by Natasha Dokovska –Macedonia– In 2013, Macedonia’s Christian Democrat party adopted a new law on termination of pregnancy restricting a woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion. Macedonia’s new abortion law has generated controversy not only for the non-scientific, …
Restricting Abortion: A Questionable Tool for Increasing Macedonia’s Birth Rate Read more »
by Michelle Leung -South Africa- “Who are we as Africans?” Mazibuko Jara, a human rights activist, posed this question to the attendees of a dialogue held on May 16, 2013 discussing a controversial bill seeking to legitimize a traditional court …
South Africa: Fight to Conserve Historical Traditions Encroaches on Women’s Rights Read more »
by Lerato Manyozo –Malawi– Even before we begin talking, Kheliwe* has tears in her eyes. She is HIV positive and still battling to come to terms with the fact that her husband, now deceased, infected her on her matrimonial bed. …
Kheliwe’s Story: Male Polygamy and HIV Infection in Malawi Read more »
by Kavita Bedford –Australia– The taxi driver laughed, showing all his teeth. “Yes. Just one month ago I helped my friend Janedi* kidnap his wife,” he said. “Sorry, what do you mean kidnap?” I stammered, not sure whether this word …
The Rice Barn is Empty: Practices of Stealing and Divorcing Women in Lombok Read more »
by Alexandra Marie Daniels –USA– On March 13, 2013 Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Maria Bergoglio, 76, was elected by the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church to succeed Pope Benedict XVI. Although hailed for both humility and service to the poor, …
by Manar Ammar –Egypt– “I was weeping and called on my mother for help, but the worst shock of all was when I looked around and found her standing by my side. It was her, yes. I could not be …
In New Egypt, Women Fear the Return of Legal Female Genital Mutilation Read more »
by Olga Ghazaryan –Yemen– The stories from Yemen generally covered by the media are those about the Al Qaida insurgency, political turmoil, and occasionally the shocking levels of hunger and poverty. However, there is another story unfolding in Yemen that …
by Caroline Achieng Otieno –Netherlands– The Netherlands is a beautiful country. A typical Dutch postcard displays Friesian cows grazing in lush green fields with huge windmills looming in the background. Others are adorned with colourful tulips of the Keukenhof gardens, …
The Pitfalls of Legalizing Prostitution in Amsterdam Read more »
by Fernande van Tets and Aline Sara –Egypt– On Monday night it was announced that Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq would progress to the run off next month of the Egyptian presidential elections. Both are conservative candidates; Shafiq was prime …
Egyptian Elections: Economics and Politics Trump Women’s Rights Read more »
by Manar Ammar –Egypt– When Marwa* arrived at the hospital, her left arm was dangling beside her body like a lifeless piece of cloth. After examination, the doctors told her that her upper arm was shattered in three spots, and …
Tolerance Toward Spousal Abuse in Egypt Persists Post Revolution Read more »