Egypt: Stop Harassment of Women Human Rights Defenders and Drop Politically-Motivated Case 173

The latest development in the NGO Foreign Funding Case occurred on December 7, 2016, when Azza Soliman, a prominent women’s rights defender and lawyer was arrested and faced with three preliminary charges, including “receiving foreign funding to harm the state’s interests.” Azza was released on bail after she paid 20,000 Egyptian pounds, pending further court hearings.

Bahrain: Ghada Jamsheer remains in jail despite poor health

Women’s rights defender, writer and blogger Ghada Jamsheer remains in jail in Bahrain serving a combined ten-month sentence for exercising her right to free expression on Twitter.

Turkey Should Immediately Stop Targeting Kurdish Women Human Rights Defenders

The regional coalition for women human rights defenders (WHRDs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is outraged by the arrest of both Kurdish WHRDs Ayla Akat, spokeswoman of the Free Women’s Congress (KJA) and a leading figure of the Kurdish women’s movement, who had participated in the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) 13th Forum in September 2016, who was arrested by the Turkish authorities on Wednesday 26 October 2016, which followed the arrest of WHRD Gültan Kısanak, Co-Mayor of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality on Tuesday 25 October 2016.

How can we tolerate anti-LGBTQ rhetoric at a major human rights forum?

Even in the aftermath of the Orlando shooting, the Organisation of American States is under attack from religious groups over its support of LGBTQ people.

Egyptian feminist leader Mozn Hassan resolute in face of official investigation

Nazra for Feminist Studies head receives widespread support over claims NGO is illegal as crackdown on Egyptian civil society is condemned.

Open letter to President Obama to help free jailed human rights defenders in the Gulf prior to the GCC Summit

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
United States

Dear President Obama,

As you prepare to meet with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on 21 April, we the undersigned organisations urge you to press for the release of all detained human rights defenders across the Gul

Fighting Hate: Exposing Extremist Groups in the U.S.

The Southern United States in the early 1970s was a time of both possibility and disappointment. As a result of the work of civil rights activists, the 60s had seen the creation of new laws seeking to guarantee racial equality across the country. But after these victories had been achieved, legislative changes often did not do enough to change people’s lived realities – particularly for black communities in the South.

Elana, Sonia, Ruth and the Court

Well, this is fun. Three women, not zero, or one, or two, but three now sit on the Supreme Court. Three seems formidable. Somehow one seems like a token gesture, when all the rest remain men. And two seems tokenish because what can two do. But three—three is a third of the Court. Three is also an odd number and it seems like one might be moving to something of consequence.

Elana, Sonia, Ruth and the Court

Well, this is fun. Three women, not zero, or one, or two, but three now sit on the Supreme Court. Three seems formidable. Somehow one seems like a token gesture, when all the rest remain men. And two seems tokenish because what can two do. But three—three is a third of the Court. Three is also an odd number and it seems like one might be moving to something of consequence.

By Zillah Eisenstein

Struggle for Justice - Missing and Murdered Sisters across Canadian Region of Turtle Island

FRIDAY FILE - Not so long ago few people knew of the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#MMIW) in Canada. But in a short span, No More Silence, Families of Sisters in Spirit, Native Youth Sexual Health Network (NYSHN) and other initiatives have contributed to building such momentum that the crisis of MMIW has finally entered mainstream media and public consciousness.