Stories about LANGUAGES from March, 2018
‘They Beat Me Everyday With an Electric Cable…They Smashed My Head Into the Walls’
Lensa, who is from Ethiopia, is one of many migrant domestic workers in Lebanon forced to work and live in difficult conditions under Lebanon's notorious "kafala" (meaning sponsorship) system.
How English-Language Pronouns Are Taught Around the World
Globally, close to 1 billion people are learning English as a Foreign Language and all of them encounter binary gender pronouns from the earliest lessons.
Experience Tokyo's ‘Street of the Day’ With YouTuber Mimei
Popular Tokyo-based vlogger Mimei shows off the various streets of Japan's most populous city, one day at a time on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and other social media channels.
Tunisian MPs Propose Legislation Criminalising ‘Cyber Defamation’
"This bill is the result of a repressive mindset restrictive of freedoms, reflecting a nostalgia for the dictatorship era".
‘Women Make the News’: Online Database Connects Journalists to Thai Female Experts
UNESCO Bangkok has launched a website that links Thai journalists and researchers to female academics, government officials, corporate leaders, and NGO activists.
In the Wake of a Fatal Fire in Russia, Official Numbness and Online Trolling Stoke Outrage
The tragic Kemerovo incident exposed not only the Russian officials' numbness to grief and poor crisis management skills, but also the society's susceptibility to online trolling, both state-sponsored and external.
A Journey for Justice in the Americas, Part 1: Three Women Tell Their Stories in Kingston, Jamaica
"To stop [my activism] would mean that I am giving another police officer permission to kill another of my brothers, or anyone else for that matter."
From the 2017 Global Voices Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka: Into the Deep Podcast
In this podcast, a dozen Global Voices contributors take you to the latest Global Voices Summit and talk about their real life friendship, cross-cultural collaboration, and the value of community.
DRC's Joseph Kabila Isolated as Delays to Organise the 2018 Elections Continue
This three-day protest was an opportunity for the opposition to show their support for the organisation of "credible and transparent" elections.
Overseas Chinese Nervous About the Cancellation of Household Registration Back Home
The cancellation of hukou may imply that they might not be able to receive their retirement pension or sell properties they own. Other big cities may follow in Shanghai's footsteps.
A Muslim Scholar Seeks to Link Israel and Indonesia Through the Hebrew Language
"I told my family that what I'm doing might have uncertain consequences, but it's something that needs to be done."
A Romanian in the UK: On the Thin Line Between ‘Undesirable Migrant’ and ‘Welcomed Contributor’
"No more "bad migrant"-"good migrant" division games. People's lives do not fit in a tickbox. Politicians should listen to more real migrant stories to understand."
False Reports Spread Online After the Murder of Brazilian Activist and Politician Marielle Franco
Fake rumors about the personal life and activism of murdered Rio de Janeiro city councillor Marielle Franco were shared by several right-wing groups and personalities.
The Sterilization War In India That Never Stops
In 2015-16, 82% of women who got sterilized did so at a govt-run center. For family planning, 85% of government funds are allocated to sterilization, and 13.5% to equipment, salaries.
Tuberculosis Survivors Advocate To Eradicate The Disease From India
Community mobilization is key to ending Tuberculosis in India. The survivors of this disease are sharing their stories to strengthen the fight to eradicate TB from India.
The Dystopian Reality of Being an ‘Accidental American’
"In this dystopian world, you occupy a special place... You've never had any relationship or communication with the US authorities. You don’t have any US paper except your birth certificate."
Uncertainty Surrounds the Upcoming Election in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The coming months will be critical for the elections. Will President Kabila respect the existing electoral calendar?
#SayNOto66d: Documenting the Surge of Online Defamation Cases in Myanmar
The #SayNOto66d website documents online defamation cases in Myanmar while providing information tools to support the campaign to repeal the law.
On World Poetry Day, Some Verses Straight From Persia's Heart
"The sadness in my heart, like a mountain/The heart under your chest, like a stone."
Anti-Islam TV Spot in the Netherlands Has Dutch Calling for More Love, Less Hate
"Everyday we need to tell each other that their hatred will be defeated by the intrinsic need for peace; to live together; not to hate each other; but to love."
Trinidad and Tobago’s First Female President Claims Her Role as ‘Humble First Servant’
"It finally feels like the narrow vision of the past has broadened to include people on their merits, yet what a heavy burden of expectations the first one [...] carries."
