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Algerian women in the decolonisation struggle

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Algerian women in the decolonisation struggle

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From militants to student activists: The women who fought for Algeria

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Throughout history, Algerian women have fought injustice at work, in the home and on the battlefields, yet their contributions are relatively uncelebrated

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Nilde Iotti, founding mother of the Italian Republic and pioneer of the European integration 

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Nilde Iotti, founding mother of the Italian Republic and pioneer of the European integration 

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Nilde Iotti – EU pioneer | European Union

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Find out about Nilde Iotti, the Italian stateswoman who fought for women’s rights, universal suffrage and direct European elections.

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Sophie Scholl was a German anti-Nazi political activist who was active in the White Rose group, a non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. She was executed because of high treason after being caught distributing anti-war leaflets at the University in Munich.

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deutsche Widerstandskämpferin gegen den Nationalsozialismus, Mitglied der „Weißen Rose“

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Dear ladies and gentlemen With the arrival of the Taliban and taking power, the gradual death of Afghan women began. Every day, more restrictions will be imposed on us, making life more difficult than ever before: first banning girls from school, then banning women from universities, and finally ending all employment conditions of women in government and non-governmental positions. Our grief and dismay has peaked as we have even lost our fundamental rights. The world has turned grey for us and there is no rainbow in our eyes anymore and even the memory of the colors of life faded. Now our wants and desires are subjected to the decisions of others. From now on, you can no longer dream, fantasize or wish, but you can only wait until the circumstances change. It's like they buried our most treasured goals and dreams and took our souls. History has been reversed to the state of 26 years ago and with this decision they have pushed us back. Women are half the societal organism. By pushing women out of the social sphere, half of the body in our society is paralyzed. The progress and development of any society requires professional knowledge and people equipped with scientific education, both men and women. Therefore, the acquisition of scientific education is one of the foundations of every society, and women are an integral part of every society. Women and men are like two wings of a bird. If one of the wings breaks, the bird falls, and it doesn't matter which wing is broken. No doubt excluding women will lose half of its talents and intelligence and weaken society. An independent and educated woman will raise educated children and to decrease ignorance, extreme traditionalism, terrorism etc.contribute and ultimately lead to an independent and independent civil society.

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https://visao.pt/atualidade/sociedade/2021-03-08-10-mulheres-que-lutaram-pelos-nossos-direitos/

Uma nota curiosa das eleições foi a de votar uma senhora, a única eleitora portuguesa, a médica D. Carolina Beatriz Ângelo, inscrita com o número 2513 na freguesia de S. Jorge de Arroios.” Tornava-se assim, poucos meses antes de morrer, na primeira mulher no nosso País a conseguir exercer o direito de voto, alegando que reunia todas as condições estabelecidas na lei, em 1911. Formada em medicina, tinha sido já a primeira a realizar uma cirurgia. Mas votar, naquelas eleições, não foi uma conquista fácil

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Benedetta Tobagi has recently written a book, called "La Resistenza delle Donne", about the role of partisan women in the resistence against fascism in Italy. Although the book is not open source, you can look at the video I linked where the author presents it. I found it really interesting to read as most of the time the role of partisan women is undermined as that of carriers of messages or goods, whereas many of them actively fought for freedom and formed numerous illegal associations to organise themselves.

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Benedetta Tobagi "La resistenza delle Donne" per Fondazione Pirelli

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Italy: Women of the Resistance (1965). A story of incredible courage

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Martha Karua, Senior Counsel: The Iron Lady in Kenya

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Martha Karua, Senior Counsel: The Iron Lady in Kenya

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Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Report

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Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Report

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This report, "On the Frontlines: Women’s Mobilization for Democracy in an Era of Democratic Backsliding," covers women's involvement in democratic resistance worldwide. It explores how women in nations like Belarus, Myanmar, Turkey, and Tunisia have mobilized against restrictive regimes. It also examines how these movements influence democratic agendas and face repression, offering a nuanced understanding of women’s political roles and challenges in authoritarian contexts.

https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/03/on-the-front-lines-womens-mobilization-for-democracy-in-an-era-of-backsliding?lang=en

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Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

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Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

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The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace generates strategic ideas and independent analysis, supports diplomacy, and trains the next generation of international scholar-practitioners to help countries and institutions take on the most difficult global problems and advance peace.

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Women for a Change, Cameroon (Wfac) | Women & Gender Constituency

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Women for a Change, Cameroon (Wfac)works is anchored around advancing women and girls SRHR through advocacy and trainings, and build resilient feminist movements.

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Mau Mau freedom Fighter Muthoni wa Kirima, the only woman to earn the title during Kenya's war for independence

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Mau Mau freedom Fighter Muthoni wa Kirima, the only woman to earn the title during Kenya's war for independence

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Warrior in the hills,
Strength and courage, voice of peace,
Muthoni stands tall.

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Donne protagoniste della Resistenza e della Liberazione. Tina Anselmi, staffetta partigiana

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In Profile: The bravehearted Asma Jahangir | The Express Tribune

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Pakistan’s iconic human rights defender may be gone, but her legacy lives on

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Feminist and first speaker of South Africa’s democratic parliament

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Frene Ginwala remembered: trailblazing feminist and first speaker of South Africa’s democratic parliament

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A younger generation of feminists will remember her, above all, for her remarkable championing of the struggle against patriarchy.

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The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina. During the military dictatorship (1976–1983), they peacefully protested the disappearance of their children by gathering every Thursday in Buenos Aires, wearing white headscarves symbolizing their missing loved ones.

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The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina. During the military dictatorship (1976–1983), they peacefully protested the disappearance of their children by gathering every Thursday in Buenos Aires, wearing white headscarves symbolizing their missing loved ones.

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Despite threats, their persistence drew global attention to human rights abuses and contributed to the dictatorship’s downfall.

Open-source materials:

• Article: “The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo: Argentina’s Voice for the Disappeared” (BBC)

• Video: Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo Documentary

• Podcast: Witness History – Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (BBC)

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Inspiring Thursday: Franca Viola - WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE EUROPE

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1965, Sicily, Italy: a young woman named Franca Viola, abducted and raped for a week, had the courage to publicly refuse to marry her rapist, thus becoming

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In Morocco, the women’s movement has been positioning itself as a new strong political actor. This has largely contributed to the enactment major decisions, the renewal of political dialogue and the expansion of civic and political participation. The family code reforms, called the Moudawana reforms (2004), were experienced as a great victory. Similarly, those related to the labor code (2003) and the penal code (2002) were essentially based on proposals presented by collectives and networks of feminist associations.

It was in the 1980s, in a context of democratic struggle, that the feminist movement in Morocco was established as a movement. During this prolific period, the so-called historical pioneering feminists have accumulated victories, such as the reform of the Moudawana mentioned above (2004), considered to be a historic win for the feminist movement.

The year 2011 marked a turning point for the feminist movement in Morocco. It was the year of popular uprisings, like in most other Arab countries. In the Moroccan protests, a large participation of women was recorded, women from the working class, until then largely considered apolitical. For once, the plurality of feminism was emerging: a diverse feminism, less elitist and a feminism that takes into consideration the issues of the working class.

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by l.meskine

https://medfeminiswiya.net/2021/04/19/feminism-in-morocco-a-brief-overview/?lang=en

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The feminist movement in MoroccoIn Morocco, the women’s movement has been positioning itself as a new strong political actor. This

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Politician, journalist, women's movement organizer

Born on 5 February 1875 in Prague, executed by the Nazis on 30 June 1942 in Prague.

Františka  Plamínková was involved in the activities of the women's movement from the 1890s: in 1897 she attended the first congress of Czechoslovak women and was one of the founders of the Women's Club of Bohemia, which was opened in 1904. It focused on the promotion of women's education and work, organised educational and cultural programmes such as music evenings, language courses and lectures, for which Plamínková managed to attract prominent personalities of her time, such as T. G. Masaryk, K. Kramář, T. Nováková, A. Honzáková, etc. In 1905, she was at the birth of the Committee for Women's Suffrage, whose activity led to the election of the first woman, the writer Božena Viková-Kunětická, to the Czech Provincial Assembly in 1912. Plamínková herself played a decisive role in her election, as she travelled all over the country throughout the campaign and managed to win over full auditoriums with her oratorical skills. Not only in her lectures, but also in her extensive journalistic activities (she contributed, for example, to the Teachers' Magazine, the Women's Council, Time, and the Women's Review), she devoted herself - in addition to her efforts to improve the status of women teachers - primarily to the unequal position of women in society and in marriage.

Františka Plamínková | Encyklopedie Prahy 2

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"I understood that to change the world you need to be part of it" - Tina Anselmi, she was among the first signatories of the Italian law which opened up equal pay and treatment in the workplace, with a view to abolishing gender discrimination between men and women. After her experience at the Ministry of Labour, she was also minister of health in the Andreotti governments.

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"I understood that to change the world you need to be part of it" - Tina Anselmi, she was among the first signatories of the Italian law which opened up equal pay and treatment in the workplace, with a view to abolishing gender discrimination between men and women. After her experience at the Ministry of Labour, she was also minister of health in the Andreotti governments.

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Hi. I want to share with you this project "women make history" carried out by the Ministry of Justice, with particular reference to the women of the Italian resistance in the province of Perugia.

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Maria Ressa is a jouranlist and prominent critiquer of Duerte, the former president of the Philippines. I chose her because I was so appaulled by the video we watched about Duerte making sexist remarks. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.

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Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maria Ressa Joins World Movement for Democracy at NED as Chairperson - NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

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The World Movement for Democracy at NED has named 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa as new chairperson of its Steering Committee.

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Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform

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Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform

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Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform

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Lebanon’s Feminist Civil Society Platform -the Feminist Platform- is a national forum for civil society organizations and individuals that aims to promote intersectional feminism and to influence the agenda on women’s rights and gender equality in Lebanon.

The Feminist Platform brings together non-governmental organizations, grassroots organizations and community-based organizations, academic institutions, networks or coalitions of organizations, and gender and women rights activists, researchers, and academics, who work on and advocate for an equal representation, protection, and participation of women in all their diversity in all spheres of life.

Capitalizing on the collective experiences of its members and their broad range of expertise and focus areas and on the support of UN Women in Lebanon, the Feminist Platform seeks to contribute to a stronger voice for women and women’s rights groups, through a combination of approaches, such as advocacy and lobbying; cooperation and coordination; research, assessment, and data; and monitoring and accountability.

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Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform

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#RaisingVoices for women's rights and gender equality in Lebanon

About

Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform is formed of 52 feminist civil society actors and activists who were convened by UN Women in the aftermath of the 4th of August 2020 blast and issued a unified Charter of Demands to put women's issues at the center of the disaster response plan. Since then, the Feminist Platform conducted various advocacy efforts including the contribution to the development of the Lebanon Reform, Recovery & Reconstruction Framework (3RF) sector plans as well as meetings with representatives of the donor community in Lebanon and the leadership of the United Nations, European Union, and the World Bank to share their gendered priorities and demands.

