Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now
Abigail Higgins

Abigail Higgins

Staff Writer

Abigail Higgins covers international development, global health, poverty, and gender. Before Vox she was a foreign correspondent and researcher in East Africa writing for The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Foreign Policy, among others.

Latest articles by Abigail Higgins

Future Perfect
Why do people hate vegans so much?Why do people hate vegans so much?
Future Perfect

A UK food editor just lost his job for writing an email about “killing vegans.”

By Abigail Higgins
Future Perfect
How the “white-savior industrial complex” failed Liberia’s girlsHow the “white-savior industrial complex” failed Liberia’s girls
Future Perfect

Katie Meyler, More Than Me Academy, and the problem of valorizing inexperienced Americans who want to change the world.

By Abigail Higgins
Future Perfect
Self-lubricating condoms, explainedSelf-lubricating condoms, explained
Future Perfect

Sex with these condoms felt better, researchers found in a new study. That could be a huge global health win.

By Abigail Higgins
Future Perfect
Scientists have estimated the cost of stopping 11 diseases that could kill millions in a pandemicScientists have estimated the cost of stopping 11 diseases that could kill millions in a pandemic
Future Perfect

Creating new vaccines will cost billions, but it may be worth it to avoid the next Spanish flu.

By Abigail Higgins
Future Perfect
10 ways the world is most likely to end, explained by scientists10 ways the world is most likely to end, explained by scientists
Future Perfect

An asteroid got the dinosaurs. Here’s what’s most likely to kill us.

By Abigail Higgins
Future Perfect
Stephen Hawking’s final warning for humanity: AI is coming for usStephen Hawking’s final warning for humanity: AI is coming for us
Future Perfect

His posthumously published book about our future offers fear and surprising optimism.

By Abigail Higgins
Future Perfect
Heart disease used to be an ailment of the rich. But it’s now striking the world’s poor.Heart disease used to be an ailment of the rich. But it’s now striking the world’s poor.
Future Perfect

Heart disease is responsible for a third of all global deaths, and most of them are in the developing world.

By Abigail Higgins
Politics
Flu shots are important — especially for pregnant women in poor countriesFlu shots are important — especially for pregnant women in poor countries
Politics

Vaccinating pregnant women won’t just save lives now, it can help developing countries fight future pandemics.

By Abigail Higgins
Politics
The World Bank and tech companies want to use AI to predict famineThe World Bank and tech companies want to use AI to predict famine
Politics

A new tool using data and AI is hoping to better predict famine and help millions experiencing food insecurity.

By Abigail Higgins
Politics
The deadliest infectious disease is becoming drug-resistantThe deadliest infectious disease is becoming drug-resistant
Politics

The UN General Assembly held its first high-level meeting on tuberculosis.

By Abigail Higgins