In my latest podcast episode, I spoke with former Principal Deputy Director in the Secretary of State`s Office of Global Women`s Issues, Katrina (Kat) Fotovat about the backsliding on women`s rights between the first and second Trump adminstrations. Kat noted the shift in priorities between administrations, and the national security implications of such cuts to women`s issues.
Listen to the full episode via the link in bio; episodes also available on all major podcasting apps
A new Human Rights Watch report shows how Trump’s immigration policies are hurting some of the most vulnerable people, especially undocumented survivors of serious crimes. The US was once the place where people fleeing violence came to feel safe. Under Trump, that promise has been willfully abandoned.
#Immigration #UnitedStates #Migration #HumanRights
Today’s podcast guest is Katrina Fotovat, the former Principal Deputy Director in the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, where she led a team of experts promoting women, peace, and security, countering violent extremism, promoting women’s economic empowerment, and combatting gender-based violence.
In this episode, we discuss the critical work that has been done by the Office of Global Women’s Issues under three different presidential administrations, local outreach programs facilitated by the US overseas to support women’s issues and combat gender-based violence, including working with men and boys, and the global impacts of the current Trump administration’s drastic cuts to foreign aid.
Listen now; link in bio.
The authorities’ and social media platforms’ insufficient responses have further deterred journalists from speaking out. Additionally, many journalists have migrated to better regulated online media platforms, leaving behind X and Facebook, where abuse remains prevalent, in search of safer, more controlled spaces.
https://ihcr.institute/writing/a-digital-conflict-is-escalating-technology-facilitated-violence-against-women/
Rwandan academic and outspoken government critic Aimable Karasira died in custody on the very day he was expected to be released from prison, raising serious questions about repression and the treatment of dissenting voices in Rwanda. Authorities claimed he died from a medication overdose, but Human Rights Watch is calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Akrasia had endured years of threats, harassment, imprisonment, and allegations of torture after criticizing the government and speaking publicly about abuses linked to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. His death adds to growing concerns over suspicious deaths, intimidation, and the silencing of critics in Rwanda, where many activists and opposition voices continue to face fear and persecution.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Press freedom across East and Southern Africa is under growing attack, according to a new Amnesty International report. Journalists in countries including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Somalia are facing arrests, intimidation, internet shutdowns, surveillance, violence, and censorship simply for doing their jobs. Independent media outlets have been shut down, reporters detained without due process, and some journalists forced into exile or hiding. Amnesty International warns that governments are increasingly using vague cybercrime and security laws to silence critical reporting and restrict free expression, especially around elections and conflict. The crackdown on journalists not only threatens media freedom but also weakens accountability, transparency, and the public’s right to access truthful information.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
The United States is reportedly considering improving diplomatic relations with Eritrea and possibly lifting sanctions imposed over serious abuses committed during the war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Human rights groups warn that easing sanctions without accountability could send a dangerous message that grave abuses can go unpunished. Eritrea remains one of the world’s most repressive countries, where people face indefinite military service, arbitrary detention, forced labor, and severe restrictions on free speech and independent media. Eritrean forces have also been accused of massacres, sexual violence, and other abuses in Tigray. Human Rights Watch says sanctions should not be lifted until Eritrea takes meaningful steps toward accountability and respects basic human rights and freedoms.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
War, displacement, economic collapse, and food insecurity are leaving millions vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and extreme hardship.Across the Middle East and neighboring regions, ongoing conflicts are creating a deepening humanitarian crisis for women and girls. War, displacement, economic collapse, and food insecurity are leaving millions vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and extreme hardship. As infrastructure deteriorates and access to healthcare, education, and basic services disappears, women are increasingly forced to carry the burden of survival for entire families. In many conflict zones, women spend their days searching for food, water, medicine, and safety while also caring for children, the elderly, and the injured. At the same time, growing instability continues to expose women and girls to heightened risks of abuse, forced displacement, and poverty. Humanitarian responses and peacebuilding efforts cannot ignore the disproportionate impact conflict has on women. Protecting their dignity, safety, and access to opportunity must remain central to any long-term path toward stability and recovery.
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
