Stories from July, 2017
In Uganda's Parliament, the Arc of the Moral Universe Bends Toward Sexism
"The parliament that once roared with socially progressive legislators...is now a circus where one can refer to imaginary studies to deny the experiences of victims of violence, with little opposition."
Can Facebook Connect the Next Billion?
New research by Global Voices tech and digital rights experts in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan and the Philippines exposes the ups and downs of Facebook's "Free Basics" app.
Is Free Basics Really Bringing More Africans Online? A Case Study From Ghana
A group of Global Voices contributors tested the Free Basics app in six countries across the globe this spring. Here's what we found in Ghana.
Syrians Fleeing the War Seek Refuge in Brazil Where the Assad Regime Has Some Powerful Supporters
Syrians fleeing the country's civil war are trying to find a place in Brazil they can call home.
Venezuela: The Horror Beyond the Door
"The stench of the tear gas is everywhere. You can still hear the muffled echo of explosions, sometimes far away, sometimes close by. A constant, incomprehensible chain of events. ""Seguí sin comprender el motivo del ataque. ¿Existe alguna justificación a su potencia desproporcionada? El mero pensamiento me llena de amargura. No la hay, por supuesto."
Who Are the #Istanbul10? Learn About the Work of Jailed Human Rights Defenders in Turkey
A group of human rights defenders and information technology trainers continue to face jail time in Turkey and accusations that they were "aiding a terrorist organization without being a member."
Menstrual Hygiene Products Are Not Luxury Goods: Indian Rural Women Speak Out
Are menstrual hygiene products luxury goods? Women in India are voicing their doubts.
Hell on Earth in Chittagong: Floods Wreak Havoc in the City
"The waterlogging in Chittagong has worsened today. It seems nobody cares. God save everyone."
The Case of Fabiola Antiqueo and Police Violence in Chile
"The current system and the impunity that it protects, is one of the most visible legacies of the dictatorship in Chile"
This Jamaican Scientist's Marijuana-Based Anti-Cancer Drug Has Been Approved by the FDA
Should Dr. Lowe try to launch the drug himself if he can raise the funding? And what of the Jamaican government's role in taking the lead regarding ganja?
Puerto Rican Newspaper Cans Popular Comic Strip, Raising Concerns Over Censorship
Pepito is known for its sharp critique of the government and of elected officials in both the governments of Puerto Rico and of the United States.
A Final Glimpse of Cambodia’s Iconic Phnom Penh White Building Before Its Demolition
The Cambodian government plans to build a multipurpose complex in the land occupied by the iconic White Building in the capital city.
Jamaica's First Woman Prime Minister Retires Amidst Praise, Criticism — and a Contentious Battle to Succeed Her
"Portia Simpson came to representational politics at the parliamentary level in 1976 when political tribalism and its ugly pickney, political violence, were on the upswing."
French Bank BNP Paribas Accused of Complicity in the Genocide of the Tutsis in Rwanda
"France contributed to training and the international recognition of the government which organized the massacres (in Rwanda)".
Truths From the Front Lines of Climate Change in Europe’s Far North
"It should be about taking care of what we have left… It’s not only us Saami that pay the price. We will destroy our planet."
El Salvador Rape Victim Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Baby's Death Despite ‘Inconclusive Proof’
In the complex case of Evelyn few seem to notice the main trend regarding women tried for abortion in El Salvador: A punitive and inflexible system for poor women.
Ghana's Social Media Scene Opens New Spaces for Public Debate
"Today, Ghanaians on social media are quick to make permutations of what number of public schools, hospitals, roads and sanitised water systems could have been constructed..."
Bahraini Rights Activist Ebtisam Al-Saegh Charged Under Terrorism Law
Bahraini authorities have constantly harassed Al-Saegh because of her rights activism.
A North Korean Refugee and Cartoonist Draws What Life Is Like for Those Who Escape
As a child, teachers praised Choi Seong-guk for his sketches of American soldiers that he says he made look “as ugly and violent as possible.”
Mongolian Nomads Say Goodbye to Herding, Hello to Smog
Climate change is forcing many of Mongolia's nomadic herders to abandon their traditional lifestyle and move to Ulaanbaatar. That's making a big smog problem in the city even worse.
In the Depths of the Ecuadorian Amazon, Digital Communications Aid the Process of Self-Determination
In Ecuador, the Kichwa community of Sarayaku has been leveraging the power of digital technologies to share their own narratives about the long-standing struggle over land rights.
