News

4/2/2011

Egypt: Calling upon feminist sisters all over the world to show solidarity with Egyptian women!

First of all, I have to apologize to the readers for any grammatical mistakes, or if I make no sense; my mental capacities are at their lowest level due lack of sleep for three days. On the 25 January, 2011, a revolution began. Tens of thousands of Egyptians headed to Tahrir (Independence Square), the main square of Cairo, to end decades of despotism, tyranny and brutality. The calls came from a Facebook page called ‘We are all Khaled Said’, an Egyptian icon tortured and killed by the policemen. Thousands of people clicked “attending” and the virtual came real. The Mubarak regime cracked down on the peaceful protests, increasing their brutality in the hope that the protesters would give up. But, I am proud to say that we defeated fear; we are claiming our rights!

3/2/2011

Senegal: World Social Forum: Women’s inheritance & property rights panels

Women’s inheritance and property rights (Panel 1)

Countering the use of culture to dispossess women through the cultural legitimation of women's rights

8 Feb 2011: 12.30 – 15.30.

The multi-country network on Women's Inheritance and Property Rights (WIPR) is organising three panels at the WSF. This network is part of the three-year programme Women Reclaiming and Re-defining Culture, coordinated by Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) and the Institute for Women’s Empowerment (IWE).

3/2/2011

Egypt: Military and Intelligence at Egypt's Democratic Dawn

If the military is ever to be a legitimate national force, it must side with the protesters against Mubarak’s thugs and the police. These thugs have been ridiculously and mistakenly labeled by right-wing media as “pro-Mubarak demonstrators. This critical junction in the Egyptian Uprising when is the Egyptian Army’s moment of truth. As thousands of unarmed demonstrators are tortured, trampled, firebombed and molested by Mubarak’s thugs, will the military move to protect, or to crush the non-violent democratic movements that have occupied Tahrir Square in Cairo for the last ten days? Following on Paul Amar’s useful analysis (Jadaliyya, 1 Feb 2011) we need to know which faction of which of the Army's branches is ascendant, and where exactly, within these forces, we can energize possible allies.

2/2/2011

Egypt: Political allegiances have shifted under repressive regime

For more than two decades, Mubarak's regime tried to change the structure of Egyptian society through the creation of a class that is loyal to it and benefited from its gains. These gains appeared to flow from Hosni Mubarak’s continuing presidency and his son Gamal’s eventual take-over. The regime put an emphasis on establishing private schools and universities which taught international curriculums, as well as opening the doors for international corporations at which the graduates of these schools and universities would be offered lucrative jobs. It also built luxury malls and attractions; this new class was intended to spend its entire income on imported goods and social diversions.

2/2/2011

Tunisia: Women Play Equal Role In Revolution

Female voices rang out loud and clear during massive protests that brought down the authoritarian rule of Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. Women in Tunisia are unique in the Arab world for enjoying near equality with men. And they are anxious to maintain their status. In Tunis, old ladies, young girls and women in black judges robes marched down the streets demanding that the dictator leave. Hardly anyone wears the Muslim headscarf in the capital, and women seem to be everywhere, taking part in everything, alongside men.

2/2/2011

Afghanistan/United States: Call for papers on cultural factors that shape lives of Afghan children

As a sequel to their edited volume, Land of the Unconquerable: The Lives of Contemporary Afghan Women (University of California Press, March 2011), Jennifer Heath, independent scholar, author and editor of nine books, and Ashraf Zahedi, a University of California, Berkley scholar, are assembling an edited book about the children of Afghanistan. The first of its kind, this comprehensive collection will examine the impact of socio-economic, political, and cultural factors that shape the lives of Afghan children from birth to the legal marriage ages of 16 and 18 and that contextualizes their experiences in diverse social settings. Articles (no longer than 5,000 words) will be due on May 1st, 2011.

1/2/2011

Women of Egypt: Photos and video

More images here: http://arabs48.com/?mod=articles&ID=77844

31/1/2011

Uganda: VNC statement on brutal killing of Ugandan LGBT rights defender David Kato

The Violence is Not out Culture campaign condemns the brutal murder on 26 January 2011 of LGBT human rights defender, David Kato, of Uganda and extends its condolences to his colleagues at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). David was a long term activist for rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Uganda, and was a highly respected and admired human rights defender within his community and worldwide.

31/1/2011

Maldives: Females cannot perform marriage ceremonies under Islam, declares Fiqh Academy

The Islamic Ministry’s Fiqh Academy hasdeclared that women are not allowed to perform marriages or lead a marriage ceremony according to Islam, and therefore cannot be a judge when performing marriages. The declaration was announced by the President of Fiqh Academy and Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, together with eight other scholars of the academy.

31/1/2011

Egypt: "We've waited for this revolution for years. Other despots should quail"

My birth at the end of July 1967 makes me a child of the naksa, or setback, as the Arab defeat during the June 1967 war with Israel is euphemistically known in Arabic. My parents' generation grew up high on the Arab nationalism that Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser brandished in the 1950s. But we "Children of the Naksa", hemmed in by humiliation, have spent so much of our lives uncomfortably stepping into pride's large, empty shoes.