Latest statements

Ahead of the formation of a new government in Lebanon, The Feminist Civil Society Platform has addressed a letter to the parliamentary groups on 22 June 2022 calling them to name a woman as a prime minister and to put women's needs and concerns at the top of their priorities.

Members of Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform, demand the elected members of the parliament, to commit to achieving full equality between women and men as one of their top priorities. Furthermore, we request them to strive for guaranteeing the full participation of women in every level of decision-making, and assure they are free from all forms of violence and discrimination.

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Watch now

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Lebanon's Feminist Civil Society Platform

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Lebanons Feminist Civil Society Platform - Raising voices for womens rights and gender equality in Lebanon...

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The forgotten story of the women who starred in the Resistance against Nazifascism in Italy

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The forgotten story of the women who starred in the Resistance against Nazifascism in Italy

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The forgotten story of the women who starred in the Resistance against Nazifascism in Italy

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They played a key role in the fight against Hitler’s troops and his collaborators. However, there is little mention of their participation in the history books. These are some of his exploits

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Four reasons why strong feminist movements are a must for healthy democracies

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Four reasons why strong feminist movements are a must for healthy democracies

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Four reasons why strong feminist movements are a must for healthy democracies - Alliance magazine

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In December 2024, AWID, Alliance for Feminist Movements, Count Me In! consortium, Gender Funders CoLab, and Prospera will facilitate a day-long donor convening where bilateral and multilateral donors and private, family, and corporate foundations will …

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Throughout history, women have played pivotal roles in democratic struggles, often at great personal risk. Here are some notable examples:

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Throughout history, women have played pivotal roles in democratic struggles, often at great personal risk. Here are some notable examples:

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1. Narges Mohammadi (Iran): A prominent Iranian human rights activist, Mohammadi has been a leading figure in advocating for women's rights and democratic reforms in Iran. Despite facing multiple imprisonments and severe restrictions, she continues to challenge oppressive policies. In September 2024, she penned an open letter urging the United Nations to intervene against ongoing executions and repression in Iran, highlighting the resilience of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement.

2. Mary McLeod Bethune (United States): An influential African American educator and civil rights leader, Bethune was instrumental in advocating for the rights of Black women and played a significant role in the formation of the National Council of Negro Women. Her legacy was honored with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, symbolizing the enduring impact of Black women on democracy.

3. Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez (United States): As president of NextGen America, Ramirez has been at the forefront of mobilizing young voters, particularly women, to engage in the democratic process. Her efforts include touring college campuses and utilizing innovative methods to encourage civic participation among the youth.

4. Clara Zetkin (Germany): A leading figure in the German socialist movement, Zetkin was a staunch advocate for women's rights and played a crucial role in organizing the first International Women's Day in 1911. Her activism laid the groundwork for future generations of women fighting for democratic rights.

5. The Women of the Turkish Resistance: In Turkey, women have been at the forefront of resisting authoritarian policies, particularly under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Despite facing significant challenges, including violence and imprisonment, Turkish women continue to organize and fight for their rights and democracy.

These examples underscore the critical role women have played and continue to play in the struggle for democracy worldwide.

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The following article is in Italian but you should have no problem translating it with the google option. It's about Ersilia Bronzini Majno, an activist of the Italian emancipationist movement who played a decisive role in the fight for women's and children's rights. She was the founder of "Mariuccia Kindergarten" and the "National Women's Union". 

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The following article is in Italian but you should have no problem translating it with the google option. It's about Ersilia Bronzini Majno, an activist of the Italian emancipationist movement who played a decisive role in the fight for women's and children's rights. She was the founder of "Mariuccia Kindergarten" and the "National Women's Union". 

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About a year ago, a walk was dedicated to her in Viale Majno, in Milano, the city in which she was most active.

https://www.comune.milano.it/en/-/intitolazioni.-la-passeggiata-in-viale-majno-dedicata-a-ersilia-bronzini-majno

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biografia di: Ersilia Bronzini Majno - Milano 1859 - Milano 1933

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During the Occupation, Lela Karagianni organized networks of espionage and resistance against the Germans. She helped rescue resistance fighters and allies, and was arrested and executed in 1944.

Remembering resistance fighter, Lela Karagianni, who was murdered by the Nazis – The Greek Herald

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Remembering resistance fighter, Lela Karagianni, who was murdered by the Nazis

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The actions of resistance fighter, Lela Karagianni, led to her untimely death by firing squad on September 8, 1944.

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Malala Yousafzai is an international symbol of the fight for girls' education after she was shot in 2012 for opposing the Taliban's restrictions on women's education in her native Pakistan. In 2009, Malala had begun writing a blog under a pseudonym about growing military activity in her hometown and fears that her school would be attacked. Once her identity was revealed, Malala and her father, Ziauddin, continued to speak out in favor of the right to education. The Taliban attack on Malala on October 9, 2012, as she returned home from school with her friends, received global condemnation. In 2013, Malala and her father co-founded the Malala Fund with the goal of raising awareness about the social and economic effects of girls' education and empowering them to demand change. She became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Malala as a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2017 to help raise awareness about the importance of girls' education, a pillar of democracy.

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The 'Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo' led a peaceful resistance movement against the military dictatorship and repression in Argentina in response to the forced disappearance and torture of political opponents.

The movement was born out of attempts by several Argentinian mothers to find their 'disappeared' children during Argentina's Dirty War (1976-1983). During this time, the military regime abducted, tortured and killed thousands of political opponents, stealing children born to prisoners and obliterating any trace of its victims.

Las Madres, most of whom were apolitical housewives, were the ones who dared to protest against the military at the height of the dictatorship and, after the fall of the regime, it was they who called for officials involved in the repression to be judged. Hundreds of these officials have since been found guilty. The movement was launched on 30 April 1977, when 14 mothers staged the first protest in the Plaza de Mayo, in front of the presidential Casa Rosada. Although they were ordered to disperse, the courageous mothers began to walk slowly, arm-in-arm, around the square. Every week more mothers joined the protests as left-wing activists and people accused of collaborating with them continued to be 'disappeared'.

Las Madres began to attract international attention with their emblematic white scarves, the photos and names of their disappeared children and their pleas for their safe return. The regime killed three of the founding members of the movement in an attempt to shut it down. In December 1977, Azucena Villaflor de Vincenti, Mary Ponce de Bianco and Esther Ballestrino de Careaga were abducted, tortured and thrown to their deaths from an aeroplane. Other members of Las Madres were beaten and detained but continued their peaceful resistance. Las Madres turned their focus to demanding justice as massive human rights abuses, a plunging economy and the loss of the Falklands War brought an end to the military regime in 1983.

Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo split in 1986. The main association, headed by Hebe de Bonafini, refused to acknowledge the death of Argentinian dissidents until those responsible for their murder were brought to justice. A breakaway group called the Founding Line focused on the recovery of the victims' remains.

In 1992, when the European Parliament recognised Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo with the Sakharov Prize, the association was fiercely resisting the conclusion of the trials related to the abuses of the dictatorship.

Hebe de Bonafini, who was elected leader of the undivided Madres in 1979 and still leads the association today, accepted the Sakharov Prize on behalf of the mothers' children 'who were the first to struggle for freedom'. Las Madres used the prize money to finance their various social initiatives, which include the Universidad Popular Madres de Plaza de Mayo.

Las Madres continue their Thursday march in the Plaza de Mayo, accompanied by crowds of supporters, while questions remain over the fate of their missing children.

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1988 - 2000 | Laureates | Sakharov Prize | European Parliament

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The 'Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo' led a peaceful resistance movement against the military dictatorship and repression in Argentina in response to the forced disappearance and torture of political opponents. The movement was born out of attempts by several Argentinian mothers to find their 'disappeared' children during Argentina's Dirty War (1976-1983).

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Iranian woman who stripped becomes symbol of struggle against the obligation to wear a headscarf

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Iranian woman who stripped becomes symbol of struggle against the obligation to wear a headscarf

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Ahou Daryaei stripped off her clothes last week in protest after she was allegedly assaulted for improperly wearing her hijab by security members at her university.

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The Madres de Plaza de Mayo are an Argentine group of mothers who began protesting in 1977 to demand information about their children who "disappeared" during Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976–1983). Wearing white headscarves, they gathered weekly in the Plaza de Mayo, calling for justice for their children who were secretly detained or killed. Despite threats, they kept protesting and became powerful symbols of resistance and human rights advocacy worldwide.

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Nuestras consignas – Asociación Madres de Plaza de Mayo

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from Paraguay is the work of the Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay (CMP), a coalition of feminist organizations that has been actively involved in advocating for gender equality, democratic participation, and social justice

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from Paraguay is the work of the Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay (CMP), a coalition of feminist organizations that has been actively involved in advocating for gender equality, democratic participation, and social justice

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Also in in Paraguay, the majority of those working for democracy and opposing our government, which has authoritarian tendencies, are women. In fact, most executive directors of civil society organizations dedicated to democracy and civic participation are women. These women play a critical role in leading efforts to uphold democratic values and ensure citizens' voices are heard in Paraguay.

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Cmp Coordinación De Mujeres del Paraguay | Asunción

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Cmp Coordinación De Mujeres del Paraguay, Asunción, Paraguay. 1,561 likes. La Coordinación de Mujeres del Paraguay (CMP) es una organización feminista fundada en 1988 luego del Encuentro Por nuestra…

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The fight for democracy in South Korea in the 1980s

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The fight for democracy in South Korea in the 1980s

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This podcast invited two ordinary women, young students at the time, to speak about their experience in the June Democratic Struggle in South Korea.

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Podcast Episode · Working Class History · 09/13/2024 · 39m

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Demonstration of women against the Taliban for the right to education, work and freedom at Afghanistan 

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Demonstration of women against the Taliban for the right to education, work and freedom at Afghanistan 

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https://youtu.be/apN-em9k0mw?si=n-b6CGD-sebZZX1N

Taliban fighters laugh over women politicians _ Afghanistan, Kabul.

https://youtube.com/shorts/rygkNMoilJU?si=8gFxeVnoVA5q1Sy2

Taliban attack women protestors in Kabul with whips

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Malawi Congress of Trades Women Commitee

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Malawi Congress of Trades Women Commitee

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The Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU) Women's Committee has played a pivotal role in advocating for democracy and gender equality in Malawi. This committee has been instrumental in promoting women's participation in trade unions and ensuring that women's voices are heard in the broader democratic discourse.

