Stories about Governance from May, 2022
Concerts are becoming a political battleground in Turkey
A series of concert bans are drawing backlash in Turkey with criticisms mounting against the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party for imposing conservative restrictions on citizens and the arts.
Iranian protesters demand justice after deaths in Abadan’s building collapse
Thousands of Abadan residents in southwest Iran took to the streets to protest against the incompetence of their government after the catastrophic collapse of a building, and chanted anti-government slogans
Recent #MeToo revelations steer public discourse in Nepal
The recent confession of a rape survivor has propelled tens of thousands of protesters into the streets of the capital of Nepal. The #justiceforsushmita movement also surfaced online.
Erdoğan's priorities turn to space as earthly problems mount in Turkey
As part of its national space program, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan unveiled plans to have its citizens serve aboard the International Space Station.
TIME Magazine chooses Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley as one of ‘the world's most influential people’
Mottley's advocacy for the Caribbean at COP 26 cemented her place in the global consciousness as a forward-thinking leader and change maker.
The elephant whisperer of Nepal
Each year, human–elephant conflict results in the destruction of crops and dwellings, human injury and death, and the retaliatory killing of elephants. Conservationists like Shankar Chettri Luitel are changing the scenario.
Trinidad & Tobago's failure to act on decades of abuse allegations has done unspeakable damage to children in state care
The findings of a recent task force charged with investigating allegations of child abuse at children's homes has raised the ghost of a decades-old task force report that lay buried.
Myanmar journalists face grave risks at every turn
"Many journalists have gone into hiding or fled abroad with no legal or financial support and only pro-military publications can now work openly in the country."
Covering the economic crisis in Sri Lanka: The cost of pursuing journalism
Journalists and media houses in Sri Lanka are facing many challenges covering the ongoing economic crisis and growing public protests; some newspapers have suspended publication and many journalists were injured.
India pushes for storage of private data using technology built for anonymity
As VPNs and blockchain-based services are often designed to assure user anonymity and privacy, this direction might force many service providers to shut down operations in India.
In Azerbaijan's capital, calls for an end to impunity against activists
A group of civil society activists held a rally in Baku, demanding an end to impunity against government critics, political activists, and journalists.
Podcast: The state of press freedom
This week, we head to China, India, Colombia, Indonesia and Serbia to hear from journalists and researchers about what challenges the media faces in those countries.
Not Yet Uhuru: Surveillance, censorship and data practices in the new Tanzania
Internet censorship in Tanzania has taken on a rather oppressive turn in the last five years, with media suppression taking the lead.
Pakistan drops 12 points on World Press Freedom Index 2022
A report by Pakistani rights organization Freedom Network reveals that journalists in Pakistan were subjected to violence, legal cases, abductions, detentions and threats last year, mostly from the state actors.
In Sri Lanka, a people’s uprising for system change
Sri Lankan jurist, author, poet, and activist Basil Fernando contemplates what lies ahead of Sri Lanka amidst the intensified anti-government protests and the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Turkey's latest attack on the arts: A provincial governor cancels a long-awaited music festival
While the statement did not specifically mention the upcoming music festival, the event falls under the calendar days mentioned in the statement.
Thugs attacked peaceful protesters, Sri Lanka in turmoil
After 30 days of peaceful protests, the Rajapaksa regime unleashed its thugs on the anti-government protesters in Colombo. The resignation of the Prime Minister followed and violence broke out amid curfew.
In Turkey, a comedy show lands in hot water over a political sketch
The Guldur Guldur Show, a popular comedy show in Turkey, had its sketch removed by a television channel over a satirical bit about Minister of Finance and Treasury Nureddin Nebati.
How accurate is Nepal’s COVID-19 death toll?
Questions regarding what exactly constitutes a COVID-19 death remain elusive. With the lack of comparable data, it's hard to know the true number of COVID-19 deaths in Nepal.
Sri Lankan state of emergency condemned locally and internationally
In the span of five weeks, the government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared another state of emergency amid ongoing anti-government protests highlighting the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
How the Fiji Meteorological Service uses social media
Global Voices interviewed the Fiji Meteorological Service about the role of social media in informing citizens about the weather and climate science in the South Pacific nation.