An interview with Mariam Khan, the editor of ‘It’s Not About the Burqa’, an anthology of non-fiction writing by women of Muslim heritage. Congratulations on publishing your anthology of writing by women of Muslim heritage. What triggered you to start…

Huda Al-Mashari’s memoir First Comes Marriage is an unconventional love story which has just been released – a memoir of an arranged marriage. sister-hood asked Huda some questions about her work, her life – and her marriage. The title of…

Writer and actor Ambreen Razia’s latest production Hounslow Diaries is an adaptation of her one-woman play, Diary of a Hounslow Girl. Hounslow Diaries premieres on BBC3 on Monday 5th November. We asked Ambreen a few questions about  her life and work….

Talking to Funeka Montjane of Standard Bank Funeka Montjane, Standard Bank’s Chief Executive of Personal and Business Banking South Africa, is changing the face of corporate leadership at the helm of a division that employs around 20,000 people and services…

In July of this year, Jafar Panahi’s film Three Faces was nominated at the Cannes Festival. This sparked renewed international interest in cinema, particularly ‘underground cinema’ in Iran. This propelled me to find out more about the scene. Where did…

In 2011, Tunisians sparked what become known as the Arab Spring. Young and old, men and women, they flowed into their cities’ streets, calling for the end of dictatorship. In subsequent years the struggle to foster democracy, justice, dignity and…

Extremists fear the power of education, as shown by their attacks Malala Yousafzai and other schoolgirls. Bushra Qadeem Hyder also understands the power of education. She is a driving force behind efforts to eradicate extremist ideologies in Pakistan and a…

‘My 15-year-old son, one of the best students in our province, decided to take up arms and go to battle without informing me or his father. It was a big shock for me. I thought that my son would go…

If you think of Syria, images of massacres, chemical weapons, militants and refugees fleeing violence come to mind. In the midst of the devastation and destruction, an ever-expanding network of dedicated Syrians – young and old, mostly women – have…

Born in Iran, but exiled to the UK at the age of 11, Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini has been a leading international advocate and peace strategist for 20 years. Her leadership in the formation of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL), and…

Last New Year’s Eve, a suicide bombing in Istanbul left 40 dead, including the son and daughter-in-law of Tunisian peace activist and academic Khedija Arfaoui. She spoke to Aya Nader about peace in the Middle East and women’s pivotal role…

Aya Nader from ICAN interviewed Mary Akrami, an award winning women’s rights defender and director of the Afghan Women Skills Development Centre on the topics of violence and discrimination against women and the lives she has saved. Is domestic violence…

Raha Moharrak is the youngest Arab to climb Mount Everest, and the first Saudi woman to complete one of the most daunting challenges in mountaineering: the Seven Summits, which involves climbing the highest mountain in each of the seven continents….

When she was 23 years old, Mobina Jaffer was forced into exile from Uganda. Decades later she returned to her first home, as a senator of her second home, Canada. Since 2001 Mobina Jaffer has represented the province of British…

Interview with Guleraana Mir Guleraana Mir’s first full-length play Shooting Star was long listed by the BBC as part of SCRIPTROOM 8. Her latest, Coconut will be at Ovalhouse from 11-28th April 2018, followed by a regional tour. Your play…