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The Malawi Congress of Trades Women Committee

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The Malawi Congress of Trades Women Committee

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The committee's efforts have been recognized and supported by international organizations. For example, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has partnered with the MCTU to promote gender equality and anti-sexual harassment policies within trade unions. This collaboration underscores the committee's role in aligning with global standards for workers' rights and gender equality.

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FINAL WITH SIGNATURE EMGLISH MCTU Gender and Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy

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Miria Matembe

https://www.google.com/imgres?q=The%20Struggle%20for%20Freedom%20%26%20Democracy%20Betrayed%3A%20Memoirs%20of%20Miria%20Matembe%20as%20an%20Insider%20in%20Museveni%27s%20Government%20Miria%20K.%20Matembe&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F61wrvDQ%2BvqL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FStruggle-Freedom-Democracy-Betrayed-dictator%2Fdp%2F9970524003&docid=J6ap3RNZmVwFfM&tbnid=qQebrATmsJ2H0M&vet=12ahUKEwiNuNL6rN6JAxWv-gIHHV_-DUcQM3oECBMQAA..i&w=667&h=1000&hcb=2&ved=2ahUKEwiNuNL6rN6JAxWv-gIHHV_-DUcQM3oECBMQAA

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Leading anti-corruption crusader and gender rights activist in Uganda

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Nigeria Woman in Struggle to End Bad governance

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Nigeria Woman in Struggle to End Bad governance

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she was the face of ENDBADGOVERNANCE Protest in Nigeria

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Aisha Yesufu wants Senate scrapped - Daily Trust

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A renowned political and civil rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has called for the scrapping of the Nigerian Senate to reduce cost of governance. Yesufu, Co-founder, Bring Back Our Girls Movement, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos. She was reacting…

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46 years of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo - Buenos Aires Herald

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They took on the dictatorship looking for their children and have not stopped since

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Kamala Das- A literary Pioneer of Indian Feminism

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Kamala Das- A literary Pioneer of Indian Feminism

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Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo - Wikipedia

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enciclopedia delle donne: Mozzoni Anna Maria

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biografia di: Anna Maria Mozzoni - Milano 1837 - Roma 1920

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Nieves Fariza was a feminist activist that challenge the religious power in Spain and, with the overcome of Franco, the system, advocating for the rights of women and also the wider rights of employees in Francois Spain.

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Nieves Fariza Alonso | Album de Galicia | Consello da Cultura Galega

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Unha activista pioneira na defensa dos dereitos das mulleres.<br/>Coñecida como «A Pasionaria Branca», «A desenterramortos» e, «A dos quilómetros»

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Mitigating for rights and justice: Voices from Isiolo

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Mitigating for rights and justice: Voices from Isiolo

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Mitigating for rights and justice: Voices from Isiolo (Isiolo Gender Watch) - CLIMATE JUSTICE IMPACT FUND FOR AFRICA (CJIFA)

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Key project activities: Mitigating for rights and justice: Voices from Isiolo (Isiolo Gender watch) The relentless struggle for a better world for the futu…

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During the 1970s and 1960s, Tina Lagostena Bassi, an Italian lawyer, lived in a culture that was prevalent of r*pe and gender bias. She emphasized the absurdity of blaming women for the acts of rapists and abusers. To raise awareness among the general public, she pushed for the term "R*ape" to be used as a synonym for sexual harassment.

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Vale la pena di rileggersi ed eventualmente riascoltare -il pluripremiato film Processo per stupro, 1979*, potete rivederlo qui in versione integrale- la

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Women have been targeted by the Taliban regime because of their key role in democracy. The international community cannot leave them behind.

The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s seizure of Kabul, which led to the fall of the Afghan government, shocked the international community in August 2021 and left us with one of the largest humanitarian rescue operations in history. After six months, the social, humanitarian and political dimensions of the Afghan crisis, and its serious gender implications can be better understood. This year should be the year when we really support and fight for the rights and freedoms of Afghan women both outside and inside the country.

Women are undoubtedly the main victims of the Taliban regime’s seizure of power and the restoration of institutional violence against women. They have played a leading role in the progress in Afghanistan over the past 20 years. Hundreds of Afghan women activists, human rights defenders and professionals are now in exile, dispersed across Europe and other continents, following the Taliban takeover. Meanwhile, millions of women and girls remain in Afghan territory, forced to hide or maintain a low profile for fear of reprisals, suffering continuous violations of their fundamental rights and freedoms.

Khadija Amin, Massouda Kohistani and Rahela Sidiqi are three exceptional women, whose biographies attest to their enormous involvement and the sacrifices and risks they face for their work in defending women’s rights in Afghanistan. Although they are now in exile, they want to continue fighting for the future of their country from Europe.

https://mujeresalfrente.org/en/project

s/women-at-the-forefront-in-afghanistan/#:~:text=Khadija%20Amin%2C%20Massouda%20Kohistani%20and,defending%20women's%20rights%20in%20Afghanistan.

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Mujeres al Frente › Un espacio de reflexión y construcción de respuestas de la eurodiputada Soraya Rodríguez Ramos

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Women at the Forefront in Afghanistan › Taliban regime’s seizure of power

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Updated information on the situation after the Taliban regime’s seizure of power and the women at the forefront in Afghanistan.

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Kurdish Women: Agents of Change in the Struggle for Identity, Equality and Liberation

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Kurdish Women: Agents of Change in the Struggle for Identity, Equality and Liberation

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Kurdish Women: Agents of Change in the Struggle for Identity, Equality and Liberation - Institut du Genre en Géopolitique

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22.01.2023 Rosário Frada Situated primarily across Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria, the Kurdish population has never enjoyed a distinct legal or political status, becoming increasingly considered the “world’s largest stateless nation[1]Curtis, F. (2022, March). Understanding combat motivation among Kurdistan’s female fighters. Observatoire International du religieux. … Continue reading”. Although spanning approximately 530,000 km²[2]Abdallah, A. (2023, August…

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Aletta Jacobs, one of the first women at the forefront for women’s sufferage

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Aletta Jacobs, one of the first women at the forefront for women’s sufferage

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Feminism in the Republic of Moldova. A short history of the women who demanded equality

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Paskedda Zau: the forgotten Sardinian fighter from Nùoro

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Paskedda Zau: the forgotten Sardinian fighter from Nùoro

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Paskedda, a widow with ten children, was now considered elderly by the society around her. In her Nuoro of 1868 she proved, at the age of sixty and uneducated, to be an engaging figure in leading the revolt that on April 26 of that year sought to stop the sale of her countrymen's land. A heroine born of the circumstances and the impetus of a famous moment, often overlooked in Sardinia's historical reconstruction. The desperate group tried, failing, to save the land that was the only means of livelihood for the people. Paskedda's words “Torramusu a su connottu” (Let us return to custom) is a well-known motto that has become a symbol of this rebellion against land privatization.

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Adelaide Aglietta, the the first women president of an Italian political party

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Adelaide Aglietta, the the first women president of an Italian political party

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Adelaide Aglietta - Associazione radicale Adelaide Aglietta

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Adelaide Aglietta Prima donna segretaria di un partito e giurata popolare al processo alle brigate rosse​ Maria Adelaide Aglietta nasce a Torino il 4 giugno 1940. Inizia a militare nel Partito Radicale nel 1974, impegnandosi nella campagna per il NO al referendum per l’abrogazione della legge sul divorzio. Insieme ad Adele Faccio ed Emma Bonino… Leggi tutto »Adelaide Aglietta

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The Madres de Soacha (Mothers of Soacha) is a social movement founded initially by six mothers, who mobilized to pursue justice following the extra-judicial killings of their sons by the Colombian military.

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Prof. Wangari Maathai is known as the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Though she is celebrated mostly for her work as an environmentalist and activist, she also engaged in elective politics. In 2002, she made it to parliament as the Member of Parliament for Tetu, and was made an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Environment in 2003.

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Chile - Museo Historico Nacional

Wives, daughters, mothers and sisters of the victims of the regime made up a peaceful protest force that intervened in the public space and denounced the crimes with a high symbolic charge.

Silhouettes of their murdered and disappeared relatives, chains, marches and accusations of censorship marked the practices of organized women who managed to capture the attention of citizens and make abuses visible, raising a particular voice that united personal struggle with collective resistance.

In Kena Lorenzini's photographs, key women in the struggle for human rights can be identified, such as Ana González González, a member of the Association of Relatives of the Detained and Disappeared (AFDD) and wife of Manuel Recabarren Rojas, mother of Luis Recabarren González and Manuel Recabarren González, and mother-in-law of Nalvia Mena Alvarado, all of whom have disappeared.

María Maluenda and Estela Ortiz, mother and widow of José Manuel Parada, respectively, and Owana Guerrero, wife of Manuel Guerrero, communist professionals murdered by the dictatorship along with Santiago Nattino, in the event known as the Degollados Case; and the group Women for Life, which emerged in 1983 and hosted personalities from a wide political spectrum.

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Esposas, hijas, madres y hermanas de las víctimas del régimen conformaban una fuerza de protesta pacífica que intervenía el espacio público y denunciaba los crímenes con una alta carga simbólica.

Siluetas de sus familiares asesinados y desaparecidos, encadenamientos, marchas y acusaciones de censura marcaron las prácticas de las mujeres organizadas que lograron captar la atención de la ciudadanía y visibilizar los abusos, levantando una voz particular que unía la lucha personal con la resistencia colectiva.

En las fotografías de Kena Lorenzini, se puede identificar a mujeres clave en la lucha por los derechos humanos, como Ana González González, miembro de la Agrupación de Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos (AFDD) y esposa de Manuel Recabarren Rojas, madre de Luis Recabarren González y de Manuel Recabarren González, y suegra de Nalvia Mena Alvarado, todos detenidos desaparecidos.

También aparece María Maluenda y Estela Ortiz, madre y viuda de José Manuel Parada, respectivamente, y Owana Guerrero, esposa de Manuel Guerrero, profesionales comunistas asesinados por la dictadura junto con Santiago Nattino, en el hecho conocido como Caso Degollados; y la agrupación Mujeres por la Vida, surgida en 1983 y que albergó a personalidades de un amplio espectro político.

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De la mirada personal a las miradas colectivas: la lucha de las mujeres

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La lucha por los derechos humanos que protagonizaron las mujeres en dictadura fue captada por el lente de Kena Lorenzini.

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Grief Transformed: The Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo - The fight for memory and democracy

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Grief Transformed: The Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo - The fight for memory and democracy

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Grief Transformed: The Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo - The fight for memory and democracy

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Grief Transformed: The Mothers of the Plaza De Mayo - The fight for memory and democracy

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National Hero of Georgia and Relief Sister-Maro Makashvili

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National Hero of Georgia and Relief Sister-Maro Makashvili

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Maro left us the diary to get acquainted with her biography, which, on the one hand, shares her worldview and on the other hand tells us about her personal life.

