Stories about Youth from January, 2013
Russian Teacher Briefly Fired for Defending LGBT Rights
As if Russia's liberals were not already outraged enough about a proposed federal law banning "homosexual propaganda", the firing of an activist school teacher protesting this law has sparked a fresh wave of online indignation.
Zambia: Interview with BongoHive Co-Founder
BongoHive, a Zambian-based innovation hub, has captured the attention of computer and internet technology enthusiasts in the country. Global Voices recently caught up with Simunza Muyangana, one of the four co-founders, who explained what BongoHive is all about.
Navigating Entrepreneurship in Ghana
Ghana, a sub-Saharan country, has many budding young entrepreneurs. Some have even been recognised and awarded by international organisations, including Bright Simons, Regina Agyare and Elikem Kuenyehia.
‘Student Hair Revolution’ in Thailand
Kaewmala writes about the complaint of many Thai students against the official school hair policy of “crew cut for boys and ear-lobe-length bob for girls.” Some student groups want to scrap the hair policy which is criticized as a violation of children's rights. The author added: “If Thai teachers had...
Myanmar: Biggest Barcamp in the World
At over 6,400 participants on January 19 and 20 this year, BarcampYangon not only dwarfs every barcamp in the region but even exceeds last year’s number by over one thousand attendees. Myanmar is now the envy of every barcamper in Asia. Anh-Minh Do reviews Barcamp Yangon 2013 in Myanmar.
Search for Missing Boy Unites Malaysia
News about the disappearance of six-year old William Yau triggered a widespread campaign in Malaysia to help find the kid. Netizens helped in spreading news about the case. There was an outpouring of grief for William’s family on social media when the death of the boy was confirmed by the police on January 28
Are Yemen Youth Marginalized in the National Dialogue?
Global Leadership Awards Winner, Yemeni Journalist Shatha Al-Haraz comments through her blog, on the poor representation of the youth in the National Dialogue Conference.
Blogging for UAE Detainees
“UAE Detainees” [ar] sheds light on the plight of more 68 Emirati political detainees who demanded reforms in their country. By doing so, the blog tries to attract solidarity with the arrested activists, to lobby and advocate for their release, in addition to gathering and recollecting everything that has been...
Russian Parliament Confronts Next Threat to Kids: “Homosexual Propaganda”
The Russian parliament's effort to defend the nation's children continues. In the last year, Duma deputies have labored feverishly to shield Russia's youth from child pornography and online enticements to drug use and suicide, and—more recently—they passed a law to put an end to the scourge of American adoptions of Russian orphans. Law-makers have now zeroed in on the next heinous threat: "homosexual propaganda."
Cuba: Internet Change Coming?
If you took a poll in our streets about Cubans’ most serious problems, the youngest…would list…lack of access to the Internet. They want to dive into that sea of kilobytes! Translating Cuba explains that “this situation of disconnect could be about to change…the great World Wide Web may be closer...
Jamaica: Hitting the Paywall
I hear Swartz and others who maintain that information can and must be free. But to simply equate academic articles with useful information is misleading…these are issues we need to have more nuanced discussions about. Active Voice blogs about the late Aaron Swartz, JSTOR and academic paywalls…
Hungarian Student Protesters Face Punishment, Keep Fighting
In December 2012, Hungarian university and high school students united to protest against the large cutbacks in higher education admission quotas. Their fight for tution-free slots continues.
Iran: A Crime on YouTube, an Execution in Public
Two young men, Alireza Mafiha and Mohammad Ali Sarvari, were executed by hanging in Tehran, Iran in the early hours of January 20, before the eyes of public spectators who had gathered to watch.
China's Resistance Art Beyond Ai Weiwei
Social resistance in the form of action art is getting popular in China. This post introduces readers to an action art group - Made-in-J Town - which staged several body performance in Shandong in 2008, the year of the Beijing Olympic and the year when dissent voices faced the harshest repression.
Profile of Brazilian Blogger Nessa Guedes, the Coca-Cola Girl
The Global Voices Online community works together to share the voices of thousands of bloggers and citizen journalists who live around the world. Sometimes, however, these same bloggers are the target of our curiosity. In the interview below, we will discover a little bit more about Nessa Guedes, the Coca-Cola Girl.
Saving Filipino Street Kids Through Twitter
Filipino netizens are urged by the Department of Social Welfare and Development to report sightings of street children by informing the agency through its twitter account, @savestreetkids. Updates will be posted within eight hours on whether the street children have been rescued.
Nigeria 2012: Great Challenges and Even Greater Victories
Nigeria is as large as her talents, people, hope and challenges. These are some of stories from Nigeria in 2012, a year that was a curious mix of tensions, anguish and hope for Nigeria.
Přednádraží Still Stands: Czech Roma Community Resists Evictions
In August 2012, the Ostrava City Hall issued a 24-hour eviction order to the owner of the 11 buildings at Přednádraží. Approximately 100 families of the local residents refused to move out. Many simply did not have anywhere else to go. Five months later, twelve families still remain at Přednádraží, including six children. Daniela Kantorova reports.
Kony's LRA Kills Villagers in Yalinga, Central African Republic
While the Central African Republic awaits a new prime minister [fr] after the peace talks in Libreville, the army reports that Joseph Kony and the Lord Resistance Army LRA have killed three people [fr] near the village of Yalinga. The reports adds that a 12 year old girl was also kidnapped by the rebels.
