women

By Andrea Germanos, staff writer | Commondreams.org As many as 2,000 people are feared dead in Nigeria from what has been described as Boko Haram’s deadliest attack amid ongoing bloodshed a UN official says “should be searing the conscience of the world.” The militant group reportedly carried out attacks starting January 3 on the northern […]

Iraq

Iraq Faces Women’s Crisis: 1 Mn. Widows, Extremist Captives, Child Brides

contributors

By Alaa Latif | Sulaymaniyah | (Niqash.org) Bayan Nouri has a tough job over the next four years – the new Minister for Women’s Affairs in Iraq must try to improve the economic lot of Iraq’s women, prevent systemic domestic violence against females and work on problems like female genital mutilation and underage marriage as […]

Human Rights

Saudi Women who dared Drive to be tried in Terrorism Court

contributors

DeutscheWelle English | — “Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that bans women from driving. Two women who did just that have been in custody for nearly a month – and they may now be charged with terrorism because they used social media.” DW: “Saudi women drivers fear terror charges | Journal”

Climate Change

Will Women bear the brunt of Climate Change and its Inequalities?

contributors

By Susan McDade | (IPS) — UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – Among all the impacts of climate change, from rising sea levels to landslides and flooding, there is one that does not get the attention it deserves: an exacerbation of inequalities, particularly for women. Especially in poor countries, women’s lives are often directly dependent on the […]

Iran

Iran: Rise In Youth just living together — Gov’t rails Against ‘White Marriage’

contributors

By Golnaz Esfandiari (RFL/RE) | — Raana and Hamed have been living together for four years. They eat together. They both contribute to the household and share a savings account. They fight “like husbands and wives in a registered marriage.” They even wear wedding rings and introduce themselves as a married couple. But they’re not. […]

Egypt

Egypt’s Female Genital Mutilation Shame and the Failure of Prosecution

contributors

Human Rights Watch | — (Beirut) – Egyptian authorities need to take clear action to end the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) following the country’s first trial on the crime ending in acquittals, Human Rights Watch said today. A trial this month in Egypt centered on the death of a 13-year-old girl in 2013. […]

nationalism

Turkish Pres. Erdogan says Women not Equal to Men: “Their System is Different.”

contributors

Euronews | — “The Turkish President has triggered fresh controversy, declaring in a speech that women are not equal to men. Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticised the feminist movement, claiming they do not accept or understand the concept of motherhood. He spoke at a global justice and women’s summit in Istanbul. An English translation of […]

Iraq

Yazidi Women Victimized by Daesh/ ISIL tell of Rape, Slavery, & their Resistance

contributors

By Khales Joumah | Mosul | via Niqash.org | — Three months ago, the extremist group known as the Islamic State kidnapped hundreds of women from the Yazidi sect. Since then there have been many stories about what has happened to the women, including physical and sexual abuse, slavery and forced marriage. NIQASH spoke to […]

Iraq

Women Targeted by Militarism in Strong States and Extremism in weak ones

contributors

By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, Nov 6 2014 (IPS) – Ongoing military conflicts in the strife-torn Middle East – specifically in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Palestine – have resulted in widespread civilian casualties, impacting heavily on the most vulnerable in besieged communities: women and children. The biggest death toll has stemmed from the civil war […]