As International Men’s Day approaches, messages to SAT-7 reveal the unseen emotional and spiritual battles faced by men across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Middle Eastern men are raised to stay strong: to shoulder responsibility, to endure, to provide. But in a region marked by economic strain and shifting traditions, that strength often hides silent battles: depression, guilt, […]
As Father’s Day is celebrated around the world, we consider the challenges facing fathers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and hear from SAT-7 viewers who are looking to their Heavenly Father to help them raise their own families. Arman, a father from Afghanistan, reached out to SAT-7 with this heartbreaking message: “I am truly tired of life […]
Sharing is caring, they say. In this case, it really is; Jalil Sepehr and his son Arvin are sharing their hearts with each other and Iran in a bid to benefit the future of church and culture in the region. Joseph Hovsepian, producer of new series Encounter of Generations, which is broadcast by SAT-7 PARS, is passionate about the power […]
Christian broadcaster SAT-7 is offering UK Christians the chance to bring a Middle Eastern perspective to their journey through Lent this year. Better known in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) than in the UK, SAT-7 is a network of four satellite TV channels produced by Christians in the MENA region and watched by over 25 million Arabic, Persian […]
The recent allegations of sexual harassment over decades lodged against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and the domino effect on other public figures has sent ripples worldwide. The #metoo hashtag on social media united not only female victims but also many male supporters. My experience in Egypt, however, is that sexual harassment isn’t limited to the workspace but is loud […]
Local partners Population: 6.5 million (plus up to 3 million refugees); 92% Sunni Muslim; 6% Christian; 2% Shiite Muslim/Druze Literacy: 98.5% men; 97.5% women Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, plays a significant role in the Middle East, lying between Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq and the Holy Lands. Jordan is […]
Every day, people have difficult questions, face problems, or need to make important decisions, but sometimes they don’t know the right path to choose. SAT-7 receives many calls and messages requesting help and counselling in problems ranging from interpersonal issues to life-threatening situations. Around 40 per cent of the daily messages to SAT-7 include questions about marital problems, relationship issues […]
It’s a truism that Middle East societies are male-led and patriarchal. But how do you enable those men to lead well – to lead as people who will serve their families wisely and thoughtfully as well as seek to succeed in their own right?
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 […]
As I mentioned in my previous post, materialism plays a heavy role in Lebanese society. Here, “keeping up with the Joneses” takes on an entirely new dimension. Appearance is important; your reputation is everything. Wedding on the Beirut corniche (cwirtanen/Flickr Commons) Lebanese women are famous for being beautiful. A few years back, when I told a taxi driver in Cairo […]