Sarah Johnson
sajajohnson.bsky.social
Sarah Johnson
@sajajohnson.bsky.social
Reporter, global development desk, the Guardian. My book 'A Nurse's Story' about life in A&E before & during Covid: http://bit.ly/30COVv7
As part of a @theguardian.com women in prison series, I looked at the cases of five women on death row around the world. Do you think they should be facing the death penalty? www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
The deadliest wait: five women on death row
Up to 1,000 women globally await execution in prison, with mitigating factors such as child abuse and coercion ignored
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I've spent the last year looking into women in prison around the world, with help from so many people. We @theguardian.com are running a series on the topic. Here is the first piece revealing some of what women, many of whom are ignored and forgotten, face. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Experts warn of ‘global crisis’ as number of women in prison nears one million
Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:18 AM
I've had so many people get in touch after reading this v sad story I wrote, and so has @iranhumanrights.bsky.social I can only dream it helps, in however tiny a way, instigate some kind of change www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Child bride faces execution in Iran unless she pays £80,000 in ‘blood money’
Goli Kouhkan, 25, on death row for seven years for killing her abusive husband, has until December to settle with the victim’s family
www.theguardian.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:43 AM
I spent months trying to track down ten children in countries across Africa the Guardian last spoke to a decade ago, when they were 10 years old. I found three and sent in-country reporters and three photographers to visit them. Here are their stories: www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Africa’s children: 20 years on, what happened to the millennium babies?
In 2005, the Guardian documented the births of 10 babies as a way to tell the story of millions across the continent. We caught up with three of them, finding hardship – and hope
www.theguardian.com
October 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Sarah Johnson
This is a very moving and sobering feature about three 19 and 20-year-olds, from Ghana, Malawi and South Africa, almost two decades after they were profiled by The Guardian as babies and then 10-year-olds.

All of them are struggling, but striving to live better lives.
Africa’s children: 20 years on, what happened to the millennium babies?
In 2005, the Guardian documented the births of 10 babies as a way to tell the story of millions across the continent. We caught up with three of them, finding hardship – and hope
www.theguardian.com
October 23, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by Sarah Johnson
A senseless waste of vital resources that could have helped over 1.4 million women and girls in Africa. Agonising reminder of how ideology can tragically override compassion and reason.
US destruction of contraceptives denies 1.4m African women and girls lifesaving care, NGO says
Incineration of $9.7m of contraceptives to lead to 174,000 unintended pregnancies and 56,000 unsafe abortions, IPPF says
www.theguardian.com
August 7, 2025 at 10:56 AM
I saw that Amba Yaalu, the first entirely female-run hotel, had opened in Sri Lanka earlier this year and had to find out more. It turns out it isn't the only hotel solely operated by women ... www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
From Sri Lanka to Tanzania: the pioneering hotels run entirely by women
In countries where tourism is still a male domain, all-female establishments are providing much-needed job opportunities
www.theguardian.com
May 5, 2025 at 3:39 PM
So sad to hear about the huge fire that has devastated Kantamanto market in Accra, Ghana. It is one of the largest secondhand clothes markets in the world. I visited in 2023 and found it a thriving and bustling place, albeit with problems.
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Massive cleanup under way in Ghana after fire destroys one of world’s biggest secondhand markets
Thousands of traders face ruin after blaze razes two-thirds of Accra’s Kantamanto, which receives an estimated 15m used clothes from global north each week
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Possibly the most uplifting story I've written in 2024.
Watermelon Fantasy, a song written by 3 people with learning disabilities and produced by 2 music pros, was sampled by Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre for Outta Da Blue from album Missionary.
Happy New Year! www.theguardian.com/music/2024/d...
Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre sample song by London learning disabilities charity
Prolific US hip-hop artists have used the track Watermelon Fantasy, created in 2018 by Daylight Studio
www.theguardian.com
December 31, 2024 at 9:57 AM