text: Portugal: The Parliament of Portugal voted to legalize abortion during the first ten weeks of pregnancy. This followed a referendum that, while revealing that a majority of Portuguese voters favored legalization of early-stage abortions, failed due to low voter turnout. The second referendum passed, however, and President Cavaco Silva signed the measure into effect in April 2007.
  Mexico City: The government of Mexico City legalizes abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and offers free abortions. On 28 August 2008, the Mexican Supreme Court upholds the law.
  Thailand: Thailand outlawed marital rape in 2007.
  Sierra Leone: On 14 June 2007, the Parliament of Sierra Leone passed three laws which made wife-beating illegal, allowed women to inherit property and protected women from forced marriage.
  2008
  Mexico, Baja California and San Luis Potosí: The states of Baja California and San Luis Potosí enacted laws in 2008 bestowing "personhood" rights from the moment of conception.
  Turkey: On 7 February 2008, the Turkish Parliament passed an amendment to the constitution, allowing women to wear the headscarf in Turkish universities, arguing that many women would not seek an education if they could not wear the hijab. The decision was met with powerful opposition and protests from secularists. On 5 June 2008, the Constitutional Court of Turkey reinstated the ban on constitutional grounds of the secularity of the state.