On these pages we summarize more extensive Global Voices coverage of major news events through blogs and citizen media worldwide. If you have suggestions for new special coverage pages, please email us.
Madagascar: A destabilized society
As the country is having two rounds of elections on November 16 and December 20, Global Voices offers special coverage of major issues: politics, economics, environmental issues, music and literature.
Remembering the Great Zimbabwe
In recent years, Zimbabwe has faced a series of economic and political challenges that have destabilized the country. Learn about Zimbabwe's historical context and future prospects in our special coverage.
What will the ‘New Uzbekistan’ look like?
Upon his election in 2016, Uzbekistan’s president Shavkat Mirziyoyev promised to build a “New Uzbekistan” free of corruption and oppression. But is this promise coming to pass?
Israel's war on Gaza
Following an attack by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), the Israeli government officially declared war against the group, putting those living in the Gaza strip in peril and leading to widespread death, injuries, and displacement.
Understanding the link between Ukraine and Taiwan
Amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, many in Taiwan are drawing parallels between Russia and Ukraine and Taiwan's own relationship with China. Find out how this is playing out here.
A mosaic of MENA languages
Exploring the intersection of rights and Indigenous, minoritized, and low-resourced MENA languages.
SIDS nations grapple with the climate crisis
In the face of the ongoing climate crisis, Small Island Developing Nations (SIDs) have emerged as some of the most vulnerable and affected regions in the world.
The fall of Kabul: Two years later
Two years after the Taliban retook Afghanistan in August 2021, citizens’ rights and freedoms have deteriorated significantly — particularly for women and LGBTQ+ people. Even so, local resistance groups continue to struggle.
Wartime stories from Ukraine
Global Voices published a series of essays and stories written by Ukrainian artists who decided to remain in the country after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Russian: a language constantly instrumentalized by ideologies
June 6 was declared International Russian language day by the United Nations in 2010 to coincide with the birthday of Aleksandr Pushkin, considered the father of modern Russian literature.
Celebrating global LGBTQ+ rights
In most societies today, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals (LGBTQ+) face added societal challenges from homophobia to state oppression and hostility to ingrained bigotry and institutional failures.
Eurovision 2023: Music is always political
While it’s garnered a reputation as being “kitschy” or cheesy due to its incredibly dramatic and often “out there” performances Eurovision is more than just a song competition.
Fundraiser: Cycling in the footsteps of the California Farm Workers March
Starting June 1, J. Nathan Matias and Global Voices’ executive director Ivan Sigal, will embark on a cycling journey following the route of the historic 1966 California Farm Workers march.
World Press Freedom Day 2023
While many countries saw the erosion of media freedoms over the last year, others are approaching a tipping point that will decide whether media freedoms and democracy will prevail over authoritarian regimes.
Thailand's 2023 election: Continuity or change?
Thailand’s election on May 14 will be a contest between the forces that supported the 2014 coup and those who deem it necessary to pursue urgent democratic reforms in governance.
International women's day 2023
This International Women’s Day, Global Voices will be highlighting women's achievement and obstacles to gender inequality over the last year.
The splintering of Turkey
The country has been rocked by seismic political turmoil ahead of its May election, largely due to increased corruption and inadequate government response to the deadly earthquake in February.
Russia invades Ukraine: One year later
February 24, 2023, marks the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This special coverage explores how the war has unfolded over the last year and what to expect going forward.
Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago
After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, Trindiad & Tobago is once again celebrating Carnival. This special coverage will dive deep to understand what makes Carnival so special in the region.
Mapping the social media landscape
This special coverage series explores how our diverse global newsroom of journalists, activists, researchers, and editors uses social media.
Celebrating Uyghur resilience
Despite Beijing’s efforts to deny its genocide against the Uyghur people and silence critics, the Uyghur community and its supporters refuse to be stifled.
China's authoritarian tipping point
Protests have erupted across China in response to the government's strict zero-COVID policies, shrinking spaces for free speech and expression, and increasing authoritarianism. Follow our special coverage here.
A World Cup of shame
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has been marked by allegations of human rights abuses, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, deadly and inhumane working conditions, and forced labor, sparking global criticism and boycotts.
Global greenwashing and COP27
The world's biggest annual environmental conference is occurring in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt this year and is already rife with allegations of greenwashing and human rights violations.
“Women, life, freedom” Iran revolts
After 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in Iranian police custody, Iranian women have taken to the streets to lead protests against a repressive government regime, inspiring waves of support around the world.
Ukrainian language, arts, and culture
Ukrainian is spoken by around 40 million people globally. Here is a selection of Global Voices’ reporting on the Ukrainian language and its presence in literature, music, and humor.
Brazil's fight for democracy
Since Brazil's October 2022 election, tensions have been boiling between pro-democracy Lula supporters and far-right Bolsonaro supporters. In January 2023, this led to nationwide riots, violence, and terrorist episodes.
Ecotourism
Ecotourism aims to promote “responsible travel” that aids in the conservation of the ecological, social, and cultural aspects of a destination. However, this does not mean that all ecotourism is sustainable or accessible.
