Nakba walks
I remember when my first daughter, then just six years old, accompanied me and a group of family and friends during one of our summer visits for a short hike in the hills surrounding my home village of Arrabeh in Israel. A high barbed-wire fence that encircled the Jewish settlement of Hararit soon interrupted out path. Perched upon her grandfather's shoulders, my daughter asked about the obstruction we had to circumnavigate. I remember her astonishment when I explained to her that the barbed wire surrounded a settlement where only Jews were allowed to live.
Source: Jadaliyya
Benghazi after the storm
Rose Abdulbasit is getting ready for another day of school. More precisely, it’s just pre-school, but that hasn’t stopped the energetic five-year-old from taking her education as seriously as her older siblings. She can recite the names of colours and proudly shows off the crafts that she’s worked on. In most places around the world, this is just another part of everyday life. But in Benghazi, the opening of educational institutions is another indicator that the war-torn city is recuperating.
Source: Your Middle East
Women living alone: a threat to society
Mitra, a 41-year-old divorcee from Tehran, is quick to point out the hardships of living alone. “As a woman, you face a lot of problems in society, including not being able to rent a home easily. Most landlords don’t rent their properties to single women. The majority of estate agents reject you from the outset.” Mitra separated from her husband nine years ago. But, after two years of living on her own, she found that society’s disapproval was too much for her to handle.
Source: Iran Wire
