Gender
All topics-
Documentary "The Other Side of the River
Women's liberation in a war zone
The documentary "The Other Side of the River" shows how women in the Kurdish regions of northern Syria fight for their rights under the most difficult conditions. By Aviva Freudmann
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Saudi Arabia
When a tweet gets you 34 years in prison
The ruling is part of an ongoing clampdown on dissent and minorities in the kingdom. But so far, it's unlikely to have an effect on the kingdom's newly polished image as a global oil provider in times of crisis. Jennifer Holleis reports
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Women and Islamic studies
Annemarie Schimmel’s pioneering take on Islam
This year Annemarie Schimmel, the great German scholar of Islamic studies, would have turned 100. Unique within the German and international academic community of her time, Schimmel’s pioneering work was characterised by a love of Islam. A tribute by Stefan Weidner
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Maya Youssef's album "Finding Home"
Music as a place of hope
"Finding Home", the second album by Syrian-born, UK-based musician Maya Youssef, works through feelings of loss and destruction until its music reaches a place beyond war and violence. By Stefan Franzen
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LGBTQ+ Pride
Being queer and Arab
As Pride Month draws to a close, Richard Marcus delves into Saqi Books’ latest publication, "This Arab is Queer". Edited by Elias Jahshan, this anthology of essays is remarkable for its honesty in addressing what is still a dangerous and controversial subject in many of the writers’ countries of origin
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Jadd Hilal's debut novel
Women searching and yearning for home
In his debut novel, "Flügel in der Ferne" (Wings in the Distance), award-winning French author Jadd Hilal gives voice to four women from four different generations who tell the stories of their uprooted lives in Europe and the Middle East. By Volker Kaminski
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Femicide in Egypt
"If you say no, you'll be in trouble"
The murder of a female student at Mansoura University in the Nile Delta has sparked a long overdue debate on femicide in Egypt. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo
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Emancipation in the MENA region
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
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Menstruation in Pakistan
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
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Women in Saudi Arabia
Saudi women move from behind wheel to under the hood
An auto repair garage in Saudi Arabia is turning to an untapped source for new car mechanics: Saudi women, who just four years ago weren't even allowed to drive
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Arooj Aftab's "Vulture Prince"
Coping with pain in Urdu
The first musician with Pakistani roots to win a Grammy, Arooj Aftab has been recognised for her third album Vulture Prince – a meditative, moving song cycle in which she captures loss and pain using poetry in Urdu and guest collaborators from all over the world. By Stefan Franzen
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Musica Sequenza Chamber Music Ensemble
Spanning times and cultures
Berlin-based international chamber music ensemble Musica Sequenza is known for its modern interpretation of baroque music. With his latest project, the opera "Kassia", composer and ensemble director Burak Ozdemir transcends temporal, cultural and geographical boundaries. By Ceyda Nurtsch