January, 1918 January, 1918

I f I get married, I will not live at the expense of a husband in no way, I will work and acquire money for myself. What a justice is to live at others expense, I am against it.

*Tamar Gabashvili-Makashvili * Konstantin Makashvili

Biography

On August 25, 1901, Maro Makashvili was born in the noble family, her father - Kote Makashvili, a poet and one of the founders of the Georgian Writers' Union. Mother - Tamar Gabashvili, a daughter of writer Ekaterine Gabashvili. Maro graduated from the Georgian Gymnasium and studied at faculty of Philosophy at the University. Maro left us a diary to get familiarized with her biography, which, on the one hand, shares her worldview and on the other hand tells us about her personal life. On June 12, 1918 Maro describes the entry and parade of the German army in her diary. 17 - year - old Maro, inspired with patriotic feelings worries that Georgia could not acquire the full freedom and after removal of "one ruler" it has been laid by another load. Independence represents a supreme value and a dream of Maro. Her sorrow with her homeland is boundless, the country that has never been able to open the full wings of freedom. Her optimistic mood is clearly seen from other recordings of diary as well. For example, one day she regrets on German ruling and next day she is trying to see some good sides in it and notes that Georgian people are treated well by Germans so far and here she also expresses her suggestion that German nature may even influence on Georgians in a good manner, to get accustomed with their characterized discipline.
And this, according to her, was really needed by our nation and without discipline we could not go forward. Maro actively opposes the socialism and thinks that dissemination of the world view of this party is impossible in Georgia. In her opinion, that's why in all socialists' speech was notable the nationalist-patriotic elements. In addition, that Maro expresses her worries regarding Georgia's fate and dreams on independence of her country, she has thoughts about her future activities. In accordance with her diary, it is clear to see her personal plans and desires. Regarding her thoughts and purposes, it is obvious that Maro is an excited patriot from very young age. All her dreams and thoughts are related to homeland. She started to study two languages - French and English, exactly because of the fact that she wanted to translate refined folk poetry in Georgian language directly from foreign originals. Maro spiritually is an artistic person. She likes to read and write -figuratively, but not in a difficult manner. She is whole-heartedly obsessed with theater and notes that it attracts like magnet. Pursuant to her, while being in theater, she is not able to feel anything around, she is speechless and loses the sense of reality. After performances, she writes little reviews and tells us about her own emotions - what was the imagination that she liked or did not like in the performance, what astonished her, the actor/actress who delights her and etc. Despite of such love of theater, Maro was not enamored with acting profession. In her opinion, artists do not have the goal of the life and public respect. Her feminist soul is also expressed in her recordings. A 17-year-old Maro writes that if she got married, she would not live on the expense of a husband, she would work as she thinks that living at the expense of others is unfair. Also, in one of the recordings, she notes that woman is a slave of the environment in which she has to live. She loves communication with people, joyfulness and notes, that it is necessary for her to get out from home several times in a week. However, there are times when she wants to be alone without speaking of surrounding people. Especially, if she is bogged down in books, the connection with the outside world is stopped. If someone talks to her during the reading, she gets angry and categorically refuses to speak. Personally she is a very simple and shy person. She often gets blushed, and becomes an object of laughing by her friends. She likes Paolo Iashvili from afar and wants to be acquainted with him and eventually she did it. She is blushed exactly when she sees him and even a heart is beating faster. Therefore, she mentions one boy, whose name and surname is unknown for her, but she has sympathies to him and wants to get to know. As she said, something strange happens to her when she sees him, but she cannot explain it. She has feelings toward his friend - Pate. It is clear from her recordings, that she is very simple and observable, deeply examines the events and substantiates with arguments. A 19-year-old student went to the front as a volunteer during the Red Army invasion, registered to the Red Cross as a relief sister and joined the sanitation squad to Kojori. On February 19, Maro was wounded in her skull by a shard of grenade. Maro Makashvili is the first Georgian woman to be recognized as the national hero of the country. Maro Makashvili, who died in the fight against Russian 11th Army, is buried together with Georgian Junkers in the yard of the former military cathedral.

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February, 1921 February, 1921

...My beloved father! I feel well so far! We're at 112 Verst from one position, and from 5 or 7 from another. The enemy is still far away, ours hit very hard. They are very excited. Send us a few hazelnuts and if possible some sweets... take care of yourself. Kiss you a lot. By the way it is not cold here. Give my regard to all. Do not be afraid. We will win with fame...

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Vangelitsa Kousiantza. A people's heroine. The chronicle of a tragedy. 

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Vangelitsa Kousiantza. A people's heroine. The chronicle of a tragedy. 

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Εθνική Αντίσταση - ΔΣΕ

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Στέλιος Δόργας

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Βαγγελίτσα Κουσιάντζα, Μια ηρωίδα του λαού

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Βαγγελίτσα Κουσιάντζα, Μια ηρωίδα του λαού.

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A Belarusian Opposition Leader’s Fight for Democracy | Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya | GZERO World

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Sviatlana Hieorhiyeuna Tsikhanouskaya is a Belarusian political activist. She emerged as a leading figure in the opposition to President Alexander Lukashenko's authoritarian regime after running against him in the 2020 presidential election. Since then, she has headed an opposition government-in-exile, operating in Lithuania and Poland.

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The struggle for democracy in Belarus is dramatic and ongoing, and has included stolen elections, arrests of thousands of opposition leaders and dissidents by the government, and the hijacking of Ryanair flight 4978 over international airspace.

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Laura Chinchilla: President of the Republic of Costa Rica (2010-2014)

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Laura Chinchilla: President of the Republic of Costa Rica (2010-2014)

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Laura Chinchilla Miranda (born March 28, 1959, in Carmen, San José) is a Costa Rican political scientist and politician. She served as President of the Republic of Costa Rica from May 8, 2010, to May 8, 2014, becoming the first Costa Rican woman elected to that office since women's suffrage was granted in 1949,1​ the fifth woman in Latin America to be elected head of state,2​3​ and the eighth female president of Latin America.

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Laura Chinchilla Miranda, 48° Presidente de C.R., 2010-2014.

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Laura Chinchilla Miranda (Carmen, San José, 28 de marzo de 1959) es una politóloga y política costarricense. Fue Presidente de la República de Costa Rica entre el 8 de mayo de 2010 y el 8 de mayo d…

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womenfund.org.

THE NIGRIA WOMEN TRUST FUND

The NIGRIA woman trust fund amplifies women's voices and promotes gender equality.

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This article is about a person whose name includes a patronymic. The article properly refers to the person by her given name, Filsan, and not as Abdullahi Ahmed.

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Maria de Lurdes Pintasilgo was the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Portugal, and the second woman to serve as prime minister in Western Europe, after Margaret Thatcher.

She worked for several years at CUF network of medical units, performing management functions. In the 1950s, she was President of the Catholic Women's University Youth (1952-1956) and Head of the Pax Romana - International Movement of Catholic Students (1956-1958).

Attorney to the Corporate Chamber (1969-1974), she held various government positions after the 25th of April (Secretary of State for Social Security of the I Provisional Government, in 1974, and Minister of Social Affairs of the II and III Provisional Governments, in 1974-1975.

She was a Permanent Delegate of Portugal to UNESCO (1975-1981), with a seat on the Executive Council since 1976.

Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo's mission to UNESCO was interrupted to head the V Constitutional Government (1 August 1979 - 3 January 1980). From 1983, he became a member of the Council of the United Nations University.

In 1986, she was an independent candidate in the presidential elections, obtaining 7.4% of the votes. Between 1987 and 1989 she was an independent member of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament.

Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo was one of the most outstanding personalities in our social, cultural and political life in the second half of the 20th century. From a Catholic and humanist point of view, she has always fought for the realisation of human and civil rights throughout the world.

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Macho Media - Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo

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The idea that “the major crisis since the 25th of April”  falling on Portugal again, was the last public statement left by Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo, on 10th, July, 2004, one week before she died. Maria de Lurdes Pintasilgo came directly from Corporative Chamber – one of the institutional bas…

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Pussy Riot - resistance feminist punk-rock

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Pussy Riot - resistance feminist punk-rock

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Pussy Riot, founded in 2011, is a Russian feminist punk protest group with variable membership of around 11 women. They stand for feminism and LGBT rights and are in opposition to Vladimir Putin's regime and the power of the Russian Orthodox Church. The groups believes in many democratic values such as freedom of speech, and the right to protest the government as well as the freedom of the press. They also are against capitalism and the selfish values that go along with a capitalist system. Pussy Riot's method of protest is to perform guerrilla concerts in public places singing songs of protest in the punk style. The now famous costumes are meant to spread joy with their bright colors, hopefully inspiring others to rise up and protest with them.

Pussy Riot's goal is to establish a more democratic society in Russia, free of the reign of Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian tendencies. Their first performance that received a lot of attention throughout Russia was in Red Square in Moscow where they performed "Putin Zassel", roughly translating from Russian to "Putin Has Pissed Himself" on January 20, 2012. One member speaking to the press said that the performance was inspired by the protests against Putin in December of 2011 in which Russian Security Forces confronted over 100,000 protesters, which turned very chaotic. She told the Financial Times: "We saw how troops were moving around Moscow, there were helicopters in the sky, the military was put on alert. The regime just wet its pants on that day. And the symbol of the regime is Putin.[1]

"Putin Zassel"- Pussy Riot
Punk Prayer Performance
On the morning of February 21 st 2012, five young women walked into Moscow's Cathedral of Christ and Savior. Wearing their signature, sleeveless dresses, neon tights, and balaclava ski masks, they jumped onto the sacred alter, took out electric guitars and started to perform "Punk Prayer". The song was a mix of punk music and traditional orthodox chant with words about the close relationship between Putin and the Orthodox Church. It criticized the Church's conservative anti-woman and anti-LGBT stances and addressed the Mother of God directly telling her to "oust Putin" and "become a feminist". The performance was shut down in a matter of minutes but it managed to make a huge impact on Russian politics and the world. Three women were arrested right then and there, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alykhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich. They were denied bail and held in custody until their trial in late July. They were convicted of "Hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" and sentenced two years in prison. In the appeal Samutsevich was released because it turned out that she never made it to the alter and committed what she was being charged for. The other two lost the appeal and were sent to two separate Russian prisons.

"Punk Prayer"- Pussy Riot

Black robe, golden epaulettes
All parishioners crawl to bow
The phantom of liberty is in heaven
Gay-pride sent to Siberia in chains
The head of the KGB, their chief saint,
Leads protesters to prison under escort
In order not to offend His Holiness
Women must give birth and love

Shit, shit, the Lord's shit!
Shit, shit, the Lord's shit!

