Type
Topic
Country
Our voice
Living in a world with the agony of not being proud of the current face of my country is like living in misery. Keeping my mouth shut during this time of pain is unbearable. I have lived with this big mouth for my entire life, but it never caused pain like now. Whenever I open my mouth I am told to close it. Words I could think of as a complement are suddenly used to stab me in the back, it's almost like self-inflicted pain. I feel diminished to be a woman, where being a woman can be used to insult me. I have shirts like Love is Love, Or Students Lives Matter but what is the point in wearing...
The Shades of the Black Lives Matter Movement
Protests. Rallies. Curfews. Never would I have imagined such a day in the United States. Never could I conceive the threat of tear gassing and rubber bullets, unmasked acquaintances and close contact with strangers rendered insignificant in the midst of a pandemic. Never could I imagine streets lined with thousands marching hand in hand as the disease spreads from man to man. The desire for justice has overcome fear of COVID-19, for while the virus can’t pick and choose who deserves to live or die, the racist few of an institution in this nation meant to “serve and protect” have that power...
This is the one thing that can never be tolerated
I was watching a Korean thriller movie and this sentence came out "I was scared until my body became stiff and unable to do anything". That sentence really hit me. It reminded me of the sexual harassment that I experienced. Sexual harassment is real and it can literally haunt you in many ways, like being catcalled or being touched without consent. Whether it's your partner, your best friend, even your own parents touching a part of your body you don't like it, even if that person insists by telling you to "just take it easy" or says something to make you feel guilty for "rejecting" that...
Racism, the real global pandemic
In the past days, George Floyd has dominated the news. I do not think that I need to go on about who George Floyd was because, regardless of his identity, what matters is that George Floyd was a son George Floyd was a brother George Floyd was a husband George Floyd was a father And more than anything, George Floyd was like me and you, a man hoping for a decent life for him and his family. I do not know the man to judge or take sides but one thing I am sure of is that no one deserves to be treated in the same manner. No one deserves to die in such a horrible way. We currently live in the 21st...
Black Lives Matter. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.
Philando Castile. Sandra Bland. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Alton Sterling. Breonna Taylor. Collins Khoza. Sibusiso Amos. George Floyd. 10 out of the hundreds of black people that were killed by law enforcement around the world. 10 out of the hundreds of black people whose only crime was just that. Being black. The past few weeks have been so heavy for me. The murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sparked worldwide protests for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It’s incredible to see the us stand together for a cause that affects billions around the world. My only hope is that this isn’t...
Racism in Mexico
The last few days I have been really shocked by everything that has happened in the United States, and that is that while the world is facing the worst health crisis in recent decades, many other pandemics have been revealed such as domestic violence, poverty, inequality and in this case in particular: racism. That racism that caused many people protest and demand better living conditions in order to stop racism in the United States. However, I think it is important to emphasize that this is not unique to this country, but it is systematized and naturalized in Mexico and Latin America. In this...
Once Upon A Time
Once upon a time, when she was less of a human and more of a shadow, I used to cry. Not wanting to cause her grief, but determined to see her smile, I gave her a feather. One she must protect from any harm. She promised me to always protect the feather. However, she was being abused, daily hit and degraded until once, her blood was abundant, it stained the feather. It was not until that moment that she realised she ought not to be hit. Only at that moment did she finally understand that by reporting her abuser, I was not trying to steal her husband, I was trying to save her. She finally...
Meet young people stopping the spread of COVID-19 and supporting communities
"Me too!"- a poem
I heard someone make a joke again, about it being her fault or the time of month again. If you've got a pen you've got to write! If you've got a voice you've got to fight! for the things that make you mad, for the rights you wish you had. for the girls who don't know why it hurts, for the girls who now hate their curves. for the boys who got killed instead, for the boys who then lost their head. for the little kids who did not see, what would 'come of accepting a sweet. for the people who grew up believing this is the way of the world we're leaving, that fear and oppression are a medicine we...
