The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible. And the altruistic virtues have really prevented the carrying out of this aim. Just as the worst slave owners were those who…

Although today Pride is a celebration of sexuality, in its infancy it was a political movement against the oppression of individuals based on their sexuality: a movement for equality and fair treatment. The first Pride came after the Stonewall Riots…

Can someone tell me what ‘western’ feminism is? How does it differ from ‘eastern’ feminism? Can someone provide precise latitude and longitude coordinates for ‘global’ feminism? Feminism is neither geographically defined nor hemispherically confined. Feminism isn’t anti-menism or reject-childrenism. Feminism…

I’ve been reading articles on how to lead a successful life as a professional woman. There are countless books, articles, blog posts, and commentaries on this thought-provoking topic. They all encourage you to push the limits, break boundaries and create…

We have all seen them: black and white pictures of ‘liberated’ Afghan women in miniskirts walking through the streets of Kabul. They challenge stereotypical depictions of women’s oppression, and elicit a warm and nostalgic mirage of the old, ‘free’ Afghanistan….

Despite efforts to eradicate all forms of discrimination against women, the wage-gap, limited social mobility, restricted ownership and agency, poverty, poor political participation, health issues, male violence, and the infanticide of girl children remain challenges in the Arab world. To…

I feel exhausted today. A few of my posts on Facebook sparked some hostile ‘debate’. One of my posts was a petition calling for ‘illegal immigrants’ to be granted amnesty after ten years of being in Britain. Of course, I…

There are no inheritance rights for women under Pashtun custom. They do not receive a share in their parent’s property. All of the property is divided between the sons. There is nothing for their daughters. Instead, they marry off their…

Mental Health Awareness Week is taking place from the 14 – 20th May, in a climate where mental health issues are slowly becoming more accepted. Public figures are talking about their struggles with mental illness and raising awareness of the…

Child marriage remains a worldwide problem, mainly affecting girls. It needs to be addressed: it can lead to a lifetime of damage. In March 2018, UNICEF provided the disturbing and alarming figure that more than 650 million women alive today…

I do not know if any of you share my feelings, but I find no serenity when I read about issues related to the Muslim world. Aside from some poetry, most of the ideas and arguments presented seem to stir…