Stories about Women & Gender from May, 2008
Burkina Faso: Level four culture shock
In The United Kingdom a bit more than a week ago, the Office of National Statistics reported that in the past ten years, nearly two million Britons have moved abroad, making up the second largest emigration in the country’s history. Presently, that means that 5.5 million Britons live in foreign countries. So, what does this have to do with Burkina Faso? It proves a point, a fundamental truth really, about foreigners: They eventually go home. Or at least most of them do. It just happens that in Burkina Faso, a number of foreign bloggers are getting ready to pack up their things and head elsewhere.
Egypt: On the Hijab
Egyptian Arima shares her ideas on a controversial post on the Islamic headscarf worn by women.
Egypt: On Caramel
Egyptian Arima has just watched Caramel – and has good things to say about the movie about five friends in Beirut, Lebanon.
Armenia: Bigoted Journalism
Blogian comments on the misrepresentation of the words of a journalist partly of Turkish descent speaking in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, by the local pro-opposition A1 Plus news agency. The blog says that a combination of factors such as anti-Turkish sentiment and sexism might have something to do with what...
From the Diary of a Sinister Egyptian Spinster
Egyptian women have their own set of challenges, ranging from the right to marry themselves off to inequality in marriage and divorce rights. Marwa Rakha sheds light on the thoughts and writings of Eman - a self-confessed spinster.
Bahrain: The Ideal Woman
From Bahrain, The Girl with No Face says she will go through a surgical procedure to help her reduce weight and adds: “I’ve given up that one day someone will love me for me. I have to mold into the ideal woman. The ‘ideal’ woman that has no fat on...
Afghanistan: View from a grain of sand
Afghan PenLog tells about a documentary film about women in Afghanistan in the past thirty years of the country's history through the lives of three women.
Lebanon: An Eyewitness Report
Lebanese journalist and blogger Lelia Mezher was one of several Lebanese bloggers who worked round the clock to keep the world informed about the crisis which rocked her country when different factions clashed in Beirut. Global Voices Online caught up with Mezher, who is involved with News Lab, in this quick interview.
Nepal: Women in Politics
Anbika's DiGi Home on the increase in the number of women in politics in Nepal.
Lebanon: Clashes and Babies
Diana, who lives in Dubai and is expecting a baby in two months, is glad to have returned to Lebanon. She explains: “I cried my eyes out when I saw the fierce clashes in Lebanon and thought that I will never manage to come back and that I will be...
Iran:Two Persian Women in 1900
Here is a photo from two Persian/Iranian women in 1900,showing two different styles.
Japan: Experiences at IDAHO
On the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), Japanese LGBT communities organized several events and street activities in several cities across the country. With a slogan of “Yes to sexual diversity” (多様な性にYES!), various groups broadcast messages promoting a society where differences and diversity are accepted and respected.
The Victimization of Egyptian Women and Children
Fantasia's World raises crucial issues that hold back the Egyptian society all together; namely women's rights, violence against women and children, and the general misconceptions of male-female relationships in the Egyptian society and in the Arab world. Marwa Rakha zooms into a new post which discusses how Egyptian women and children are being victimized by traditions, law, and the Muslim Brothers.
Iran: Seven Valleys of Love
Kamangir reports that Sheema Kalbasi has published a book about the works of Iranian female poets from Middle age to present day Iran. The book is called: Seven Valleys of Love.
Bangladesh: Women and the headscarf
Unheard Voices on a bank in Bangladesh that has made it mandatory for female employees to wear the headscarf.
Moldova, Turkey: Natalya Morar's Istanbul Airport Adventure
Natalia Morar, a journalist who was deported from Russia after a Russian magazine ran her stories on the alleged siphoning of huge sums of money abroad by the country's high-ranking officials, blogs about how she almost got deported from Turkey by the unsuspecting Turkish border guards.
Bangladesh: On dowry
Bangladesh From Our View on the demands for dowry and how it affects everyday life.
Cameroon: House of Falling Women
Cameroonian blogger, Rosemary Ekosso, publishes a book titled “House of Falling Women”: “House of Falling Women is the story of a young woman with quixotic ideas about improving the lot of women who finds out that that the crusader’s cloak is an uncomfortable one.”
India: Women and honour
Indian Muslims Blog on honor killings – a twisted way to redeem “family honour”.
Iran:12 women sites got filtered in last 24 hours
Change4equality says [Fa] that 12 Iranian sites supporting women's rights such as Change4equality or Photochange got filtered by Iranian authorities today,19th of May.
Egypt: Islamic Feminism Alive
Islamic feminism is alive and well, writes Egyptian blogger Arima, in this first of a two-part series.
