This article was original published on Huffington Post on March 17, 2016. For five years, women have protested, fought, delivered aid, brokered peace and documented atrocities on the ground in Syria. Yet, when Syrians tried to end the war, women were sidelined. They have been largely absent from the negotiating table in rounds of failed […]
Tag: Huffington Post
When Will There Be a UN Secretary-General Like Me?
For the Muslims, Christians, Jews and followers of other Abrahamic faiths that make up over half the world’s population, the founding gender myth is that of Adam and Eve. In the beginning, man is created in perfection, but in order to enjoy the companionship of woman he had to give something up. Some scriptures are […]
Everything must go: Somalia sells its dignity
The dramatic fall in the price of oil has had some unusual effects on the petro-economies of the Persian Gulf. Countries like Saudi Arabia have grown dependent on importing cheap foreign workers to do the jobs its citizens won’t. Now, traditional sources of domestic labor like South Asia have become uneconomical in straightened times. Saudis […]
Women are the Bridges Across Syrian Communities, They Will be the Peacemakers
As talks to bring an end to nearly five years of conflict in Syria continue, it is essential that we learn the lessons of Iraq, Libya and the Arab revolutions if there is to be lasting peace. To rebuild stable state institutions after conflict, you need to make sure that everyone is able to take […]
#JusticeForSalwa is Justice For All
This article was originally published at Huffington Post online. On Human Rights Day last year, activists across the world united in demanding justice for Salwa Bugaighis, the Libyan human rights defender murdered as she returned from voting in that country’s general elections. A year on there has still been no serious investigation into this appalling […]
We Won’t End Violence Against Women in 16 Days But It’s a Start
For the next 16 days, activists across the world will be joining UN Women in global efforts to end violence against women and girls, starting on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, leading up to Human Rights Day on December 10. For those of us working on this cause in […]
The Woman Who Told Libyans to “Fight Peacefully by Using Your Vote”
This op-ed was originally published online on The Huffington Post. June 26, 2015 – A year ago today, what many saw as Libya’s last chance for a democratic future ended in the kind of tragedy and violence that has marked the country’s recent history. Many thousands had been expected to vote in the general elections […]
On Human Rights Day, We Remember Salwa Bugaighis
This op-ed was originally published by Hibaaq Osman on The Huffington Post online. Please see the full article here. December 10 marks Human Rights Day, an opportunity for the world to recognize and celebrate global progress towards human dignity. For 2014, the United Nations has taken the theme of “Human Rights 365”, underlining the fundamental […]
Honoring Those Lost in the Struggle to Eliminate Violence Against Women
The original article was published on The Huffington Post by Hibaaq Osman. November 25, 2014 – Ending violence against women isn’t just about saying no to violence; it’s about saying yes to women’s right to control their own bodies and minds. The 25th November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. […]
First Person: The 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
Op-ed originally published on The Huffington Post. For the full article, please click here. 3 April 2014 – For two weeks last month, women’s groups from across the world met in New York to discuss what 21st century international development has done for women at the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on the […]