Society

ARTE documentary

German couple fights for girls' literacy in Afghanistan

Ofarin is an association working hard in Afghanistan to provide girls an education. Founded by German aid worker Paul Schwittek it has transformed the lives of a generation of Afghan girls, but now his project is coming to an end.
DW documentary on the Lebanon crisis

A land in freefall – between revolution and hope

The political and economic crisis in Lebanon started long before the devastating explosion on 4 August 2020. But since then, the country has been in freefall. Young people in particular are asking whether they have a future there at all.
Coronavirus in the Middle East

"Pandemic of poverty" for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon

Social and economic upheaval in Lebanon in 2020 has deepened and magnified the poverty of Palestinian refugees. The country's "forgotten" Palestinians are bereft of international support and almost totally dependent on UNRWA. Lifting the restrictions on their economic status would help. By Stephen McCloskey
By Stephen McCloskey
Afghanistan’s academics under fire

Must young Afghans be willing to die for an education?

The latest attack on Kabul University left staff and students feeling desperate and vulnerable. An international letter of solidarity aims to express support for the academic community, who continue to instruct and study under conditions of war, violence and insecurity. By Marian Brehmer
By Marian Brehmer
Spotlight on bridge-builders: Omid Nouripour

Taking a stand against the "overemphasis of difference"

Omid Nouripour fled Iran for Germany with his family at the age of 13. Today, he is foreign policy spokesman for Germany’s Green Party. He argues that societal differences should be seen as potential and vehicles for peace in foreign policymaking. Profile by Ceyda Nurtsch for Qantara.de
By Ceyda Nurtsch
Humanitarian aid in the Middle East

UN agency for Palestinian refugees faces imminent collapse

Financial woes had been part and parcel of UNRWA's work for years. In 2018, however, President Donald Trump dealt the organisation a deadly blow, deferring payment of U.S. yearly contributions of more than $300 million. Now the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is facing insolvency. Financial aid for millions of refugees is at risk. By Kersten Knipp
By Kersten Knipp
De-radicalising young people

Is there a way to stop jihadists in Europe?

What drives young men into the arms of Islamist extremists – and how can they be re-integrated into society? Five years after the deadly attacks in Paris, urgent questions remain. By Matthias von Hein
By Matthias von Hein
Radicalisation debate

The exclusion of European Muslims nurtures Islamists

Austria's chancellor is seeking to criminalise "political Islam". The move would put non-violent, non-radical Muslims under blanket suspicion and is hardly helpful in the fight against Islamism. In her commentary, Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi says that Islamism is easier to counter if you work together with Muslims on equal terms
By Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi
India, a crumbling democracy

Narendra Modi's vendetta against free-thinking academics

Dozens of academics, writers and civic activists have been arrested in India on charges of sedition, terrorism and inciting violence. Sruti Bala asks why a country that sees itself as a global power in the knowledge economy of the future is turning on its public intellectuals?
By Sruti Bala
"A Slave Between Empires: A Transimperial History of North Africa"

Decolonising Maghreb history

M’hamed Oualdi presents the story of a manumitted-slave-turned-dignitary in the Ottoman province of Tunis and the posthumous conflicts over his estate as a case study to deconstruct the modern history of Tunisia and the wider Maghreb region. Muhammed Nafih Wafy read the book
By Muhammed Nafih Wafy
After the Islamist attacks in France and Austria

"Placing Muslims under general suspicion is not the solution"

Rather than suspecting Muslims in general, we need to co-operate more with Islamic scholars, Muslim congregations and associations, writes Muhammad Sameer Murtaza in his commentary, invoking the power of selfless love – charity – that unites Christians, Jews and Muslims
By Muhammad Sameer Murtaza
Jews, Christians and Muslims

"We are in dire need of a culture of dialogue"

Berlin's "House of One" project, instigated by Jews, Christians and Muslims, will finally begin to take physical shape in early 2021, following a lengthy period of preparation. With the terrorist attack in Vienna fresh in their minds, the representatives of the three world religions feel uniquely challenged. By Christoph Strack
By Christoph Strack