the world and the number is growing much faster than rates of incarcerated men. Since 2000, the number of women and girls in prison has grown by 57%, compared with a 22% increase in the male prison population.

The first global report of its kind, to which the Guardian was given exclusive access before its launch on 17 March, examined how laws criminalised acts of survival. Women were disproportionately jailed for petty theft, such as stealing food for babies and children, for begging and for working in the informal economy. They were also frequently detained for debt, in violation of international law, said the report by Penal Reform International and Women Beyond Walls.

Read full article: Biased laws and poverty driving huge rise in female prisoners – report