The Church's praise of rotten dictators
The cross-bearer procession of black limousines
A teacher-preacher will meet you at school
Go to class - bring him money!
Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin
Bitch, better believe in God instead
The belt of the Virgin can't replace mass-meetings
Mary, Mother of God, is with us in protest!

Their trial became a symbol of Putin's authoritarian tendencies and the censorship of political ideas in Russia. While the Russian government continues to deny the political aspect of the performance and the arrest, there is no question that the criticism of the Russian government, Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church was an important reason why they were arrested and tried so harshly. There was wide criticism of the government following the arrest from supporters of Pussy Riot around Russia and the western world. Within Russia there was also a large group that was highly supportive of the arrest and were offended by the performance at the alter. Many of these people were highly religious and supportive of Putin's reign. If there was any consensus in across the diverse political and social spectrum in Russia, it was that Pussy Riot sharply divided society. There were those that thought that the Pussy Riot arrest was outrageous, unfair and another symbol of Putin's oppressive government. On the other side there were those that thought that that the women were not receiving enough punishment. There was talk of bringing back corporal punishment, from flogging and birching to tarring and feathering.[2] Many of these people interpreted these women as a threat to the Russian state. A threat to the order that their beloved Eastern Orthodox Church and Putin provided. Within Russian politics there was criticism from all sides. Even outspoken critics of the Putin government criticized the women. Boris Nemtsov, a leader of the liberal-democrat coalition and a regular critic of Putin spoke outside the courthouse. "If I could get my way, I would spank these girls and let them go. Whats going on here is sadism and cruelty."[2] Criticizing the Pussy Riot women unwittingly united the Russian Left, Right and centrists all. In Bernstein's article on the Pussy Riot affair, she points out the sexist aspect to all these comments about violent actions towards the women's bodies.

The reaction from the west, unlike in Russia, was almost completely positive. Pussy Riot became a symbol for the freedoms that western democracies stand for: the freedom of speech and the freedom to protest and criticize the government. Many famous voices stood behind Pussy Riot including artists and musicians, politicians and business people. There was an international uproar against the Russian government and its oppressive policies. It became the perfect opportunity to criticize the Putin government, something the west loves to do as a leftover sentiment from the Cold War. It was unusual how much people, outside of Russia, paid attention to the arrest and trial. There have certainly been other outrageous arrests of political activists in Russia and all over the world that did not gain that much attention. The members of Pussy Riot that were arrested were popular because they held attributes that other activists didn't. They were young, beautiful women, that were well spoken and they loved the attention. They had the celebrity quality that people from the west love.

Shortly after the arrest and during the trial, Madonna had a concert on Russia. She spoke in support of Pussy Riot and how brave they were for fighting the Russian government. After the women were released shortly before the 2014 Winter Olympics, the women took a tour of the U.S., making speeches and appearances. The women were invited to perform at the Grammys with Madonna and invited to many other performances. The women refused, saying that they only perform political protests and they will never perform in which people have to pay for tickets to see them. Pussy Riot's values are in many ways, way more radical then many of the famous celebrities that spoke in favor of them. Pussy Riot may be against the values of the Russian government but they are also against capitalism. Capitalism is one of the values most celebrated in the U.S and other western democracies. The outpouring of support was in some ways superficial in that many of the supporters did not support their values but simply supported their right to protest against the Putin government. It also seems that the west is all too happy to criticize the Russian government any chance they get. It is certainly a remnant of the Cold War era, in which everything the Soviet Union did was pure evil. There are many governments around the world that are more oppressive towards their citizens then Putin is. The reason this got some much attention and many other missteps by Russia, definitely comes from sentiments of the Cold War.

In the next section, I speak about the importance of the Cold War era when talking about democracy in Russia today. Not only does the Soviet era affect relations with the the west, it lays a heavy curtain over the version of democracy that exists in Russia today.

[1] Clover, Charles. (2012) "Pussy Riot Dig Claws into Putin". Ft.com/world. Financial Times.

[2] Bernstein, Anya. An Inadvertent Sacrifice: Body Politics and Sovereign Power in the Pussy Riot Affair. Critical Inquiry. 2013

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Pussy Riot, founded in 2011, is a Russian feminist punk protest group with variable membership of around 11 women. They stand for feminism and LGBT rights and are in opposition to Vladimir Putin's regime and the power of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Agnieszka Fal-Dutra Santos, Sonia Cardona, Francy Jaramillo

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Taking Peace into Our Own Hands: Colombian Feminists Use Local Politics to Advance their Agenda for Peace → UNIDIR

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This latest report from UNIDIR’s Managing Exits from Armed Conflict (MEAC) project series Research into Action examines how feminist activism influenced the peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia- People’s Army, leading to the historic 2016 peace agreement, which includes over 120 gender equality provisions. Despite these national commitments,

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Ida B. Wells- American investigative journalist and early civil rights activist

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Ida B. Wells- American investigative journalist and early civil rights activist

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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells

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Ida Bell Wells-Barnett (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) was an American investigative journalist, sociologist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. She was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).[1] Wells dedicated her career to combating prejudice and violence, and advocating for African-American equality—especially that of women.[2]

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Attacks and harassment: Women journalists in the Philippines on the cost of truth-telling

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Six women share how holding the powerful to account has become a dangerous calling for journalists in the Philippines

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Lupita, a Tzotzil-Maya woman​ ​at the forefront of a Mexican indigenous movement.

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Lupita, a Tzotzil-Maya woman​ ​at the forefront of a Mexican indigenous movement.

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Twenty years after Lupita lost her family in the Acteal massacre in southern Mexico, she has become a spokesperson for her people​ and for a new generation of Mayan activists. She balances the demands of motherhood with her high-stakes efforts to re-educate and restore justice to the world.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/05/lupita-powerful-voice-indigenous-woman-leading-movement

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Lupita: the indigenous activist leading a new generation of Mexican women

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Women in Ukraine's "Revolution of Dignity"

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Women in Ukraine's "Revolution of Dignity"

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Ukrainian women have played pivotal roles in the nation's democratic movements, particularly during the Euromaidan protests of 2013-2014. One notable figure is Ruslana Lyzhychko, a renowned singer and activist. She spent over 100 days and nights on Kyiv's Maidan Nezalezhnosti, delivering speeches and performing to inspire protesters. Her continuous presence and dedication earned her the title "Queen of the Orange Revolution."

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26565656 an interesting article on Why Women Protest by Olena Nikolayenko and Maria DeCasper.

A short video about the protests organized by Ukrainian women: https://www.usip.org/events/women-ukraines-revolution-dignity

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A personal role model regarding the utilisation of academia and influence to effectuate change, Wangari Maathai was not only a political analyst but also a green politician who fought for the public spaces and advocated for individual ecological conversion.she indirectly led to the bold and stern stands against the then authoritarian regime of Moi's era. even when Moi pulled autocratic gender washing in 1997 Beijing conference, she did not relent but persisted on being the biggest critic of Moi, gathering women at the forefront to protest naked in the Nairobi central business district as they fought for democracy and women's rights.

https://wmi.uonbi.ac.ke/basic-page/about-prof-wangari-maathai

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“Maathai” redirects here. For the Kenyan supermarket chain, see Maathai Supermarkets.

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Journalist students learn how to report on violence against women and domestic violence

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Journalist students learn how to report on violence against women and domestic violence

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Journalist students learn how to report on violence against women and domestic violence – Anti-Trafficking Platform of Armenia

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Political and artistical activism in Peru

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“For women, the exercise of political power is an unfulfilled project”_ Natalia Iguiñiz and feminist activism in Peru — AWARE Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions

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The Kurdish female fighters bringing the fight to IS

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The Kurdish female fighters bringing the fight to IS

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Gabriel GatehouseBBC News, Northern Syria

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The Kurdish female fighters bringing the fight to IS

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Kurdish forces - many of them women - are engaged in an existential struggle against Islamic State militants, the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse reports.

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‘History’s on our side’: Turkish women fighting femicide

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‘History’s on our side’: Turkish women fighting femicide

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‘History’s on our side’: Turkish women fighting femicide

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As Turkey quits the Istanbul convention, Gülsüm Kav’s group We Will Stop Femicide is helping keep women alive amid a rise in gender-based violence

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Portuguese Women - doctor - professor- feminist.She was a pioneer in demanding women's rights, and for more than twenty years, she presided over the National Council of Portuguese Women. In this capacity, she claimed for women the right to a month of rest before giving birth (maternity leave) and in 1912 she also publicly claimed the right to female suffrage, which was only granted in 1933, becoming the first and only woman to vote. , in Luanda, where he lived, under the new electoral law of the Portuguese Constitution of 1933.

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Hundreds of Tunisians attended the funeral of 36-year-old blogger and activist Lina Ben Mhenni, mourning the loss of a brave voice who fought for radical change. The BBC's Rana Jawad joined them.
This is a story of a "family and a country", a tearful woman said to me as people slowly gathered on the hilltop of the Jallez cemetery in the capital, Tunis.

Hunched over, and clutching a small bunch of flowers in one hand, she smiled faintly when I asked where she and Lina Ben Mhenni first met. "Under the teargas," she said.

The prominent Tunisian blogger and civil rights activist died this week following a long battle with the auto-immune disease, lupus.

In her late 20s at the time, Ben Mhenni rose to prominence in the early days of the 2011 revolution through her blog Tunisian Girl.

Hers was one of the few voices that told the world of the killings and crackdown on protesters in Sidi Bouzid - where the uprising that eventually toppled autocratic President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali began.

But her fight for human rights and free speech started long before the revolution and was influenced by her parents.

Ben Mhenni's father, Sadok Ben Mhenni, is a left-wing activist and former political prisoner. Her mother was also involved in political activism.

In the hours after her death, social media was full of messages of grief. A veteran Egyptian journalist described it as "a loss for anyone who believes in freedom".

And even President Kais Saied paid his respects, saying: "There are women who history does not forget. There are women who make history."

Women carried the coffin

The funeral attracted fellow campaigners, as well as family and friends, including schoolteacher Hala, who did not want to give her other name.

She crossed paths with Ben Mhenni many times over the years.

"Freedom, better education and health - that's all we wanted. When we failed, she pushed us because she was always present," she said.

The funeral procession from her family home mirrored Ben Mhenni's youthful years - it was passionate and defiant. Her coffin was escorted on the shoulders of women - breaking with Islamic traditions that usually reserve this task for men.

At the cemetery, hundreds of women and men gathered and in another unusual move, broke into applause when the coffin arrived.

It felt like a pensive college reunion spanning nearly three generations.

