For years, human rights and women's organizations have been demanding reform of Article 475 of the Moroccan Penal Code which allows rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victim. It is time to break the wall of silence about these archaic customs.
لعدة سنوات ’ طالبت منضمات حقوقية و جمعيات نسائية لتعديل المادة 475 من القانون الجنائي المغربي الذي يعفي المغتصب من العقاب عند زواجه من الضحية. حان الوقت لتغيير هذا القانون الغير المنصف للمرأة و كسر جدار الصمت حول أعراف أصبحت من ضرب الماضي
A poem from Gabeba Baderoon. Part of a series of poems by African feminist writers for 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.
La violence faite aux femmes est une épidémie que nous ne pouvons pas accepter. Le mariage précoce et forcé reste le principal défi au Cameroun et la route sera longue, mais avec la force de l’activisme des femmes nous pouvons y arriver, dit Aîssa Ngatansou Doumara.
Violence against women is a public plague no one can live with and early and forced marriage remains the main challenge in Cameroon. The road ahead is a long one but with the force of women’s activism we can get there, says Aîssa Ngatansou Doumara.
A poem by Marwa Sharafeldin. Part of a series of poems by African feminist writers for 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.
Sudanese women's rights organisations that fled South Kordofan last year are rebuilding their networks, and women like Jalila Khamis Kuku are detained for speaking out about the atrocities committed against the Nuba people. They need our attention and support, says Amel Gorani
A poem by Isabella Matambanadzo. Part of a series of poems by African feminist writers for 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.
Whether one considers the direct effects of military rule and conflict on women, or the global economic implications of the US war-on-terror, militarism threatens to strip away all the 20th century gains in women’s rights, dispossessing us once more. African women must take a stand, says Amina Mam
President Morsi’s ill-advised and badly executed attempts to concentrate power in his hands will exact high moral, economic and psychological costs while the US administration looks on, says Hania Sholkamy.
A poem by Warsan Shire. Part of a series of poems by African feminist writers for 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.
Why isn’t anybody doing anything? Attempting to curb sexual harassment by targeting the harassers is very challenging in Egypt since the driving forces are complex and compounded. We need to focus on the bystander, says Eba’a El-Tamami.
