Stories about Human Rights from September, 2023
Ukrainian civil society leader focuses on Taiwan: Interview with Hanna Hopko
Global Voices interviewed Hanna Hopko, former MP, civil society leader and one of the most vocal supporters of Taiwan in Ukraine, to hear about ongoing cooperation and dialogues.
Nagorno-Karabakh surrenders but what of the future?
Over the last three years, mutual accusations of ceasefire violations continued unabated. So did, mutual hostile rhetoric throwing any prospects for peace out of the window.
Iran’s women, digital rights and human freedoms
While the Iranian government’s tactics reflect a global issue, the world must remember and celebrate the unique courage of Iran’s women, who stand tall in the face of adversity.
Australian parliamentarians visit Washington to lobby for Julian Assange's release
Despite the visit, support for Assange's release remains low in the US. If extradited, he could face a sentence of up to 175 years in prison.
Iraqi Assyrians struggle for freedom of expression amid political and extremist threats
Ongoing oppression, ethnic and sectarian conflicts, and political unrest have greatly reduced the Middle East's Assyrian community, endangering their 3000-year-old Assyrian language in its native Middle Eastern home.
‘I felt violated': The women determined to break the cycle of FGM in Uganda
Female genital mutilation is recognized as a violation of human rights affecting approximately 200 million women globally, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Reference points: What to read to understand Madagascar's pre-presidential election debates
To better understand the forthcoming presidential election, Global Voices offers a mini-guide highlighting valuable information sources for staying updated on Malagasy news
Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture threatens legal action against CamboJA news
"In this system, journalists are expected to conform to the contours of power rather than challenging them."
Young people attempt to build the city of the future in Russian province, while residents seek the past
Artists have come back to Chaykovsky, a small town in Russia, and have established a public cultural center there. They now face resistance from officials and a lack of understanding among local residents.
Central Asian people's path to the American dream is full of dangers
Among the dangers of traveling this route are being robbed or taken hostage by cartels in transit countries, being attacked by wild animals, and drowning in the Caribbean Sea.
A look at period poverty experiences in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago
Non-profits in both islands have been advocating for the use of more environmentally friendly, reusable menstrual products as a way to directly combat period poverty amidst climate change events.
The government of Bangladesh quietly passed the new Cyber Security Act 2023
The Bangladesh parliament passed the new Cyber Security Act 2023 after scrapping its predecessor, the controversial Digital Security Act, 2018. The new law poses similar threats to the freedom of expression.
Pakistani movie ‘Zindagi Tamasha’ is finally made available online after injunctions on its release
Pakistani Punjabi-Urdu film Zindagi Tamasha, originally scheduled for release in theatres in 2020, but halted after receiving threats from religious hardliners, was finally made available to viewers on Youtube.
Protest demands justice two years after COVID-19 hospital fire in North Macedonia
The company that built the hospital and state officials who approved the construction faced no accountability for the fire that killed 14 people
Water scarcity and its impact on period poverty in Jamaica
It is a widespread issue that affects women and girls who cannot afford necessary menstrual products such as sanitary pads, tampons, or menstrual cups.
A story from a Russian POW camp in Ukraine
A year ago, this camp was a regular penal colony for Ukrainian prisoners, but its purpose was quickly changed to make it a temporary accommodation for thousands of Russian citizens.
In Russia, it's the state against the internet
What a sovereign Runet is, no one still really understands. In the view of the Russian authorities, it apparently means destroying all the bad guys and rewarding all ‘our guys’.
Jamaican government swiftly returns a boat full of Haitians, as Caribbean officials express disappointment after latest talks
Thirty-six Haitian refugees landed in northeastern Jamaica on September 9 and were sent back two days later, while CARICOM noted the "alarming deterioration" of Haiti's security situation.
How St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Mayreau Island is tackling food insecurity
"Mayreau is 1.5 square miles, water scarce and generationally food insecure; food importation on the island is at an alarming 95-98 percent."
St. Vincent & the Grenadines’ Mayreau island is a cultural bastion where — despite challenges — community spirit is alive and adaptive
'My interest in entangled colonial and imperial histories [has] fuelled questions about how Vincentian heritages are affected by the communities’ relationship to land, foreign investment/settlement, and the more-than-human world.'
Without the ability to renew their passports abroad, Belarusians in exile are left in limbo
Belarusian leader Lukashenka signed a decree saying Belarusians living abroad will not be able to renew their passports at consulates abroad.