We Are All Human | LGBTQ+ MENA
#COVID-Stories Hasan | LGBTQ Activist | Amman, Jordan What challenges has the LGBTQ community faced since the lockdown started? Are their needs being addressed? H: Many transgender, lesbian, and visible LGBTQ individuals already work from home due to discrimination in the workforce causing a lack of employment for LGBTQ individuals in Jordan, particularly transgender individuals. These people do vocational work such as accessory production, catering, and tailoring. They are already survivors in their daily lives since they have managed to create their own home businesses. Due to the quarantine...
Equal work pay
One factor that incapacitates women not to live independently as single mothers - providing their kids with quality education, medical care, and daily living - and as well being able to make equal contributions with their husbands at home is as a result of unequal work pay. This could cause most husbands to deny their wives privileges to work, in a situation whereby a man thinks within himself that what meaning does it makes whereas his wife is working but most of the financial burdens are handled with his income, this alone has given the man enough reason to stop his wife from working. I am...
Gender based violence during COVID-19
As we all are staying home, this may be a challenging and stringent period for many women and young girls because of the ill treatment melted on them by their partners or individuals who are physically stronger than them. According to the UN General Secretary and the research that has been conducted, the COVID-19 crisis has caused a proliferation in gender based violence. The hearts of many and law enforcement agencies are preoccupied with the current pandemic at hand and there are no spaces left to handle gender based violence issues. Gender based violence is known to have physical/health...
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE : A Hidden War During COVID-19
Since the day when UN declared COVID-19 (Coronavirus) as Pandemic, many countries are implementing complete lock down to prevent the spread of virus. According to the rules of lockdown, no person can go out of his house unnecessarily. During this some people are stuck at some places, families are spending time together but when it comes to families, not everyone is enjoying this “family time”. Some men always try to be superior than women. In a world where we are encouraging women to step out of their shells and shine, some conservatives still wants women to sit back at home and spend her life...
Gender Based Violence and Femicide in South Africa.
Hi. I’m Kamogelo. I’m 17 years old from Johannesburg, South Africa and I live in a country that hates women. A story I’ll never forget is the one of Uyinene Mrwetyana. She was a 19 year old student at the University of Cape Town who on the 24th of August 2019 was raped and brutally murdered by Luyanda Botha, an employee at the post office, when she went to the post office to pick up a package. I’m telling her story because she didn’t live to tell it. I’m saying his name because he deserves to be known and I will not be protecting the identity of a murderer and rapist. He pled guilty and got 3...
Every young refugee has a story worth telling
One of the purposes of the Refugee Youth Voices Project is to shine light on the experiences, trials, and joys of refugee youth (ages 15-24) across the world, a group that is often left voiceless and badgered by stigma, myths, and misconceptions. At the core of the student-led project that I created, is a central mission to portray refugee youth as they really are: youth who have fled unimaginable conflicts and left everything behind in their homelands, but also youth who want to spend quality time with their friends and chase after their dreams. This is a personal story written by a Syrian...
It's time to take action!
George Floyd's murder was the result of years of oppression against black people in the United States. Unjustly murdered and mistreated by the police, he has made us see the harsh reality that many ignored, the truth of the system in which we live. A system that instead of being made to help, is made to oppress others. We cannot continue to ignore the fact that they kill people for no reason, just because of the color of their skin. Black people are our brothers and sisters, we have to raise our voices and demand dignified treatment for them, not only in the US but in the world. Racism has...
Youth Day!!
Youth Day in South Africa commemorates the Soweto Uprising, which took place on 16 June 1976, where thousands of students were ambushed by the apartheid regime. On Youth Day, South Africans pay tribute to the lives of these students and recognize the role of the youth in the liberation of South Africa from the apartheid regime. Today, in SA all their sacrifices were worthwhile. As a youth today we get to choose if we want to learn Afrikaans or not. We have 11 official languages in SA where school subjects are taught in these languages.
In a crowd of thousands
"In a crowd of thousands" is a line of a song I heard in a musical I recently saw. It made me think just that. I am just one human of the thousands that have recently graduated and are unable to find a job. I certainly did not expect to be in this position back in December, when I graduated a top university with top scores. Young with a lot of dreams, it's a common thing to receive a rude awakening. Suddenly, you are not in school and you cannot control your success like you could control your grades. Suddenly it's all about connections, your own personal branding, and a whole lot of luck...