Lina Ben Mhenni's mother and father, who had been a political prisoner, inspired her activism

Many appeared to be there to remind each other of a shared struggle in the past and a new one for the ideal Tunisia they want to see.

Ali Hamouda, who had lived most of his life in Paris and moved here during the revolution, hugged a young woman he had not seen since another protest in 2014.

"A lot of the people here know each other from the streets... we are gathered around moments and memories. It's like we lost a part of a mosaic," he explained.

On a hit list

For others there paying their respects, they described feeling "like we have no-one else representing our generation".

She was not universally loved, and her international fame created a backlash among some. But she was widely respected for sticking up for her principles.

In January 2016, I drank multiple espressos with Ben Mhenni in a cafe in central Tunis to talk about how the country was faring five years on from the revolution.

Back then, she was accompanied by a close protection police officer who had been with her for almost two years, after the ministry of interior found her name on a "hit list of a terrorist cell", she explained.

She was not happy with the situation she was in, but continued her activism and writing regardless.

"We allowed reactionary forces to confiscate our revolution," she said reflecting on what had happened.

"I don't have confidence in our politicians any more. We've been talking about a youth revolution, but the youth were excluded."

Much has changed here since the time of Ben Ali's rule and the first few turbulent years that followed his downfall.

Some mourning Lina Ben Mhenni feared that there will be no-one else to speak up for her generation

For those watching from the outside, the dominant headlines have been on Tunisia's "great strides" in introducing ground-breaking laws promoting gender equality and freedom of speech. The country has introduced a progressive constitution and had several democratic elections.

At a time when the world was looking at Tunisia as a shining example of post-revolution success in the region, Ben Mhenni - and others like her today - hold its progress to a much higher standard. She felt the country was regressing politically and economically, and she never minced her words.
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In more recent times she spoke extensively about the poor healthcare system.

She uploaded her last blog post a week before she died, with a stinging review of Tunisia's political blocs.

"We forget their absurdity, corruption, repression, and even violence," she wrote after her opening line describing Tunisians as having a "short memory".

Power of the youth

For some Tunisians, Ben Mhenni personified the ideals and goals of what many on this continent and beyond expect from their present and future rulers - fairness, justice, and freedom.

Her father's close friend Taher Chegrouche - also a left-wing activist - told me "she represented the opposite of what we have today on the political scene. She never wanted anything in return.

"There was a purity in her heart and she believed in sacrifice" to achieve her goals.

"Tunisian blogger" boycotts election

When I interviewed her in 2016 she exuded friendliness, generosity with her time, and passion for her beliefs.

But there was a layer of pessimism, disappointment and exhaustion. I asked her if there was anything she was happy about.

She momentarily beamed as she spoke of the youth's resilience: "I'm happy because there are some people who didn't give up.

"I'm happy with the youth who are very active in civil society, and I am happy with civil society which more or less has saved the country many times."

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Lina Ben Mhenni: The woman who blogged Tunisia's revolution

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"Freedom, better education and health: that's all we wanted," one of Lina Ben Mhenni's friends says.

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Aïcha Channa, a moroccan feminist activist 

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Aïcha Channa, a moroccan feminist activist 

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She advocated throughout her life for women’s rights especially related to family planning and the vulnerable condition of single mothers in Morocco. She concretized her advocacy by founding the Association Solidarité Féminine in the ‘80s which has the goal to help single mothers and women who faced violence and it aims to give them economic and financial independence.

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TEDxRabat - Aïcha Ech-Channa - La loi 454

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A documantary about women portesting for right of education after the Taliban retook power in 2021.

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Shot the Voice of Freedom (2024) | IDFA Festival

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Since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have imposed a reign of terror that is particularly brutal towards women. Risking their own lives and those of their loved ones, groups of women are protesting against the regime, and standing up for the right to freedom, education and security. The filmmaker follows and interviews two of these women, Reshmin and her sister.Indoors, we see them conferring, preparing for action, and debating with family members who are afraid. Outdoors, filmed in secret, they chant slogans, often surrounded by armed Taliban soldiers. Not infrequently, the demonstrations end in bloody violence.The film shows how hard it is to resist the oppression, and the bravery that is called for. Reshmin is fighting not only the Taliban, but also her own fears and those of the women around her. There are arrests, intimidation and forced confessions on television. The demonstrations are in part directed at the international community, in the hope of eliciting a political response, but this community remains alarmingly silent.

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Chelagat Mutai, first female and youngest MP in Kenya's Parliament

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Chelagat Mutai, first female and youngest MP in Kenya's Parliament

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She took on the Moi autocracy and defined her resistance not as a gender issue but as a rights issue.

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He would know. He was one of the eight political rebels in parliament pejoratively named 'The Seven Bearded Sisters' by then Attorney General Charles Njonjo. They were neither seven, bearded nor sisters. Koigi wa Wamwere, Martin Shikuku, Chibule Tsuma, Lawrence Sifuna, Abuya Abuya, George Anyona, James Orengo and Chelagat Mutai.

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Timeline and Milestones of the Women's Movement in Lebanon

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Timeline and Milestones of the Women's Movement in Lebanon

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The history of the women's movement in Lebanon

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"Women, power, and politics: Timelines and Milestones" In 1974, women in Lebanon marched against the country's flawed economic policies raising the slogan "monopoly is strangling the people's necks." In 1999, their demands were echoed in the "my nationality is a right for me and my family" nationwide campaign.

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In 2018, Joumana Haddad, a prominent Lebanese feminist, human rights activist, and intellectual, ran as an independent candidate in Lebanon's parliamentary elections. She was part of Koullouna Watani ("All for the Nation"), a civil society coalition advocating for reform, transparency, and a break from the traditional sectarian and political elite in Lebanon. Her candidacy was seen as a challenge to the entrenched political establishment.

Initially, early results indicated that Haddad had won a seat reserved for minorities in Beirut I. However, in a surprising turn, it was later announced that she had lost, sparking outrage among her supporters and the broader reformist community. Accusations of electoral manipulation and unfair practices began circulating, with many questioning the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.

This incident highlighted widespread concerns about the fairness of Lebanese elections, particularly regarding the influence of entrenched political elites and sectarian dynamics. Haddad’s loss became a symbol of the challenges faced by independents and reformists in Lebanon's political landscape, which remains dominated by traditional power structures.

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Martha Karua is a distinguished leader and renowned human rights defender, known for her integrity and commitment to reform.

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1717. My Journey Into Activism - Hon. Martha Karua #cta101

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The Antifascist Front of Women Bosnia and Herzegovina, in former Yugoslavia 

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The Antifascist Front of Women Bosnia and Herzegovina, in former Yugoslavia 

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Ovdje su svjedočanstva o masovnoj borbi žena,svjedočanstva jedne generacije za koju nije bilo dilema.Revolucija ima svoje pjesme, svoje zastave, svoju krv. “Sve za front”.

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Verónica Cruz Sánchez (born February 1, 1971) is a Mexican human rights defender. She was the first Mexican to be awarded the Defender of Human Rights award from Human Rights Watch. In 2006, she was awarded the honor for her work with women's right to access legal and medical services.[1] She brings public awareness to the situation of predominantly uneducated, indigenous and impoverished women who are imprisoned for abortion and miscarriage in Mexico. Cruz has worked to decriminalize and destigmatize women's decisions over their bodies and reproductive rights.[2] She is founder of Las Libres, an organization dedicated to the defense, guarantee and respect of human rights for women in the state of Guanajuato and across Mexico.[3]

History

[edit]

In 2001, she and other activists founded an organization called Las Libres (the Free Women) to advocate for women's rights to make decisions about their bodies, their reproductive choices and their sexuality.[7] She has been active in promoting free and safe abortions to victims of rape[8] and incest, though in many states of Mexico, incest is seen as a consensual, rather than a criminal, relationship.[9]

Cruz was the first Mexican human rights activist to be awarded the Defender of Human Rights award from Human Rights Watch.[4] In 2006, she was awarded the honor for her work with women's right to access legal and medical services.[1][4]

To destigmatize abortion, Cruz developed a program where trained volunteers accompany women throughout their medical procedures lending them support. Counseling services are available, as well as physical support whether they have decided to terminate a pregnancy outside the formal health system or in a clinic in Mexico City. Mexico City is the only place in the nation where an abortion can be obtained for a pregnancy which was not the result of rape. In 2014, Cruz produced a short documentary film, Accompaniment, to demonstrate how the model they have developed is used to both support women and reduce stigma.[10]

The Guanajuato Seven

[edit]

In 2008, she and other activists began interviewing women who were incarcerated and collected statistics on the reasons for their imprisonment. They discovered that women were being imprisoned for up to 30 years in some cases under a charge of "aggravated homicide of a family member." In reviewing the law code, Cruz discovered that this offense was not a crime which was defined in the legal statutes. Cruz and Las Libres assisted in funding and support for the 2010 legal proceedings that reduced the sentences of the women to 3 years, which all had already served, and reformed state legislation.[11] The women were not exonerated, but their punishments were deemed to be excessively punitive.[12]

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Urkuya was one of those individuals who showed the way to the people during great historical changes. She was a prominent representative of the new era. As the first woman chairman of the collective farm and member of the Central Executive Committee, she had a serious influence on the historical events of that time. Her activities were news, an event for the people.

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250-300 women in white came out in the streets of Minsk (Belarus) on the 12th of August 2020 as an answer to unprecedented violence of the authorities against protesters, who protested against falsified elections.

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Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando,  ("They amount to the same, the same they amount to")- Wikipedia 

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Isabella I of Castile

Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanto_monta,_monta_tanto,_Isabel_como_Fernando

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"Tãto mõta" ("tanto monta") as inscribed on the Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada.

The motto TANTO MONTA is included in this 1889 oil painting by Emilio Sala Francés, illustrating [the role played by Torquemada (the Grand Inquisitor) in events leading up to] The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492

Arms of the Catholic Monarchs.

Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando (pronounced [ˈtantoˈmonta,ˈmontaˈtanto,isaˈβelˈkomofeɾˈnando]) or simply Tanto monta, monta tanto ("They amount to the same, the same they amount to" ) was the alleged motto of a prenuptial agreement made by the Spanish Catholic Monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. During their joint reign they did in fact support each other effectively in accordance with their motto of equality. Still, the wording " Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando" is actually a popular saying invented many centuries later, not the real motto. Besides, and contrary to popular belief, Tanto monta was only the motto of King Ferdinand of Aragon, and never used by Isabella.

