Biased laws and poverty driving huge rise in female prisoners – report

First such study finds laws on abortion, debt and dress help increase rate of women being jailed twice as fast as for men

Poverty, abuse and discriminatory laws are driving a huge rise in the number of women in prison globally, according to a new report.

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.