One of the most prominent and revered fragments of U.S. history was the Women’s Suffrage movement. As we paid homage to the power of this historical movement throughout Women’s History Month, alongside its symbolic centenary anniversary, I found myself experiencing contradicting sentiments of both pride and frustration. I admired the many bold, powerful voices whose... Continue Reading →
I am Ipsita, a feminist illustrator, currently based and brought up in New Delhi. I am currently freelancing with different feminist organisations and working on some new projects. I did my Masters in Gender and Development in University of Sussex and also have an undergrad degree in Political Science from University of Delhi. Tell me... Continue Reading →
Maryam and Nivaal Rehman Interviewing Ambassador Melanne Verveer at the Girl Up Leadership Summit (2019) "We think that the education of girls can truly transform them, and eventually their communities too. When an educated girl starts implementing changes for the better in her family and community, the whole society changes, cultural shifts occur and ultimately... Continue Reading →
Photo by Archive of Osiatyński - Ogólnopolski Strajk Kobiet Many of us, myself included, unduly overlook the power of grassroots movements. On the Basis of Sex, naturally one of my favorite films, showcases a poignant exchange between Dorothy Kenyon (Kathy Bates) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones). The script reads: Dorothy Kenyon: You want to... Continue Reading →
Just over four years ago, a man who had been filmed gloating, “You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy,” made his way to the Oval Office as the 45th President of the United States. My fellow classmates and I sat side-by-side into the wee hours of the morning as the 2016 electoral map... Continue Reading →
Photo by Medium.com On Christmas Eve, I found myself trudging through the leftover blizzard snow, heaped into underwhelming, dirty slush piles at the edge of each sidewalk, while simultaneously admiring the holiday décor that adorned the ornate, brownstone houses in Back Bay, Boston. Marveling at the classic green and red wreaths hanging neatly alongside the... Continue Reading →
As I write, there are fireworks whistling and crackling just outside of my bedroom window, signaling a new beginning for the United States of America. I envisage the red, white and blue lights illuminating a once-somber black sky, casting hope, far and wide. Today, November 7th, 2020, is momentous for many reasons, but, for now,... Continue Reading →
Photo by UNICEF The World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995) marked the very first instance in which girls’ rights were resolutely addressed through a formal international agreement: The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170, declaring October 11th International Day of the Girl... Continue Reading →
As uncovered throughout the Introduction of this Discourse, violence against women was, until quite recently, predominantly perceived as a private matter. While states have taken necessary and long-overdue actions to protect and support survivors of sexual assault, domestic abuse, trafficking, alongside other forms of flagrant violence, many other, seemingly less severe shapes of violence, have... Continue Reading →
I struggle to articulate the profound manner by which Ruth Bader Ginsburg impacted me as a mentor, role model, and emblem of hope. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also known as Kiki, Bubbie, and the Notorious RBG, remains a global icon, cherished for her unwavering support for social justice. Sworn in on August 10th, 1993, Ginsburg became... Continue Reading →
Photo by ABC News Violence against women is by far the most pervasive yet least recognized human rights abuse worldwide. For centuries, a myriad of violent tactics have been employed as a means to leave women voiceless and subordinate, and this violence has spread unabated for three primary reasons. For starters, violence against women has... Continue Reading →
Photo by The Arab Weekly In the wake of a pernicious blast that wreaked havoc and devastation across Lebanon, several international organizations have cautiously stepped in to curb the now-exacerbated health, economic and political trials of the anguished nation. As dozens of Beirut’s hospitals were deemed “non-functionable” following the explosion, a lack of medical resources... Continue Reading →
Amanda hosting yet another inspirational MEDIAGIRLS podcast Tell me a little bit about yourself! Hello! My name is Amanda Mozea and I am a Nigerian-American born and raised in western Massachusetts. I graduated from Harvard in March of 2018 (I took a semester off to work on the Clinton Campaign in Florida) where I studied... Continue Reading →
Photo by the World Bank It’s difficult to believe that more than half a year has passed since COVID-19 became a pressing global issue, and during this time, our mindsets surrounding the virus have evolved from believing it to be a temporary predicament, to recognizing it as a longstanding pandemic. Throughout the past seven months,... Continue Reading →
"Years ago, I had my first bottle of coke to celebrate that we were finally being resettled, from a refugee camp in Pakistan, to New Zealand. I had no idea what the world had in store for me." Rez Gardi's life began in 1991, within a United Nations refugee camp in Pakistan. Escaping persecution from... Continue Reading →
Nujood Ali was nine years old when her parents arranged her to be married to Faez Ali Thamer, a man in his thirties. Today, she is a central figure in the movement to end forced child marriage. Nujood was born in Yemen, where the laws stipulate that girls cannot be married until the age of... Continue Reading →
This past week, The United States celebrated the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth (a portmanteau of June and Nineteenth), which commemorates the day in 1865 on which all enslaved African Americans in the Confederacy were legally emancipated. This year, Juneteenth fell at an especially noteworthy moment in time, as many actively grappled with the state of... Continue Reading →
Just last week, around the world, individuals and organizations participated in Menstrual Hygiene Day, which aims to underscore and raise awareness of the importance of menstrual hygiene and dismantle stigmatism surrounding this vital function of women’s bodies. The commonplace stigmatization of menstruation leaves this critical health concern vastly untouched and overlooked, resulting in a myriad... Continue Reading →
Amidst COVID-19, many of us have fallen victim to a sort of tunnel-vision effect, in which our news and subsequent awareness of global happenings has been limited to economic losses, virus-related fatalities, vaccines, confirmed cases, closings, re-openings, and the like. Consequently, we have begun to lose sight of ongoing global crises, which have not only... Continue Reading →
Having inadvertently stumbled upon Women Going Beyond through a graduate course in International Women's Health and Human Rights, I immediately needed to learn more. Upon chatting about this inspirational NGO with its founder, Alexis, I maintained a deep-seated urge to get further involved. WGB aims to provide self and professional development skills to young women... Continue Reading →
Miss Independent 