The Catholic Monarchs' great sword kept in the Royal Armoury of Madrid, made in the 15th century, was used during the reign of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabelle of Castile and in all solemn court occasions until the 18th century. With this sword, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella knighted Christopher Columbus on his return from his first voyage to America. In the Throne Hall of the Royal Palace in Barcelona, Columbus was named "Admiral of the Ocean" and "Viceroy of the Indies". This ceremonial sword was used as the symbol of the royal power in all religious and political ceremonies starting with the conquest of Granada and the beginning of Spain as a nation. On its hand guard it bears the inscription " Tanto monta, monta tanto" that translates roughly to "As much as the one is worth, so too is the other."

Another version holds that the motto comes from the proverb Tanto monta cortar como desatar ("It amounts to the same, cutting as untying"), from the Classical story of the Gordian knot where Alexander the Great, wanting to untie the knot of a sacred yoke at Gordion to fulfill the prophecy of the conquest of Asia, decided to cut it with his sword. Hence it is associated to the yoke in the emblem of the yoke and arrows.

The motto Tanto monta, monta tanto appeared on the Spanish Royal Standard of the Catholic Monarchs from 1492-1506. Romantic painters represented it on the Spanish flags that Christopher Columbus brought to the New World, but there is no proof that he actually carried them. Later the motto was changed to Plus Ultra which is Latin for "further beyond" referring to Spain and its lands in the Americas.

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Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando - Wikipedia

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Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando (pronounced [ˈtantoˈmonta,ˈmontaˈtanto,isaˈβelˈkomofeɾˈnando]) or simply Tanto monta, monta tanto ("They amount to the same, the same they amount to" ) was the alleged motto of a prenuptial agreement made by the Spanish Catholic Monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lina_Merlin

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Angelina " Lina" (15 October 1887 - 16 August 1979) was an Italian politician, perhaps best known for authoring and promoting the so-called " Merlin law" which abolished state-regulated prostitution in Italy. She was also an activist and educator, and took part in the Italian resistance movement.

The daughter of Giustina Poli, a teacher, and Fruttuoso Merlin, secretary for the municipality, she was born in Pozzonovo, and grew up in Chioggia. In 1907, she received her diploma, qualifying her to teach elementary school. In 1914, she received her qualification to teach French in middle school, but preferred to continue to teach elementary school. In March 1926, because she refused to take an oath of loyalty to Italy's Fascist government, she was removed from her teaching position. In November of that year, she was sentenced to five years in prison; her sentence was reduced, and she returned to Padua in November 1929. She moved to Milan in 1930; to support herself, she gave private lessons in French.

In 1919, she joined the Italian Socialist Party (PSI). Merlin contributed to the socialist weekly Eco dei lavoratori, and the periodical La Difesa delle lavoratrici. During World War II, she took part in the resistance against the fascists. She participated in the founding of the Gruppi di difesa della donna, women's defence groups. In 1944, she helped found the Unione donne italiane, and served three terms as its president.

In 1946, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Italy, as a member of the PSI. She was instrumental in ensuring that the rights of women and children were protected in the new constitution. In 1948, she was elected to the Italian Senate of the Republic; she was re-elected in 1953. Merlin retired from the Socialist Party in 1961, and did not run for re-election after her term of office ended in 1963.

The bill to abolish the regulation of prostitution in Italy (Law No. 75/1958) was introduced in 1948, and, after a long and difficult process, was finally passed in early 1958 and came into effect in September of that year.

Merlin served on the Chioggia municipal council from 1951 to 1955.

She met Dante Gallani in Milan; the couple married in 1933, but Gallani died three years later.

Merlin died in Padua at the age of 91.

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Angelina " Lina" (15 October 1887 - 16 August 1979) was an Italian politician, perhaps best known for authoring and promoting the so-called " Merlin law" which abolished state-regulated prostitution in Italy. She was also an activist and educator, and took part in the Italian resistance movement.

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NANA KONADU AGYEMAN RAWLINGS – Western Africa Magazine

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Western Africa Magazine | Africa news | Africa UK | Africa USA | African Politics | Conflict in Africa | African trade, life, style, culture, education, travel, health, Ebola, sports, business | West Africa | ECOWAS | African oil, gas, diamonds, cocoa, coffee | African development | African economy | African diaspora | African London| African market | West Africa News | About Western Africa | ECOWAS countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Cape Verde

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Tina Anselmi - first woman to become minister of the Republic in Italy - movie

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Tina Anselmi - first woman to become minister of the Republic in Italy - movie

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Tina Anselmi – A life for Democracy directed by Luciano Manuzzi is now available on RaiPlay - Rai Com

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Seven years from the death of the first woman to become minister of the Republic in Italy, the TV movie narrates of Tina Anselmi’s great passion for democracy, political and civil commitment. Rai Com handles worldwide distribution of the release that is already scheduled to air in Spain, Portugal and Eastern Europe, as well as on

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Tina is remembered for her efforts on behalf of equal opportunity for women and is considered by many to be the mother of modern Italian democracy.

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National Organization of Italian American Women

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National Organization of Italian American Women

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In Memory of Hon. Tina Anselmi - National Organization of Italian American Women

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Pictured: Hon. Tina Anselmi (R) with Dr. Aileen R. Sirey, NOIAW Founder & Chair Emerita Italy lost a great stateswoman and our organization lost a Discover NOIAW, your gateway to an inclusive community that celebrates Italian culture and empowers its members for personal and professional development.

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Marthe Gosteli was born in 1917 on her parents’ farm in Worblaufen near Bern. During WWII she worked in the press and radio department of the Swiss Armed Forces. After the war, she was in charge of the film department of the information services at the US embassy in Bern.

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Aung San Suu Kyi | Biography, Nobel Prize, & Facts | Britannica

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Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights activist and opposition leader whose party, the National League for Democracy, came to power in Myanmar after the 2015 elections. She held the title of state counselor, a powerful position created for her, from 2016 to 2021. Learn more about her activism and political career.

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Queen Laxmibai has gone into history as the queen who defended her constituency against the British rule/Crown in the 19th Century.

The folklore goes by that she fought against the British army and escaped along with carrying her baby with her.

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Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi ( pronunciation ; 19 November 1828 - 18 June 1858),[1][2] was an Indian queen of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi in North India currently present in Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh, India.[3] She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists.

Rani Lakshmibai was born on 19 November 1828 in the town of Varanasi into a Marathi Karhade Brahmin family. She was named Manikarnika Tambe and was nicknamed Manu. Her father was Moropant Tambe and her mother Bhagirathi Sapre (Bhagirathi Bai). Her parents came from Maharashtra. Her mother died when she was four years old.Her father was the Commander of the war of Kalyanpranth. Her father worked for Peshwa Baji Rao II of Bithoor district. The Peshwa called her "Chhabili", which means "playful". She was educated at home, able to read and write, and was more independent in her childhood than others of her age; her studies included shooting, horsemanship, fencing and mallakhamba with her childhood friends Nana Sahib and Tatya Tope.[dubious ] Rani Lakshmibai contrasted many of the patriarchal cultural expectations for women in India's society at this time.

Rani Lakshmibai was accustomed to riding on horseback accompanied by a small escort between the palace and the temple although sometimes she was carried by palanquin. Her horses included Sarangi, Pavan and Baadal; according to historians she rode Baadal when escaping from the fort in 1858. The Rani Mahal, the palace of Rani Lakshmibai, has now been converted into a museum. It houses a collection of archaeological remains of the period between the 9th and 12th centuries AD.

History of Jhansi, 1842 - May 1857.

Manikarnika was married to the Maharaja of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, in May 1842 and was afterwards called Lakshmibai (or Laxmibai) in honour of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi and according to the traditions. She gave birth to a boy, later named Damodar Rao, in 1851, who died after four months. The Maharaja adopted a child called Anand Rao, the son of Gangadhar Rao's cousin, who was renamed Damodar Rao, on the day before the Maharaja died. The adoption was in the presence of the British political officer who was given a letter from the Maharaja instructing that the child be treated with respect and that the government of Jhansi should be given to his widow for her lifetime.

After the death of the Maharaja in November 1853, because Damodar Rao (born Anand Rao) was an adopted son, the British East India Company, under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, applied the Doctrine of Lapse, rejecting Damodar Rao's claim to the throne and annexing the state to its territories. When she was informed of this she cried out "Main apni Jhansi nahi doongi" (I shall not surrender my Jhansi). In March 1854, Rani Lakshmibai was given an annual pension of Rs. 60,000 and ordered to leave the palace and the fort..

According to Vishnu Bhatt Godse the Rani would exercise at weightlifting, wrestling and steeplechasing before breakfast. An intelligent and simply-dressed woman, she ruled in a business-like manner.

On 19 May 1857 the Indian Rebellion started in Meerut. When news of the fighting reached Jhansi, the Rani asked the British political officer, Captain Alexander Skene, for permission to raise a body of armed men for her own protection; Skene agreed to this. The city was relatively calm in the midst of the regional unrest, but the Rani conducted a Haldi Kumkum ceremony with pomp in front of all the women of Jhansi to provide assurance to her subjects, in the summer of 1857 and to convince them that the British were cowards and not to be afraid of them.

Until this point, Lakshmibai was reluctant to rebel against the British. In June 1857, rebels of the 12th Bengal Native Infantry seized the Star Fort of Jhansi containing the treasure and magazine, and after persuading the British to lay down their arms by promising them no harm, broke their word and massacred 40 to 60 European officers of the garrison along with their wives and children. The Rani's involvement in this massacre is still a subject of debate. An army doctor, Thomas Lowe, wrote after the rebellion characterising her as the " Jezebel of India ... the young rani upon whose head rested the blood of the slain".

Four days after the massacre the sepoys left Jhansi, having obtained a large sum of money from the Rani, and having threatened to blow up the palace where she lived. Following this, as the only source of authority in the city the Rani felt obliged to assume the administration and wrote to Major Erskine, commissioner of the Saugor division explaining the events which had led her to do so. On 2 July, Erskine wrote in reply, requesting her to "manage the District for the British Government" until the arrival of a British Superintendent. The Rani's forces defeated an attempt by the mutineers to assert the claim to the throne of a rival prince Sadashiv Rao (nephew of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao) who was captured and imprisoned.

There was then an invasion of Jhansi by the forces of Company allies Orchha and Datia; their intention however was to divide Jhansi between themselves. The Rani appealed to the British for aid but it was now believed by the governor-general that she was responsible for the massacre and no reply was received. She set up a foundry to cast cannon to be used on the walls of the fort and assembled forces including some from former feudatories of Jhansi and elements of the mutineers which were able to defeat the invaders in August 1857. Her intention at this time was still to hold Jhansi on behalf of the British.

