In Afghanistan, education officials have banned girls over the age of 12 from singing in public, but the girls are speaking up. Many are posting videos of themselves singing on social media as part of a protest campaign. The ban comes as the Afghan government negotiates a peace agreement with the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group opposed to equal rights for women and girls. Listen to the director of an Afghan music institute explain why depriving girls of the right to sing is a “big issue,” and how it could impact the country’s future.
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November 15, 2017
3:35
Women will soon be allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. For decades the monarchy in Saudi Arabia forbid women from driving and other activities. Now the young crown prince has relaxed many restrictions on women as part of larger reforms in efforts to modernize the Middle Eastern country. There have been protests of the driving ban, including in 1990 when forty women drove the streets of the capital and lost their jobs. Listen to this story to hear more about the changes coming to Saudi Arabia.
Read MoreMarch 15, 2015
4:07
The rights of women around the world vary widely. Women in Saudi Arabia have fought for their right to drive, be part of government, compete in the Olympics and, most recently, attend gym class. The school system in Saudi Arabia is divided by gender. Boys schools have long had gym class; a new policy would allow girls schools the same. The reaction within the country has been mixed. Some argue it breaks religious law, others say it is a natural and healthy way for young girls to grow. Listen to hear from women in Saudi Arabia.
Read MoreOctober 25, 2013
4:25
In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, activists are challenging the ban on women driving by taking the wheel and documenting their protests by video. Madiha Al Ajroush, a longtime advocate of women driving, compares the inability to drive like cutting one's legs off and taking the wheelchair away. This is not the first attempt to challenge the ban. There were two previous attempts in 1990 and 2011. Use this story to talk to your students about the struggle for women's rights on a global scale and how that compares to rights women currently have in the United States.
Read MoreOctober 22, 2013
16:14
Sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban in the Swat Valley of Pakistan because she campaigned for education for girls. After recovering from her injury in England, she has now released a book, met with President Obama, and been considered for the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala's father compares her fight for equal education to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s own battle for equal rights. Listen to her interview to start a discussion about advocacy, rights, and education.
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