Because I am a Woman, which started on 10 February, is a documentary-style show that is investigating some of the most controversial and shocking issues that affect women in the Arab world. It takes a hard-hitting factual approach featuring statistics and expert analysis as well as covering real-life stories.
The church in North Africa has grown significant in recent years. Yet many still worship together in secret or are isolated unable to attend a church. Broadcasting in the Kabyle language, SAT-7 ARABIC is now ministering to North Africans through Free Souls, a documentary series featuring Algerian Christians’ testimonies.
Well of course a man should beat his wife if she cheats on him!” It has been three years since my friend made that comment with a laugh, as I stared at her with a stunned expression, and yet I still remember it clearly. It was the first time since coming to Lebanon that I realised the depth of the […]
SAT-7 ARABIC women’s magazine Needle and Thread ventured into new grounds last month when it dedicated an episode to discuss the problems facing Sudanese refugees in Egypt, especially discrimination, exploitation and racism. “The topic of this episode has been tugging at my heart for years—every time I see a Sudanese woman or child in Egypt. I have been imagining and […]
Only the intervention of government figures, faith and human rights organisations made it possible for five Egyptian Christian families to return to their homes after mob violence drove them from their village. SAT-7 Egypt journalist Mary Joseph describes how religious extremism and Egypt’s informal legal process of “reconciliation sessions” can result in Christians being expelled from their communities. Ayman, an […]
In the fall-out of war, the need for food, shelter and other basic needs is obvious to all. But refugees’ “spirits also need care”. Dr Kathryn Kraft describes how Lebanese churches are doing this and how we can learn from them. A few weeks ago, I was sharing with a friend at my church in London about my research with […]
Analysis: Turkey’s surprise election result could be good news for democracy and has sent four Christians to parliament The outcome of Turkey’s 7 June parliamentary elections was startling. Most analysts foresaw a fall in election share for the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party), and the possibility of the pro-Kurdish HDP (People’s Democratic Party) obtaining the necessary 10 per cent […]
While Turkey geared up for elections which could have long-term internal and regional ramifications, the war against ISIS and proxy battles in Yemen dominated elsewhere. Christians in Turkey had reason to celebrate but faced discrimination in Egypt, Israel and Iran. News from the region On 7 June, Turkish citizens will vote in what is seen as one of the most […]
My family’s relationship with the tiny Mediterranean country of Lebanon is probably as long and as complicated as the history of the country itself, although our collective memories only stretch back a hundred or so years. In the early 1900s, a Lebanese man arrived at Ellis Island in the Upper New York Bay. Fleeing Ottoman Muslim persecution, Boutros Salim Aziz, […]
Some words of Sir Winston Churchill, whose funeral 50 years ago was remembered last month, remain as relevant as ever: “To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.” While brutality and war-war continued to dominate news from the MENA region, talks and common sense pulled others back from the brink. News from the Region The war in Syria continues in […]
