Women

The Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP) is one of the largest small-farmer associations in Haiti with 70,000 members, of whom close to half are women. Here, Kettly Alexandre of the MPP Women's Committee speaks to advances made over 40 years for women's rights, equity, and an end to violence.

Afghanistan remains an extremely dangerous country for women. Ninety percent of Afghan females have experienced some form of violence, including rape, and the suicide rate among women is climbing because women feel there is no other choice. According to Afghan activist Malalai Joya, “In Taliban time we had one enemy; now we have three: the Taliban, warlords and the occupation forces.”

The war and rebellion in Iraq will continue as long as those holding the key to the massive Iraqi prison understand that human rights must be respected as a precondition to a lasting peace.

Silence and candles. Sitting at a table, in a kitchen that opens onto a spacious patio decorated with plants and trees, women of all ages and very young men are placing herbs in little packets that are sealed with the heat of the flame. Murmurs, laughter and candles; an atmosphere of mysticism and spirituality for a collective task that celebrates life. The headquarters of CONAMURI is a gentle place that combines work with intimacy, like the campesino life that in some way it reproduces.

Julieta Ojeda is a part of Mujeres Creando, an anarchist/feminist organization in Bolivia that has been a radical voice for women’s rights before and throughout Evo Morales’ time in office. We interviewed her in La Paz in the midst of various social protests against the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) government.

The African Union (AU) now recognizes the African diaspora as the ‘sixth region’ of the continent. This declaration has been met with some hesitation, but if you ask me, due to Africa’s complex history with migration, it makes perfect sense.