Women in the Islamic world
All topics-
Bangladesh's low-wage textile industry
Microcredits – no silver bullet against poverty
While Grameen Bank, the great role model for the microfinance industry, is celebrating its fortieth birthday in 2023, tens of thousands of textile workers in Bangladesh are taking to the streets and striking for better wages
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Human rights in Asia
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
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Nobel peace prizewinner Narges Mohammadi
Change in Iran 'irreversible'
Rights campaigner and 2023 Nobel Peace laureate Narges Mohammadi said in a September 2023 interview that she retained hope for change in Iran, despite having no prospect of release from prison and enduring the pain of separation from her family
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Human rights and Islamism in the Gulf
This Barbie can't go to Kuwait
The recent ban of the Barbie film is part of a growing crackdown on feminism and freedom of expression in Kuwait. Hind Al Ansari argues that instead of tightening controls, the government should focus on developing spaces for open dialogue
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The Armenian genocide
"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
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Mahsa Amini: one year on
Tehran has lost the battle for credibility
One year after Mahsa Amini died in police custody, sparking nationwide protests, the Iranian regime has quashed all displays of public discontent. But the 2022 protest movement was not a lost cause and its impact on Iranian history cannot be undermined, writes Leela Jacinto
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Taliban Afghanistan 2 years on
Report from a forgotten land
15 August 2023 marked the second anniversary of the Taliban's return to Afghanistan. Emran Feroz recently travelled through the country – here is his exclusive report for Qantara.de on everyday life in Kabul
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Morocco
Mohammed VI turns 60: Diplomacy a priority as inequalities persist
Morocco's King Mohammed VI is set to celebrate his 60th birthday on 21 August away from the public eye, as challenges abound almost a quarter century after he ascended the throne
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Taliban Afghanistan's double whammy
Afghans face a failing economy and high taxation
Almost two years after the Taliban swept to power, other international crises have distracted attention away from Afghans' suffering amid the country's dire socioeconomic conditions. Looking ahead, Hameed Hakimi asks what are the economic prospects for Afghanistan under the Taliban?
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Equality in the Arab world
Lebanon's 'dangerous' Khateera feminists
A popular Beirut-based media platform is tackling some of Arab society's most sensitive subjects – such as sex, love, desire and gender roles – with distinctive humour. Diana Hodali reports
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Four Afghans on two years Taliban rule
Worry, relief, pride, despair
Two years since the Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan after 20 years of war against the United States and its allies, life has changed dramatically for many Afghans, particularly women
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Books on the Iran protests
Fighting for freedom in the "mullah state"
Women are the main drivers behind the new revolutionary movement in Iran. Four female authors offer inside views and moving snapshots from a variety of perspectives. Review by Rene Wildangel