Egyptian Blogger and Human Rights Defender. I'm passionate about civil society and human rights. I am interested in so many things, but my main interests are health, gender and sexuality.
You can check my personal blog Rebel With A Cause.
Latest posts by Ahmed Awadalla
These Egyptians Say No to Mandatory Military Service
On May 15, a group of Egyptian young men and women started an online campaign against military service. Find out why.
On Abortion and Controlling Sex in Egypt
A blogger shares her experience of supporting her friend going through abortion in Egypt, the hurdles faced, and the larger implications.
Documentary Libido Challenges Egyptians to Talk About Sex
Libido is a short documentary discussing sexuality in Egypt. Following the internet sensation, Global Voices Online's Ahmed Awadalla probes further and talks to the filmmaker Youssef Alimam.
Kissing on Egyptian Streets
A photograph circulating on Facebook of two young Egyptians kissing in the street stirred both outrage and admiration. Shared by Ahmed ElGohary, a commentator objected to ‘the lack of manhood’ entailed by sharing such photo. Others praised the beauty of it and its revolutionary sense. Public display of affection is...
Egypt: Fighting Sexual Terror in Tahrir Square
Millions of Egyptians held mass rallies on the first anniversary of former President Mohamed Morsi to protest his rule. As Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the Egyptian revolution in downtown Cairo, began to fill up, anti-sexual harassment groups geared up to stand up to sexual violence against female protesters. Previous mass rallies have been witnessing a rise in mob sexual assaults, particularly in Tahrir Square.
Egyptian Hashtag Takes on Homophobia!
A recent social media call to address homophobia stirred a lively and heated discussion despite sexuality being a major taboo in Egypt.
Do Egyptians Really Want IMF Money?
Soon after the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, negotiations over a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to the Egyptian government began. The purpose of negotiations was to secure a loan that supports Egypt’s economy following the concerns over its compromising state. While presumed to boost economy and encourage foreign investment, the IMF loan was met with criticism and protest.
Egypt: Graffiti Over Presidential Palace Walls
It seems like the revolutionary spirit is galvanized in Egypt, thanks to President Mohammed Morsy's power grab. Photographer Jonathan Rashad, who has been actively using his camera to document major events since the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, shares photographs of graffiti which tell the story
The Stateless People of Egypt
Stateless people are those who do not have a nationality. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there are up to 12 million stateless people in the world. Ahmed Awadalla introduces us to some of the stateless people of Egypt in this post.
Egypt: Teenager Confronts Militarization of Schools
As criticism of the military institution grows in Egypt, a young man takes a brave step to confront military interference in the education system. Ahmed Awadalla speaks to Ahmed Hassan, who has stood against the militarization of schools.
Lebanon: Inflammatory TV Show Leads to Arrests of Gay Men
A recent crackdown on a Beirut cinema frequented by gay men ended up in the arrest of 36 men, who later were subjected to anal examinations to "prove" their homosexuality. The raid prompted outrage, and many accused a certain TV show of inciting it.
Egypt: Protest Sends Message Against Sexual Harassment
Since the revolution took place, more and more Egyptians are speaking up and demanding their rights, including women's rights. In this photo post we look at a recent protest against sexual harassment held in Cairo.
Egypt: Assault on Women in Tahrir Square
Journalist Natasha Smith narrates her ordeal of suffering mass sexual assault while heading to Tahrir Square to join the celebrations in a post titled “Please God. Please make it stop,” triggering more than 1000 comments.
Arab World: People With Disabilities Raise Their Voices!
An online campaign was launched to shed light on the struggle of people with disabilities and their neglected rights. Campaign founder Abdallah AlShalaqi, an activist from Saudi Arabia said it aims at raising community’s awareness of the rights of people with disabilities; breaking media silence about it; and giving a message to government officials to take action towards this issue.
Egypt: “Blog About Nubia” Day
In an attempt to highlight the situation of the Nubian community in Egypt and to challenge stereotypes about them, a day of blogging and tweeting about their cause took place on April 18.
Egypt: Campaign Against Compulsory Military Service Gains Momentum
A discussion against conscription or compulsory military service is emerging in Egypt. Ahmed Awadalla gives us an overview of the debate in this post.
Egypt: Women's Right to Divorce Debated in Parliament
The performance of the new Egyptian Parliament continues to stir debate on social media sites. The new parliament was seen as a move towards to democracy. However, the parliament continues to discuss matters that seem irrelevant to the country’s most pressing needs. Now, MPs are discussing a request to strip women of their right to file for a divorce.
Egypt: Mixed Reactions to Porn Ban Proposal
Only one month after the first session of the newly elected parliament in Egypt, much debate and controversy arose. The Egyptian blogosphere and twitterverse have been watching the new parliament and tweeting under the hashtag #EgyParliament expressing demands, concerns and sarcasm. A recent episode at the parliament stirred much discussion, but this time it was about pornography!
