[fund] resisting fundamentalisms

France: Déclaration de WLUML sur l’attentat contre comédienne féministe d’origine algérienne, Rayhana

Le 12 janvier 2010, deux assaillants aspergeaient d’essence la dramaturge et actrice d’origine algérienne, Rayhana, puis allumaient et lui jetaient une cigarette. Celle-ci manquait de justesse d’être brûlée vive, car la cigarette ne s’était pas enflammée. L’attaque a eu lieu à l’entrée du théâtre, 'La maison des Métallos', dans le onzième arrondissement de Paris, alors que l'actrice, âgée de 45 ans, y pénétrait. Rayhana devait y reprendre son rôle dans sa pièce, À mon âge, j'ai encore à me cacher pour fumer!, consacrée aux femmes en Algérie. Cette agression physique inouïe, accompagnée d’agression verbale, a poussé sa famille à faire le lien entre cette tentative d’homicide et la pièce sur la montée du fondamentalisme islamique.

France: WLUML statement on the violent attack on the Algerian-born actress, Rayhana

On Tuesday 12 January 2010, the feminist playwright and actress of Algerian origin, Rayhana, was doused with petrol and narrowly escaped being burned alive when the lit cigarette thrown at her by two assailants failed to ignite. This completely unprovoked attack took place in the eleventh arrondissement of Paris as the 45-year-old actress was arriving at the theatre, ‘La maison des Metallos’, where she was due to resume her role in the play about women in Algeria, ‘At my age, I still have to hide to smoke!’ This grave act of physical aggression was accompanied by a verbal assault that left few doubts in the minds of the victim’s family about the link between the attempted homicide and the play’s representations of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism.

Palestine: Breaking the lens that binds you - Gaza's women photojournalists

For many years, photojournalism in Palestine was the exclusive domain of men. Women were largely restricted to only taking pictures of weddings and social events. Recently, Palestinian women have burst on the photojournalist scene challenging these social norms, while receiving accolades for the work abroad. Although the Palestinian Territories are filled with stories that are worth documenting through the lens of a camera no matter who carries it, the number of female photojournalists is still relatively low in comparison with male photojournalists.

Iran: Generation Tehran

Generation Tehran is a documentary short that disccuses Iran, its people, and its future. As one of the youngest populations in the world (70% are under 30 years of age), Iran's youth are helping to build a new country. In this documentary, Iran's urban and upper middle class youth speak out about life in Iran, their freedoms, and their collective culutural identity crisis.

US: The words of God do not justify cruelty to women

Discrimination and abuse wrongly backed by doctrine are damaging society, argues the former US president, Jimmy Carter.

International: Impact of religion on women’s leadership roles

Historically it has been sometimes assumed that secular and left-of-centre parties are more willing to promote women in politics, while conservative and religious parties limit women’s participation in politics and public life.

Algérie: Hommage à Simon Blumenthal

Adieu l’ami ! Adieu camarade ! par Mohamed Sifaoui

Iran: Shirin Ebadi Accepts Alexander Langer Award on Behalf of Nargess Mohammadi

A travel ban placed on Nargess Mohammadi in May 2009, while she was on her way to attend a conference convened by the Nobel Women’s Initiative in Guatemala, prevented her from attending this ceremony.

France: Ban the Burqa

"I am a Muslim, I am a feminist and I detest the full-body veil, known as a niqab or burqa", writes Mona Eltahawy

France: Burqa en débat

Le président de la République a en effet jugé que la burqa "n'est pas un problème religieux. C'est un problème de liberté et de dignité de la femme.