Bodily autonomy around the world
Women, trans people, and those with non-conforming gender identities have faced a barrage of attacks this year as conservative institutions try to control and police their bodies.
Highlighting Taiwan’s international invisibility
Between the War in Ukraine and simmering tensions between the US and China, international tensions are threatening Taiwan's precarious position as a de facto independent state.
Marcos watch: The first 100 days
For the next 100 days, Global Voices will publish news stories, opinion pieces, and studies documenting the presidency of Marcos Jr., the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Young Voices: Nigeria
This series of stories, written by young Nigerian undergraduate journalism students, covers an array of topics, including human interest, digital rights, and the tragi-comic complexities of daily life in Lagos.
Pride 2022: Community resistance
Increasing global conservatism is infringing on the LGBTQ+ community's hard-won rights. But the community is fighting back as individuals and allies take to the streets to resist authoritarianism and oppression.
A journey into African music
This series interrogates the evolution of contemporary music genres, the sampling of music from African greats, the impact of African music on the global stage, and its consumption on the continent.
Sri Lanka in crisis
Sri Lanka is in crisis after protests against the nation's Rajapaksa government intensified at the end of March 2022 over economic and social issues. Officials are violently cracking down on dissenters.
Green Voices
We are a collective of environmentally focused journalists, translators, and stakeholders who seek to use our global perspective to raise awareness about environmental issues and those affected by them.
World Press Freedom Day 2022
The past few years have presented unprecedented challenges for journalists and others working in media as they were increasingly targeted for repression, arrested, silenced, threatened, and more.
Russia invades Ukraine
Russia's brazen invasion of Ukraine marks a dangerous new phase in the history of Eastern Europe, with serious implications for the post-Cold War international order.
Music Club
To celebrate the stories of music that seeks to change the world, the Music Club meets on a monthly basis to discuss music-related stories, plan our coverage, and share songs.
When sports are political: The other side of Beijing 2022
China is hosting its second-ever Olympic Games in February 2022 and the international gathering has turned out to be much more than a sports event.
Kazakhstan’s illusory stability has cracked
Kazakhstan's stifling calm is shattered, and the fault lines have long been visible.
Striking the wrong notes
Music can be used to both trigger emotional responses and sway public opinion, which has led some governments to censor music on the basis of political, religious, or ethical disagreements.
The USSR's legacy 30 years on
As we mark the 30th anniversary of the end of the USSR, this special coverage seeks to explore Soviet heritage, its relevance today, and its enduring legacy around the world.
Afghanistan's Great Dispersal
The effects of this crisis will spread farther than Afghanistan and are already having global consequences. In our special coverage, we explore how the cataclysm in Afghanistan is affecting communities worldwide.
Sports and diversity
We look at sports from the perspective of people who are not historically the main subjects of sporting focus or success, to consider their achievements, their struggles, the injustices they face.
Myanmar's Spring Revolution
Myanmar’s “Spring Revolution” aims to unite the country’s citizens in strong rejection of the February 1 military coup, civil resistance, and a call for the return of democratic rule.
Pride 2021: Growing visibility, increasing attacks
The first half of 2021 has been a mixed bag of encouraging and alarming news for the LGBTQI+ community around the world.
What’s science without women?
Women are highly underrepresented in research: They make up less than 30 percent of the world's scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians. And women of color are less represented still.
Fighting rising inequality in Colombia
What started in Colombia as demonstrations against a tax reform transformed into a rallying call for more equality and less military and police violence.
Belarus In Turmoil
Belarus is undergoing perhaps its most serious political crisis since independence.
What Eurovision tells us about Europe
The Eurovision Song Contest—and the reactions it evokes—provides a compelling lens through which to regard contemporary Europe, its politics, its self-image and its presumed values.
The junta seizes Myanmar again. Will democracy prevail?
Global Voices’ coverage features stories and eyewitness accounts of citizen journalists, media partners, and local researchers.
Digital rights under lockdown: Government control of the COVID-19 narrative in Africa
Digital Rights Under Lockdown,” invited nine reporters to research and the state of digital rights during the pandemic in Algeria, Tunisia, Nigeria, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Ethiopia.
Myanmar elections 2020
Myanmar’s general election is scheduled for November 8. Around 7,000 candidates from over 90 parties are competing for 1,171 legislative seats. This election is considered crucial to the consolidation of Myanmar’s democratic transition.
How the Karabakh conflict is transforming regional politics
War returns to Nagorno-Karabakh, on a scale unseen since the 1994 ceasefire. As more lives are lost in a bid to secure this corner of the Caucasus, what must be done to win peace?
#EndSARS: A youth movement to end police brutality in Nigeria
Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has long been notorious for human rights violations. In October 2020, the Nigerian youth have risen up en masse to wage war against its brutality.
Why are young people protesting in Thailand?
This student-led pro-democracy movement marks the first time in modern Thai history that the monarchy has been criticized publicly.