The efforts of the women's rights movement in Lebanon have remained unsuccessful for more than 70 years, says Hayat Mirshad, a member of the Democratic Women's Association. The blame lies with feminists' willingness to compromise, but also with women's rights organisations' hunt for sponsorship money. Juliane Metzker spoke to her in BeirutMore

The Palestinian-Jordanian political scientist and writer Rami G. Khouri sees links between increasing religious fanaticism and the reinvigoration of the old elites after the Arabellion. In an interview with Juliane Metzker, he looks back at four years of transformation, stagnation and instability in the Arab states.More

The magazine "Saiedet Souria" would like to be the mouthpiece for a new generation of Syrian women. Juliane Metzker spoke with editor-in-chief Yasmine Merei about the battle for equal rights under the Assad regime before and after the uprisings in 2011More

Despite all the setbacks suffered by many women's rights groups in the transitioning Arab states, regional co-operation has improved considerably over the past few years. Juliane Metzker takes stockMore

Dressed as a suicide bomber with a fake explosive belt, "Madame Bomba" roamed the streets of Beirut ... Her aim in doing so was to provoke a reaction in those that saw her and to protest against the on-going violence in Lebanon. But who is "Madame Bomba"? Juliane Metzker spoke to Rima Najdi, the Lebanese activist behind the provocative performanceMore

The young Lebanese graphic designer Maya Zankoul projects a differentiated picture of her home country in her humorous cartoons – rejecting media stereotypes of bombs, war and terror. An interview by Juliane MetzkerMore

Yasmine Hamdan is a rising star on the alternative electro-pop scene in Lebanon. In her solo debut album "Ya Nass", she has given classical Arabic music a modern twist. An interview by Juliane MetzkerMore