More than 300 people are feared dead after boats were found in the Mediterranean. On one boat, 29 people froze to death as there was no space in the deck. UNHCR claims that the boats had left Lybia on Saturday with 4 dinghies. Survivors said that...
“If you are the big tree, we are the small axe. Ready to cut you down, to cut you down” Bob Marley was born on this day in 1945. His songs have been soundtrack to peace movements, and many of them carry a strong social and...
Gimme Shelter is the opening track to the 1969 Rolling Stones album ‘Let it Bleed’, probably one of the best albums by the band, released in a moment of strong political and social tension worldwide. It was written by lead vocalist Mick Jagger, and guitarist Keith Richards, who wrote...
Charlie Hebdo has become the face of freedom of expression worldwide. The hashtag “Je Suis Charlie” or “I am Charlie” was used millions of times and spread around the internet like wildfire. It expresses solidarity and support for the victims of the Charlie Hebdo massacre, but...
On the 8th of December 1980, a legend of rock and roll and one of the most powerful peace advocates of the 20th century was killed on his way home in New York. John Lennon was forty years old; he had recently come back to the...
Five days ago, in Uganda, surfaced a horrific video of a woman beating and stepping on a toddler with indescribable violence and frustration. She was taking care of the 18 months old girl whilst her parents were working. The father of the toddler hid a camera...
International Thief Thief” was written by the pioneer of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti (1938-97). Born in an upper middle class family – his mother was a feminist activist, his father a teacher and his brothers well-known doctors- and strongly influenced by his meeting with a partisan of the Black...
Burkina Faso’s people have risen. Protests in Ouagadougou, the capital, have provoked all kinds of reactions in Africa and the world. The Burkinabe people could not stand silent to yet another violation of democratic law, something that is not rare in some African countries. On Thursday, people...
First recorded by the famous jazz singer Billie Holiday, ‘Strange Fruit’ is a song about the lynching of black people in Southern America in the first half of the 20th Century. It was first written as a poem by teacher Abel Meerpol and was then was...
“Men—I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue too”. Emma Watson’s speech at the launch of the campaign ‘He for She’ has gained a lot of attention in the last month, and it seems the 24 year...
“Change the way people think, and things will never be the same” S.Biko Today marks the 37th year since Steve Bantu Biko’s funeral. On this day, in 1977, more than 10000 people attended his funeral – including diplomats from 13 countries. The attendance number would have been...
Feminism is often branded in the wrong way: many think of women who grow their armpit hairs really long, have loads of meaningless sex (what is that anyways?) and are extremely angry with men. They are misled. In the last few days I have been hearing...
What are the consequences of the increase of the deaths of journalists and humanitarian workers in unstable environments to international aid and policies? We are not immune. With World Humanitarian day happening just two days ago, the recent kidnapping of two Italian girls in Syria and...
The recently published MSF Report “ Where is Everyone” has caused a lot of (distorted) opinion in the media and in development. We should focus on the fact that MSF is saying what most people inside the humanitarian system knew, but didn’t want to hear out...
Gender is at the top of the agenda in International Development. “ Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women” is the third Millennium Development Goal (MDG), announced in 2000 by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The promoting part of the goal has been tackled, now...