From August 1857 to January 1858 Jhansi under the Rani's rule was at peace. The British had announced that troops would be sent there to maintain control but the fact that none arrived strengthened the position of a party of her advisers who wanted independence from British rule. When the British forces finally arrived in March they found it well-defended and the fort had heavy guns which could fire over the town and nearby countryside. Hugh Rose, commanding the British forces, demanded the surrender of the city; if this was refused it would be destroyed. After due deliberation the Rani issued a proclamation: "We fight for independence. In the words of Lord Krishna, we will if we are victorious, enjoy the fruits of victory, if defeated and killed on the field of battle, we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation." She defended Jhansi against British troops when Sir Hugh Rose besieged Jhansi on 23 March 1858.

The bombardment began on 24 March but was met by heavy return fire and the damaged defences were repaired. The defenders sent appeals for help to Tatya Tope; an army of more than 20,000, headed by Tatya Tope, was sent to relieve Jhansi but they failed to do so when they fought the British on 31 March. During the battle with Tatya Tope's forces part of the British forces continued the siege and by 2 April it was decided to launch an assault by a breach in the walls. Four columns assaulted the defences at different points and those attempting to scale the walls came under heavy fire. Two other columns had already entered the city and were approaching the palace together. Determined resistance was encountered in every street and in every room of the palace. Street fighting continued into the following day and no quarter was given, even to women and children. "No maudlin clemency was to mark the fall of the city" wrote Thomas Lowe. The Rani withdrew from the palace to the fort and after taking counsel decided that since resistance in the city was useless she must leave and join either Tatya Tope or Rao Sahib ( Nana Sahib's nephew).

According to tradition with Damodar Rao on her back she jumped on her horse Badal from the fort; they survived but the horse died. The Rani escaped in the night with her son, surrounded by guards. The escort included the warriors Khuda Bakhsh Basharat Ali (commandant), Gulam Gaus Khan, Dost Khan, Lala Bhau Bakshi, Moti Bai, Sunder-Mundar, Kashi Bai, Deewan Raghunath Singh and Deewan Jawahar Singh.[citation needed ] She decamped to Kalpi with a few guards, where she joined additional rebel forces, including Tatya Tope. They occupied the town of Kalpi and prepared to defend it. On 22 May British forces attacked Kalpi; the forces were commanded by the Rani herself and were again defeated.

The leaders (the Rani of Jhansi, Tatya Tope, the Nawab of Banda, and Rao Sahib) fled once more. They came to Gwalior and joined the Indian forces who now held the city (Maharaja Scindia having fled to Agra from the battlefield at Morar). They moved on to Gwalior intending to occupy the strategic Gwalior Fort and the rebel forces occupied the city without opposition. The rebels proclaimed Nana Sahib as Peshwa of a revived Maratha dominion with Rao Sahib as his governor (subedar) in Gwalior. The Rani was unsuccessful in trying to persuade the other rebel leaders to prepare to defend Gwalior against a British attack which she expected would come soon. General Rose's forces took Morar on 16 June and then made a successful attack on the city.

On 17 June in Kotah-ki-Serai near the Phool Bagh of Gwalior, a squadron of the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars, under Captain Heneage, fought the large Indian force commanded by Rani Lakshmibai, who was trying to leave the area. The 8th Hussars charged into the Indian force, slaughtering 5,000 Indian soldiers, including any Indian "over the age of 16". They took two guns and continued the charge right through the Phool Bagh encampment. In this engagement, according to an eyewitness account, Rani Lakshmibai put on a sowar's uniform and attacked one of the hussars; she was unhorsed and also wounded, probably by his sabre. Shortly afterwards, as she sat bleeding by the roadside, she recognised the soldier and fired at him with a pistol, whereupon he "dispatched the young lady with his carbine". According to another tradition Rani Lakshmibai, the Queen of Jhansi, dressed as a cavalry leader, was badly wounded; not wishing the British to capture her body, she told a hermit to burn it. After her death a few local people cremated her body.

The British captured the city of Gwalior after three days. In the British report of this battle, Hugh Rose commented that Rani Lakshmibai is "personable, clever and beautiful" and she is "the most dangerous of all Indian leaders". Rose reported that she had been buried "with great ceremony under a tamarind tree under the Rock of Gwalior, where I saw her bones and ashes".

Her tomb is in the Phool Bagh area of Gwalior. Twenty years after her death Colonel Malleson wrote in the History of the Indian Mutiny; vol. 3; London, 1878 'Whatever her faults in British eyes may have been, her countrymen will ever remember that she was driven by ill-treatment into rebellion, and that she lived and died for her country, We cannot forget her contribution for India.'

According to a memoir purporting to be by Damodar Rao, the young prince was among his mother's troops and household at the battle of Gwalior. Together with others who had survived the battle (some 60 retainers with 60 camels and 22 horses) he fled from the camp of Rao Sahib of Bithur and as the village people of Bundelkhand dared not aid them for fear of reprisals from the British, they were forced to live in the forest and suffer many privations. After two years there were about 12 survivors and these, together with another group of 24 they encountered, sought the city of Jhalrapatan where there were yet more refugees from Jhansi. Damodar Rao of Jhansi surrendered himself to a British official and his memoir ends in May 1860. He was then allowed a pension of Rs. 10,000, seven retainers, and was in the guardianship of Munshi Dharmanarayan.

An equestrian statue of Lakshmibai in Solapur, Maharashtra.

The samadhi of Rani Lakshmibai.

Birthplace of Rani Lakshmibai, Varanasi.

Rani Lakshmi Bai Park, Jhansi.

Statues of Lakshmibai are seen in many places of India, which show her and her son tied to her back. Lakshmibai National University of Physical Education in Gwalior, Laksmibai National College of Physical Education in Thiruvananthapuram, Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi are named after her. Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi was founded in 2013. The Rani Jhansi Marine National Park is located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. A women's unit of the Indian National Army was named the Rani of Jhansi Regiment. In 1957 two postage stamps were issued to commemorate the centenary of the rebellion. Indian representations in novels, poetry, and film tend towards an uncomplicated valorization of Rani Lakshmibai as an individual solely devoted to the cause of Indian independence.

A number of patriotic songs have been written about the Rani. The most famous composition about Rani Lakshmi Bai is the Hindi poem Jhansi ki Rani written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan. An emotionally charged description of the life of Rani Lakshmibai, it is often taught in schools in India. A popular stanza from it reads:

बुंदेले हरबोलों के मुँह हमने सुनी कहानी थी, खूब लड़ी मर्दानी वह तो झाँसी वाली रानी थी।।

Translation: "From the bards of Bundela we have heard this story / She fought valiantly like a man, she was the queen of Jhansi."

For Marathi people there is an equally well-known ballad about the brave queen penned at the spot near Gwalior where she died in battle, by B. R. Tambe, who was a poet laureate of Maharashtra and of her clan. A couple of stanzas run like this:

रे हिंदबांधवा, थांब या स्थळीं अश्रु दोन ढाळीं /

ती पराक्रमाची ज्योत मावळे इथे झाशिवाली / ... / घोड्यावर खंद्या स्वार, हातात नंगि तर्वार / खणखणा करित ती वार / गोर्‍यांची कोंडी फोडित पाडित वीर इथे आली /

मर्दानी झाशीवाली!

Translation: "You, denizen of this land, pause here and shed a tear or two / For this is where the flame of the valorous lady of Jhansi was extinguished / ... / Astride a stalwart stallion / With a naked sword in hand / She burst open the British siege / And came to rest here, the brave lady of Jhansi!"

Flashman in the Great Game by George MacDonald Fraser, a historical fiction novel about the Indian Revolt describing several meetings between Flashman and the Rani.

La femme sacrée, in French, by Michel de Grèce. A novel based on the Rani of Jhansi's life in which the author imagines an affair between the Rani and an English lawyer. Pocket, 1988, ISBN 978-2-266-02361-0

La Reine des cipayes, in French, by Catherine Clément, Paris: Seuil, 2012, ISBN 978-2-021-02651-1

Rani, a 2007 novel in English by Jaishree Misra.

Manu (ISBN 072788073X) and Queen of Glory (ISBN 0727881213), (2011 & 2012) by Christopher Nicole, two novels about Lakshmibai from the time of her marriage until her death during the 'Indian Revolt' as seen and experienced by an English woman companion.

Seeta: This mutiny novel written by Philip Meadows Taylor in 1872 is showing the admiration of Taylor for the Rani.

Lachmi Bai, Rani of Jhansi: The Jeanne D'Arc of India: This novel written by Michael White in 1901 depicts the Rani in a romanticised way.

The Rane: A legend of the Indian Mutiny: In this novel written by Gillean, a British military officer, in 1887 the Rani is shown as an unscrupulous and cruel woman.

The Queen's Desire: This novel written by Hume Nisbet in 1893 focuses on the Rani's sexuality. However, she does not want to use her sexuality to manipulate the British, but she cannot resist a British officer and consequently falls in love with him.

The Order: 1886, a single-player third-person shooter video game features a fictional version of Rani Lakshmi Bai. In the game, she is the rebel leader fighting the United India Company plotting to rule the world with unethical force.

Fate/Grand Order, a mobile turn based RPG based on the popular Fate franchise, Lakshmibai appears as a playable "Servant" in the "Saber" class. Her design is based on that of "Fate" Jeanne D'Arc, in reference to the 1901 novel Lachmi Bai, Rani of Jhansi: The Jeanne D'Arc of India by Michael White which described her as "The Jeanne D'Arc of India".

The Queen of Jhansi, by Mahasweta Devi (translated by Sagaree and Mandira Sengupta). This book is a reconstruction of the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai from extensive research of both historical documents (collected mostly by G. C. Tambe, grandson of the Queen) and folk tales, poetry and oral tradition; the original in Bengali was published in 1956; the English translation by Seagull Books, Calcutta, 2000, ISBN 8170461758.

The Rebellious Rani, 1966; by Sir John George Smyth, 1st Baronet.

"The Rani of Jhansi: Gender, History, and Fable in India," by Harleen Singh (Cambridge University Press, 2014. The book is a study of the many representations of Rani Lakshmibai in British novels, Hindi novels, poetry, and film.

Vishnu Bhatt Godse.Maza Pravas: 1857 cya Bandaci Hakikat (Marathi "My journey: the truth about the 1857 rebellion")

Meyer, Karl E. & Brysac, Shareen Blair. Tournament of Shadows Washington D.C.: Counterpoint, 1999; pp. 138-45.

Verma, Janki Sharan Amar Balidani

Zila Vikas Pustika, 1996-97, Jhansi

Jerinic, Maria (1997). "How we lost the empire: retelling the stories of the Rani of Jhansi and Queen Victoria". In Homans, Margaret; Munich, Adrienne (eds.). Remaking Queen Victoria. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521574853.

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Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi ( pronunciation ; 19 November 1828 - 18 June 1858),[1] [2] was an Indian queen of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi in North India currently present in Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh, India.[3] She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists.