Forced marriage

The long road to modernising marriage

American historian Kenneth M. Cuno talks to Qantara.de about the decline of polygamy in Egypt, the emergence of love when choosing a marriage partner, and what role Muhammad Abduh and Qasim Amin played in promoting new ideas about marriage and the family

Tajik women turn to polygamy to survive

Dire economic conditions are spurring an increasing number of women in Tajikistan to enter polygamous marriages. But it comes at a price. With few rights to underpin their existence, they bear a burden of social stigma that taints not only their lives but those of their children too. Madina Shogunbekova reports

"Genocide is a feminist issue"

Dots, crosses, lines: tattoos like these were inked on surviving Armenian women after the genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Historian Elyse Semerdjian uses the tattoos to tell their story. Interview by Anna-Theresa Bachmann

Pakistani women defy forced marriage abroad

Turkish state fails child bride in sect marriage

All eyes in Turkey are on a court hearing scheduled for January 30 into a child abuse case that allegedly occurred with the knowledge of one of Istanbul's most powerful Islamic sects. The little girl was failed by the state not once, but several times. Ayse Karabat reports

AKP under scrutiny for ties to ultraconservative Islamic community

The ultraconservative Ismail Aga community has close links to Turkey's ruling AKP. Some are now questioning the community's influence after news reports of the forced marriage of a six-year-old girl within the group. By Burak Ünveren

The patriarchy is crumbling

With regard to gender justice, things look bleak in the Arab world. Laws typically discriminate against women, while national legislation all too often does not comply with the international agreements governments have signed. By Mona Naggar

Indonesia fights violence against women with new law

Indonesia has finally passed a bill, ten years in the making, stipulating tougher penalties for sexual violence. Yet activists maintain the country's conservative culture stifles awareness and prevents victims from speaking up. By Arti Ekawati and Betty Herlina

What every girl should know

Pakistan needs to start removing the stigma society attaches to menstruation, argues Mahwish Gul. She has been instrumental in developing #HelpSaira, a new digital app aimed at teenage girls that offers constructive and value-free information and advice

Rafia Zakaria – feminism is not only white

Pakistani-American author and lawyer Rafia Zakaria advocates for a broad-based feminism that doesn't just address the concerns of white women. By Christine Lehnen

Tunisia TV series sparks polygamy row

A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago