In an ideal world the quota should be removed! The quota is an insult, actually. Treating women as politically handicapped individuals is clear discrimination. But then again, we live in the real world where a lot of men – trying... (Continue reading)
What else do you think have influenced you and shaped your character to be who you’re now? People who told me that I cannot do this or that! People who attacked me! People who tried to compete with me! People who... (Continue reading)
"In his speech... he was talking clearly about investigations, those who were behind the chaos, and those were chanting and shouting for Mubarak to leave and depart were not Egyptians. That's accusing them of grand treason!" Rakha said. "His words... (Continue reading)
I would like to announce the partnership between marwarakha.com and Psychopolis! The 1st of January, 2011 marks the beginning of the fruitful cooperation between Marwa Rakha, as an Egyptian relationships and dating writer, and Mohamed Hamza, therapist and life-coach. The... (Continue reading)
From March 2005 until July 2010, I have successfully killed every little notion of motherhood inside of me; I have programmed my mind to overlook anything that is related to babies starting from articles on the internet, to books, toys,... (Continue reading)
If you are interested in joining my AUC classes this semester, please email Dr. Hosni Mansour at hos@aucegypt.edu... (Continue reading)
If you are interested in learning marketing in 6 weeks please book your class with Marwa Rakha who will be teaching principles of marketing To book your class with me, please email Dr. Hosni Mansour at hos@aucegypt.edu... (Continue reading)
After her email and after my horrible reaction, I wanted to quit! I wanted to give up on my chosen mission! Despair found its way to my heart and I gave up on myself just as much as I gave... (Continue reading)
Using their blogs, mobile phones, and new media, Egyptian activists have exposed numerous torture incidents by police officers over the past few years. Wael Abbas (Misr Digital),Shahinaz Abdel Salam (Wa7da Masreya), Ramy Raoof (Human Rights Defender), Amr Gharbeia (Gharbeia), Noha... (Continue reading)
Twenty-six-year-old Tarek Mohammed Nagiub Abdel Gawad has been named Mr Egypt 2010. He was also Egypt's candidate in the Mister World 2010 male pageant, which was held at Incheon, Korea, recently.... (Continue reading)
Egyptian President, Mohamed Hosni Mubarak registered the first Arabic domain in Egypt:مبارك.مصر ... (Continue reading)
Demonstrations and rage continued in Egypt following the death of a young Egyptian, allegedly at the hands of police. The anger on the street is evident online, where citizen journalists speak out.... (Continue reading)
In April 2008, freedom of speech and creativity in Egypt was hit in its core with the confiscation of Magdy El Shafee's adult graphic novel - Metro. The author and his publisher went to court and the lost. Dr... (Continue reading)
The trainers of the workshops are Egypt's most prominent bloggers and experts in the field like Malek Mustafa, Nora Younis, Hossam El Hamalawy, Adham El Shahabi, Deema Shaheen, Wael Abbas and Marwa Rakha.... (Continue reading)
The Egyptian Supreme Administrative Court has issued a ruling obliging Coptic Pope Shenouda III to allow Coptic divorcees to remarry. The pope has rejected the ruling. Copts are native Egyptian Christians and, according to Wikipedia,... (Continue reading)
The Gaza-bound Flotilla Raid has sparked an uprising in Egypt. Zeinobia covered the first Starbucks Protest in Egypt; A video and photographs were also posted by Sarah Carr and Mostafa Hussein.... (Continue reading)
Khaled Said, a 28-year-old Egyptian from the coastal city of Alexandria, was allegedly tortured to death at the hands of two officers who wanted to search him under the emergency law. He asked for a reason or a warrant -... (Continue reading)
Rakha added "If a person - male or female, heterosexual or homosexual, HIV infected or not, dark-skinned or fair-skinned - has passed their exams and assessments for any position in the state then they are fully entitled to assume that... (Continue reading)
Rima Fakih, an Arab Muslim immigrant, won the Miss USA Pageant. There are those who considered her award an Arab victory, those who considered her a Muslim disgrace, and others who dug up her past.... (Continue reading)
Between online activists, citizen journalists, and street demonstrators, it seems that the cause lost it's purpose and the Internet turned into a soundproof room for cursing and cussing.... (Continue reading)
Published in 2008, Dr Youssef Zidane's Azazeel (Beelzebub) created a stir, followed by resentment. Today - in 2010 - he is being accused of blasphemy and defaming Christianity and as insulting any of the 'heavenly faiths' is illegal in Egypt,... (Continue reading)
The current minimum laborer wage, set in the mid-1980s, is LE35. Tabula Gaza reviews the workers strife since the late 90s until today. ... (Continue reading)
Workers on Protest Face Security Crackdown... (Continue reading)
In the Presidential succession race, and after Gamal Mubarak's Sharek Initiative, Ayman Nour's Facebook activism, Omar Soliman's blog, now you can Ask ElBaradei. From May 17 to 26, you will be able to ask Dr ElBaradei through Google moderator any... (Continue reading)
Four of the seven upstream Nile Basin Initiative countries have decided to sign a new Nile deal. Despite strong Egyptian and Sudanese opposition, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia signed a new water-sharing agreement. The other three countries, Kenya, Burundi and... (Continue reading)
Upon discussing recurrent demonstrations and the 6th of April pro-democracy protest, Egyptian ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) members of Parliament lashed out during a verbal battle with Muslim Brotherhood MPs over protesters in the country on Sunday and said Egyptian... (Continue reading)
Mo-ha-med posted a note about Mumtaz El Qott's article where he mentioned that Egyptians want to get visas to Germany to wish President Mubarak a speedy recovery after his surgery.... (Continue reading)
Marwa Rakha's first book - The Poison Tree - planted & grown in Egypt - has become Egypt's first literary audio book in English. Narration: Marwa Rakha. ... (Continue reading)
Egyptian blogger and journalist Amira Al Tahawi got fired for blowing the whistle over a fabricated story on the Chinese artificial hymen kit in a post she wrote on her blog, claim bloggers. Here are reactions from the Egyptian blogosphere... (Continue reading)
The chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Egyptian Parliament, Dr Mostafa El Feki, in his article in Al Masry Al Youm Newspaper, stated that America and Israel have to approve of President Mubarak's successor. Zeinobia blogs the Presidency's... (Continue reading)
More than 20 Egyptian bloggers were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt. Led by Dr Mostafa Al Naggar, the bloggers left Cairo, Alexandria, and other cities in Egypt to pay their respects... (Continue reading)
In May 2005 I began teaching with the business studies division at the AUC. I taught Principles of Marketing, Advertising, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Consumer Behavior, and Public Relations. In December 2005 I began training; I have worked with OTT,... (Continue reading)
Rakha says that "if you think you are a writer, if you think you want people to hear your voice, if you do not want to be at the mercy of a publisher who will make you pay, will not... (Continue reading)
Many Egyptian bloggers and activists have been detained by State Security on various occasions and for various reasons - real or fake - Wa7da Masreya interviewed several bloggers and posted a detailed post on torture techniques and psychological tricks those... (Continue reading)
In 2008, Moftasa stumbled upon an old synagogue that was turned into an office for theNational Democratic Party (Egypt's ruling party). It is amazing how the very same Egyptians who were infuriated over Switzerland's decision to ban building minarets are... (Continue reading)
Algeria's 75-year-old activist and revolutionist Djamila Bouhired, is ill and is beseeching her country and countrymen to finance her medical treatment. The news has infuriated many Egyptian bloggers who see her as an Arab icon and a hero.... (Continue reading)
Marwa Rakha's Interview on Nile TV (Relationships, The Poison Tree, My Audio Book, and the Campaign against abusive publishers)... (Continue reading)
18. How do you feel about having the responsibility of speaking on behalf of women who are suppressed and don't have a voice? I do not speak on behalf of anyone; I speak about myself, where I have been, who I... (Continue reading)
On Sunday, November 29, 57.5% of Swiss voters approved a ban on the construction of new minarets atop mosques, paving the way for a constitutional amendment. The referendum will affect the construction of new minarets (not mosques) and will... (Continue reading)
Marwa Rakha Egypt's most influential people Euphoria Magazine December 2009 ... (Continue reading)
Alaa Mubarak, the Egyptian President's eldest son, turned into a national hero when he called live on TV and beat the drums of war. From the President's son to renowned actors and actresses, media figures, writers, and Facebook users, fury has... (Continue reading)
In April 2008, freedom of speech and creativity in Egypt was hit in its core with the confiscation of Magdy El Shafee's adult graphic novel - Metro. Since then the author and his publisher have beenon trial and while every... (Continue reading)
In the aftermath of the Egypt-Algeria match in Sudan, Egyptian football fans demonstrated in Zamalek in front of the Algerian embassy in Cairo on Thursday night and on Friday afternoon. The President's eldest son, Alaa Mubarak, instigated the riots live... (Continue reading)
Today Egyptians want Alaa Mubarak - Hosni Mubarak's eldest son - for president!... (Continue reading)
Major Nidal Hassan is the US military psychiatrist of Arab origins who recently went on ashooting rampage at Fort Hood in Texas, killing 12 soldiers and one civilian. He is now facing charges of premeditated murder. "Psychiatrist or Psychotic?", ask... (Continue reading)
From ferocious marketing campaigns to Facebook wars, hacking, and owl burning, the November 14th match between Egypt and Algeria has turned into an ugly war. Egyptian-Algerian actor Ahmed Mekky dedicates this wake-up call to the hypnotized mob:... (Continue reading)
Bikya Masr reported two stories a couple of days apart about celebrity blunders and lack of tact.... (Continue reading)
Tension is building up over the decisive football match between Egypt and Algeria due to take place in Cairo on November 14. The encounter will determine which of the two teams will qualify to next year's FIFA World Cup in... (Continue reading)
Wandering Scarab does not believe that Egyptian women know what they really want; their actions demonstrate that they don't really want equality or freedom; they do not even know what freedom is; they want to be free within cages of... (Continue reading)
Blogger Ahmed Shokeir conducted a survey to find out the 10 most influential people in Egypt after he was surprised to find out that Gamal Mubarak, son of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak -- who is expected to succeed his father... (Continue reading)
When Radio Netherlands broadcasted an Arabic translation of the Artificial Virginity Hymen kit, when Youm7 newspaper announced that the product will be available on the Egyptian market for LE 83, when conservative parliament members in Egypted wanted the product banned... (Continue reading)
Revenge I shall become the cloud raining on your parade the storm rocking your lonesome boat the wind blowing through a hole in your chest Death crashing your waves on the seashore burying your bones under the ground pushing your down where you belong... (Continue reading)
El-Sharqawy declined to comment on the allegations made by Ramadan and Rakha. However, in what may or may not be a coincidence, Youssef says that copies of several Malimih titles, including "Aria," were delivered to Kotob Khan this week, only... (Continue reading)
A handful of publishers have monopolized the book market in Egypt until a fresher generation of young entrepreneurs introduced readers to new titles by authors who were rejected by the publishing tycoons. Bloggers books took the Cairo International Book Fair... (Continue reading)
While bleeding on the wedding night is still the proof of the bride's honor in Egypt and Middle Eastern countries, Radio Netherlands broadcasted an Arabic translation of the Chinese advertisement of the Artificial Virginity Hymen kit. Youm7 newspaper announced that... (Continue reading)
The Niqab (or face cover) is making the headlines again after the head of Al Azhar and Egypt's Imam, Sheikh Mohammed Tantawi asked a young girl to uncover her face while he was inspecting an Azhar school in Cairo.... (Continue reading)
In May 2005 I began teaching with the business studies division at the AUC. I taught Principles of Marketing, Advertising, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), Consumer Behavior, and Public Relations. In December 2005 I began training; I have worked with OTT,... (Continue reading)
Amending the marriage certificate to protect rape victims ... (Continue reading)
This book is worth reading if you are interested in human behavior or are visiting Egypt and would like to know a little more about people you will encounter. But, I would highly recommend the book to any non-Egyptian girl/woman/lady planning... (Continue reading)
Egypt's Culture Minister Farouk Hosni has kept bloggers busy over the previous few days. His failed bid to secure a seat at the helm of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has polarised the blogosphere, with some... (Continue reading)
Egyptian Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosni has made it to the fourth round of voting for the post of Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the global institution concerned with genuine dialogue based upon... (Continue reading)
As Eid Al Fitr approaches, women in Egypt are bracing themselves for even more sexual harassment than what has already become a disturbing norm. Bloggers and online activists are also joining forces to fight the phenomenon, calling for a fun-filled... (Continue reading)
Today Mohamed Abdel Salam of Bikya Masr reported: Coptic lawyer throws hat in for Presidential run:... (Continue reading)
For the first time in Egypt, the Ministry of Interior arrests Muslims who eat and drink in public during Ramadan. Activists on Twitter said the arrests are illegal and the Ministry proves they are!... (Continue reading)
Sudanese UN female employee Lubna Hussein faced threats of imprisonment and flogging for the “sin” of wearing trousers in Khartoum - and her saga is far from over.... (Continue reading)
Though blessed with inner strength that enables them to deal with the shackles of their culture, some Arab women are dealt with as minors who will never reap the fruits of adulthood. Egyptian bloggers Fantasia's World, Dalia Ziada, Asser Yasser,... (Continue reading)
Now, a Palestinian-Norwegian mother of two was stopped by security as she attempted to board her flight to Amsterdam... (Continue reading)
خدمة مروة رخا للنشر المجانى - احتجاجا على تعامل دور النشر المصرية مع الكاتب... (Continue reading)
After learning that blogging is a serious crime in Egypt and that speaking up for others is something that warrants punishment, state security officials are now arresting bloggers who do not moderate comments on their blog posts!... (Continue reading)
Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan is the 4th pillar of Islam where Muslims are expected to refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset as an exercise of self-discipline and penance that has a deeper spiritual level.... (Continue reading)
After a series of failed attempts to launch a television channel for the Coptic faith in Egypt over the past 15 years, two channels were authorized and four more are in the pipeline.... (Continue reading)
Tune in to the Naglaa El Emam Show... (Continue reading)
If you choose the first option .. I do not want to hear you whining If you choose the second option, let me help you and publish your book for free... (Continue reading)
This is a book about love, marriage, divorce, sex, dating, virginity, adult dating, religion, shame, taboos, gender wars and fear that grew and blossomed on my poison tree. Dedicated to every female trying to break free and to every male who... (Continue reading)
This is a strong witty take on difficult and controversial subjects. I really enjoyed the honesty, humor, and the great language. As a fellow writer I hear Marwa's voice on the page, and I see the people she references on... (Continue reading)
Announcement: The Poison Tree Audio Book... (Continue reading)
In a previous post, Tarek Amr captured the initial reactions to TE-Data's fair usage policy (FUP) , followed by more adverse reactions hitting the Egyptian blogosphere. Then the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology changes its mind. Several videos were created and posted to mock the... (Continue reading)
Coinciding with Gamal Murbak's Sharek initiative, Egyptian singer Mohsen El Sayad decided to campaign for Gamal Mubarak in his own way [AR].... (Continue reading)
In an attempt to win their support, Gamal Mubarak launched an open online forum(Sharek)where he promises to address all the questions posed by young internet savvy Egyptians himself.... (Continue reading)
In a previous post, Tarek Amr captured the initial reactions to TE-Data's fair usage policy and more adverse reactions are hitting the Egyptian blogosphere.... (Continue reading)
American journalist Travis Randall has been denied entry to Egypt and then deported. Bloggers react to his treatment in this round up of posts by Marwa Rakha. ... (Continue reading)
Egyptian blogger Ahmed Al Sabbagh says in his post that there are more than 100,000 translators in Egypt. ... (Continue reading)
Upon hearing about Cairo's Escort Services, Dr. Mohamed Aly wrote a short post comparing between his status and the escort's - he lost!... (Continue reading)
Between those who support her right to choose and those who urge her to conform to traditions and Saudi law, 27-year-old EgyptianHeba Najeeb is trapped between a rock and a hard place.... (Continue reading)
Blogger Wael Abbas has been stopped again... (Continue reading)
When Marwa El Sherbini was shot dead in a German court Facebook users and the Egyptian blogosphere mourned her as the victim of the veil, the victim of racism, and the victim of her beliefs. But when a heap of... (Continue reading)
Divorce has always been a stigma in the Egyptian society. Today, the winds of change are blowing this away. In this post, Marwa Rakha follows conversations on Egyptian blogs which show what is being done to right a wrong situation.... (Continue reading)
Egyptian Mounir Said Hanna Marzuq has been found guilty of "satire" after a colleague reported him and his poem to the authorities. He has been sentenced to three years and was fined L.E. 100,000 for insulting president Hosni Mubarak.... (Continue reading)
Egyptian progressive thinker, Dr. Sayed El Qemany was granted the State Award for Social Sciences. Egyptian liberals and seculars hailed the award while Wahabis and conservatives declared war on the "Egyptian Apostate". On Egyptian talks the following question was thrown on the table: هل يصح ان... (Continue reading)
Upon his arrival from Sweden at the Cairo Airport, blogger Wael Abbas tweets the details of his detention at Cairo Airport.... (Continue reading)
Urging Egyptian youth to fight against corruption, Wa7da Masreya posted an Egyptian rap song[EN & AR] in support of Iran.... (Continue reading)
Against Torture in Egypt posted this game - designed by IRCT (The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims) - on the occasion of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (June 26).... (Continue reading)
In September 2005 Ayman Nour of Al Ghad Party and No'man Goma'a of New Wafd Partynominated themselves against President Hosni Mubarak. Nour was charged with fraud and Goma'a was accused of insanity! Since 2000, Gamal Hosni Mubarak has the... (Continue reading)
This is the bed that kept all my secrets ... let me touch the blanket one more time ... let me smell it's innocence one more time ... I will just put on Ezalo tablet and let its soothing scent... (Continue reading)
A wholehearteldy Sudaniya invited me to the Cairo Refugee Film Festival blog where I was introduced to some great background information on refugees in Egypt:... (Continue reading)
In 2008 Egypt passed a law that banned female circumcision (FGM). Today a group of bloggers started a campaign against male circumcision.... (Continue reading)
Lawyer Nizar Ghorab (Ghorab translates to Crow in Arabic) filed a lawsuit calling for banning porn sites because they destroy the core values of the Egyptian society. The Administrative Court in Cairo ruled in his favor. Between anger and sarcasm,... (Continue reading)
Her english is pristine and highly artistic as she utilises metaphors, literary references and derivations. Whilst admitting that the Silence of the Lambs story freaked me out a bit, yet I found her musical chairs references, duck theory and rules... (Continue reading)
Ask Marwa free counseling service خدمة مروة رخا للاستشارات العاطفية المجانية ... (Continue reading)
In her semi-autobiographical novel, Rakha spoke about personal and intimate experiences which above all reflected some of the rights violations and emotional distress that women in a patriarchal society endure. Despite focusing on women's issues, she refused to be labelled... (Continue reading)
The Poison Tree - planted & grown in Egypt شجرة السم Book Signing and launch of the 3rd edition حفل توقيع الطبعة الثالثة - اللى ما اتطبعتش May 5 - Condetti Restaurant (Maadi) مايو 5 - كونديتى المعادى Organized by SpreadWide Events تنظيم سبريد وايد... (Continue reading)
ترجمة شجرة السم... (Continue reading)
After the success of Egypt's Anti-Harassment Day, Egyptian blogger Asser Yasser invited women to share their personal experiences with this issue.... (Continue reading)
According to the UNICEF, reported HIV prevalence is low in Egypt – ranging from 2,900 to 13,000 individuals - but there is very limited access to information for those most at risk and weak provisions for people living with HIV.... (Continue reading)
Wandering Scarab posted an interesting note on the four types of Internet trolls... (Continue reading)
Here's a translation of the interview, in which the assailant admits to his role in the burning of six homes belonging to Baha'i families in the village of Shoraneya:... (Continue reading)
On January 1st of this year Tarek Amr's Change the Channel initiative took off. A month later,Inji's Going Local campaign hit the blogosphere. More initiatives followed on various levels of development starting from anti-harassment and political awareness to culture ,... (Continue reading)
Between examining the profile of a sexual offender in Egypt and rallying against sexual predators, an Egyptian member of parliament proposed a law that allows broadcasting the hanging of rapists live on television.... (Continue reading)
A Facebook campaign calling for a silent demonstration on April 18 against the harassment of women and girls in Egypt is slowly gathering momentum. The call for allowing Egyptian women to move around in safety in their country, was sparked... (Continue reading)
Me : A lot of people may think that you're so westernized. For instance, if she decides to dress in a certain way that does not line up with her father's principles, do you think she would ever go out... (Continue reading)
A.A: What was the most difficult problem you faced with your readers? and have you ever regretted giving a specific solution for a problem? Marwa: The most difficult problems are the ones that the person does not want to overcome.... (Continue reading)
On April 2, several human rights organizations headed to the public prosecutor in solidarity with the Baha'is who were assaulted in Sohag after a journalist called them reverts and urged people to kill them.... (Continue reading)
Earlier in March, I wrote a post congratulating Baha'is in Egypt when the Supreme Administrative Court removed any grounds for preventing them from receiving proper official identity documents. After a TV appearance Baha'i houses were burnt down in Upper Egypt's... (Continue reading)
In April 2008, freedom of speech and creativity in Egypt was hit in its core with the confiscation of Magdy El Shafee's adult graphic novel - Metro.... (Continue reading)
Between Bahaa Taher's first Arabic Language Booker Prize, bloggers' books, Youssef Zidan's Azazeel's Booker prize, writing competitions on Facebook, the Sawiris Foundation Competitions, and new creative initiatives to nurture new blood, Egypt's literary scene has been revived over the past... (Continue reading)
Young middle and upper class Egyptian women resort to the internet to fight their battles against taboos. The BBC interviewed some of them and Mohamed Hamdy of Bloggers Times comments on the article. ... (Continue reading)
Egypt's first online radio - Radio Horytna - invites youth to apply for the position of President for any Arab country of their choice.... (Continue reading)
After many years of being denied the right to legal documentation, Egypt's Supreme Administrative Court removed any grounds for preventing Baha'is from receiving proper official identity documents.... (Continue reading)
I was pleasantly surprised when Sarah El Ansary of Al Jazeera International invited me as a guest on their Inside Story to talk about the internet, blogging, online activism, and freedom of speech in Egypt.... (Continue reading)
On the occasion of Prophet Mohamed's birthday, Egyptian blogger Dalia Ziada launches a campaign asking Saudi Arabia to end their discrimination against young Muslim women worldwide! Marwa Rakha reports on the initiative. ... (Continue reading)
Honor, honor crimes, female genital mutilation (FGM), and virginity are deeply rooted concepts in the Egyptian culture. Call them heritage, legacy, or traditions, Mostafa Hussein brilliantly feeds them into the shredder.... (Continue reading)
My ultimate goal in life: I want to be the wife of a man who shares my vision and brings out the best in me. With that man, I want to be the mother of kids who would make the... (Continue reading)
Egyptian bloggers report that Mohammed Adel, a blogger held in custody since November 21, 2008, has been released. Marwa Rakha sums up their reactions in this post. ... (Continue reading)
Egyptian women are trapped between who they are and who they are expected to be; they are required to live up to the expectations of their parents, families, colleagues, and later on, their husbands and children. In their attempt to... (Continue reading)
He told me that I needed to meditate and that if I looked inside me I would find all the answers, the cure, and the strength that I needed. I was curled at the far end of the sofa at... (Continue reading)
Eman AbdElRahman wrote about how the Egyptian blogosphere reacted to Al Hussein bombs on February 22 that resulted in the death of a French tourist and the injury of more than 20 people. Today, I will write about a... (Continue reading)
Marwa Rakha presents Tadweena in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. The neutral background and furniture is also a bonus. Unlike the distracting bright and mismatched colours in other Egyptian talk shows, the setting of Tadweena does not make the viewer... (Continue reading)
Amira Al Hussaini of Global Voices Online supports Tadweena... (Continue reading)
Will Facebook groups, anti-harassment T-shirts, posts, articles, bloggers, and activists put an end to sexual harassment in Egypt? Wandering Scarab does not think so! Upon reading Asser Yasser's story and the blogosphere's reaction to her post, Wandering Scarab wrote:... (Continue reading)
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Egyptians are struggling to maintain their sanity, faith, and stability. Marwa Rakha presents the following selection from Egyptian blogs which discuss dreams, suicide, unemployment and the gruesome murder of a woman and... (Continue reading)
Is there such a thing as blog plagiarism? Egyptian bloggers argue both sides of the fence on Facebook and on their blogs after a newspaper started quoting bloggers - without their permission. Bella Shereef created a group attacking El Shorouk... (Continue reading)
Lebanese Dr As'ad Abu Khalil of The Angry Arab News Service tells females traveling to Egypt:... (Continue reading)
I first met Marwa in the mid nineties when she was my student at the American University in the School of Continuing Education, previously known as the Center of Adult and Continuing Education, she later became a colleague instructor, trying... (Continue reading)
The bombs on Gaza may have stopped falling, but a fierce cyber battle continues, with bloggers on both sides of the fence mobilising their troops to 'obliterate' the presence of the other - at least online. Marwa Rakha taps into... (Continue reading)
SandMonkey explains why the Pepsi logo looks like a rip off of the Obama campaign logo.... (Continue reading)
Egyptian women, like many other women, have great potential once they unleash their power. Eva habil, Passant Refaat, and Radwa Saad El Din are three women who took the lead in three different fields. Marwa Rakha has more in this... (Continue reading)
Asser Yasser is an Egyptian female blogger who recently moved to Mokattam area with her family. Her maid complained of how she got harassed on the street on her way to or from Asser's home. Her 15 year old niece... (Continue reading)
Egyptian blogger, Zeinobia wrote a series of posts about bloggers and journalists who are either behind bars, sued, or fined. Marwa Rakha takes a closer look at the situation in Egypt concerning bloggers and journalists. ... (Continue reading)
Nermeen Edrees of Global Voices Online wrote about Egypt's Going Local Campaign. Today Blogger Juka celebrates the launch of the initiative's facebook group, Ahmed Al Sabbagh reacts to Facebook itself going local while another two bloggers dictate their terms to... (Continue reading)
With more than 15 new titles, Egyptian bloggers took the 2009 Cairo International Book Fair by storm. Conventional writers label bloggers' literature as "Kleenex" Literature. Ghada Abdel Aal spoke up on behalf of bloggers. Ahmed Al Sabbagh wrote:... (Continue reading)
Egyptian Blogger sued for slander and looses. Zeinobia wrote about Tamer Mabrouk who blogs from Port Said and who published a report supported by photography showing how “Trust Chemical Industries” Company was polluting the Lake Manzala with its chemical wastes... (Continue reading)
Egyptian bloggers and activists held a conference on January 22 in defense of their right to speak up after more than 20 Egyptian bloggers were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady where the Coptic massacre... (Continue reading)
Amsterdam Appeals Court decided that Geert Wilders, Dutch MP, will be put on trial for his views on Islam. Wilders, and his movie had caused a huge anger wave last year, with both sides denouncing each other. While Perwin Ali... (Continue reading)
With more than 15 new titles, Egyptian bloggers take the 2009 Cairo International Book Fair by storm. Mohamed Hamdy wrote:... (Continue reading)
My head .. this is where the real problem lies. In my head I cannot see myself married. I cannot see a man permanently in my life. Many years ago I was seeing this man and it was serious. After... (Continue reading)
From Egypt, Perwin Ali came across an article mentioning Israel's first press conference on Twitter and she commented saying:... (Continue reading)
Perwin Ali's take on Robert Fisk's piece for The Independent: The Rotten State of Egypt is too Powerless and Corrupt to Act. The Egyptian blogger wrote: ... (Continue reading)
Boldness? I tried so hard for 21 years of my life to mold myself into the "good girl image". I failed. From 21 to 28 I had continuous inner conflicts and dilemmas of figuring out who I am and what... (Continue reading)
Bravely baring her soul and laying her innermost fears on the altar of Truth as she sees it, the author gives us a rare glimpse into the inner workings of Love and Romance, Egyptian Style.... (Continue reading)
Several groups of injured Palestinians crossed into the Egyptian territory via the Rafah Crossing and blogger Ahmed Al Sabbagh and blogger Mohamed Hamdy organized a morale-boosting visit to the Red Crescent Hospital. Al Sabbagh wrote upon his return:... (Continue reading)
Sitting on the fence requires objectivity, tolerance, and integrity. Mona Eltahawy chose to sit on the fence and Amr Gharbeia asks people to choose a solution. In her post: "On Fence Toughtest Stance in Mideast", Mona Eltahawy stated that:... (Continue reading)
27 year old IT programmer Youssef Al Ashmawy is currently detained in a prison Riyadh and is accused of spying on the Kingdom. ... (Continue reading)
In December 2006 frustrated Tunisian bloggers launched the "Action Blank Post" initiative in defense of freedom of speech. Supporting bloggers from all over the world posted a blank on their blogs on the 25th of December, and now bloggers have... (Continue reading)
Eva Habil, a 53 year-old Christian lawyer, became Egypt’s first female mayor on December 14, representing Komboha, a rural town in conservative Upper Egypt with a Coptic majority community. Yusra of Muslimah Media Watch wrote:... (Continue reading)
The outcasts of the Egyptian society - the spinsters - are raising their voices in an attempt to change how society views them. Khokha - the anonymous author of The daily diaries of a sinister spinister - says:... (Continue reading)
The Jordanian intelligence prevents Gamal Eid, the General Manager of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), from entering Jordan ... (Continue reading)
Abu Hadeed is Egypt's first original computer game. ... (Continue reading)
Turns out that there is a list for the world's worst dictators and this year President Mubarak is not in the top ten.... (Continue reading)
Has corruption tarnished Berlitz Egypt's reputation? Egyptian blogger Eman Hashim wrote on facebook and on her blog wondering how come her students received their grades and certificates when she never submitted neither their grades nor their final exam papers. Eman... (Continue reading)
An Arab tribe in Al Jaleel claims President Obama to be one of them and they will prove it. ... (Continue reading)
Back in 2005 I learnt the meaning of having a purpose in life and I came to realize that we are all going to die - there is no surprise here - but how we lived our lives is what... (Continue reading)
Rumor has it that Gamal Mubarak, the President's son and the NDP's General Secretary of the Policy Committee, will turn the historical downtown Cairo into a "mini Dubai". ... (Continue reading)
Sarah Carr, blogger and journalist addresses how a published feature titled “Honey, I’m homosexual” and online comments perpetuate myths about homosexuality and, in doing so, contributes to the culture of intolerance in Egyptian society.... (Continue reading)
On the second anniversary of the execution of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, and in coordination with the Iraqi community in Cairo, five Egyptian political parties called for commemorating the late president. Here's a snapshot of reactions from the Egyptian... (Continue reading)
Naguib Sawiris's Mobinil is positioned as the leading mobile service operator in Egypt. Scene & Heard hails Mobinil's inspirational campaign “Imagine what 20 million Egyptians could do." ... (Continue reading)
Egyptian blogger and activist Wael Abbas just announced on his blog that he turned down an invitation to meet up with Bush. Marwa Rakha translates his post from Arabic. ... (Continue reading)
Young enlightened Egyptian bloggers write about their society's sex code, racism, bigotry, and lust after scandals - all in an attempt to make Egypt a better place to live in. Marwa Rakha zooms into the Egyptian blogosphere to bring us... (Continue reading)
Several Egyptian bloggers lost their blogs whether to hackers or to web hosting services. Are those blogs being deliberately suspended by hosting services or are there invisible hands at play behind the scenes? Check out what bloggers have to say... (Continue reading)
Women: Should they stay at home and raise kids or should they work and have a contribution? A controversial question that Fantasia's World tried to answer in her post: Are you making your country poorer?... (Continue reading)
Al Azhar English Training Center is funded through a partnership agreement between Al Azhar University, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund and the British Council. The Center was supposed to provide English Language courses in its first semester... (Continue reading)
In a historic court ruling, police are now banned from patrolling Cairo University's campus. Instead, the university will have to deploy civilian personal as security guards. Bloggers, who linked police recklessness and use of excessive force to the order, welcomed... (Continue reading)
Egypt has always been known as an Islamic country where Muslims, Christians, and Jews peacefully co-existed. Today this is no longer the case. Is secularism the solution? Following is an outline of the discussion taking place on Egyptian blogs today.... (Continue reading)
Eighty-nine per cent of Egyptian young men and women surveyed recently stated that they are in favour of an Internet censorship law. Bloggers Times shares the most recent statistics on Egyptian internet users in this post, translated by Marwa Rakha... (Continue reading)
Seven films about human rights are being showcased at the first Cairo Human Rights Film Festival, which continues until Thursday (November 27). Marwa Rakha previews blogger reactions on the event. ... (Continue reading)
Voice of Egypt is ashamed of Egyptian Lawyer Nagla Al Imam, the same lawyer who made Egyptians angry, for encouraging Arab men to sexually harass Israeli women during her interview on Al Arabia TV (Ar). Marwa Rakha translates from Arabic.... (Continue reading)
Egypt: Sawiris Takes on Switzerland... (Continue reading)
An Egyptian court has banned the export of natural gas to Israel. Marwa Rakha briefs us about the deal, and what an Egyptian blogger is writing about the court order in this post. ... (Continue reading)
Designed to accommodate 5,500 full-time students and 1,500 faculty and staff, the American University in Cairo's new $400 million, 260-acre campus is technologically advanced and environmentally friendly. Students say that it was a premature move as they suffer sexual harassment... (Continue reading)
Is blogging a serious crime? And is speaking up for others something which warrants punishment? Egyptian Marwa Rakha translates a post from Arabic which discusses bloggers and blogging in Egypt. ... (Continue reading)
On Thursday November 6th when Egyptians were celebrating Obama's Victory, Al Ghad Party went up in flames. You can read about the initial blogosphere reactions here and here. Today I am sharing with you Wael Nawara's statements regarding the incident.... (Continue reading)
Sexual harassment is a real threat in Egypt. A study shows that two-thirds of men harass women, and bloggers have repeatedly written about it -- but Egypt's first lady Suzanne Mubarak says it is not a phenomenon and just a... (Continue reading)
Egypt ranks 115 in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index, which tracks 180 countries by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. The rankings are in ascending order, with the more corrupt countries scoring higher... (Continue reading)
Word is out that every Egyptian citizen who is over 21 years old will own a part of Egypt's public sector companies and factories. The announcement has been the core topic of talk shows and has made its way to... (Continue reading)
Egypt operates a small military hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan. The Press has just got wind of it - and a blogger wonders why such inspirational stories take a while for mainstream media to report on. ... (Continue reading)
Egypt has launched a fierce campaign against sexual harassment in the aftermath of the recent events written about here on Global Voices. But people working in the media industry do not seem to get the idea as evidenced by a... (Continue reading)
Clueless came across Rim Banna's work recently and she was moved beyond the words on her blog. Marwa Rakha shares her story.... (Continue reading)
On May 23, in a post titled The Victimization of Egyptian Women and Children, I quoted Fantasia - a girl who dreams of a better future for Egyptian women - who wrote about the new laws that were being discussed... (Continue reading)
Marwa Rakha translates for us today a post about an unusual lawsuit against Al Azhar University in Egypt calling for devalidation of 25,000 Muslim Hadiths. "Does Al Azhar have the right to “delete” these hadiths? Did they invent them and... (Continue reading)
Al Ghad, Ayman Nour's Party headquarters burnt down one day before their general assembly. According to blog reports, thugs burnt down the building and hampered firemen's efforts to put the fire out. In addition to losing their headquarters, the political... (Continue reading)
I received an invitation to join a group named “Dr. Shaimaa Fouad … May you rest in Peace.” I did not know her and I wondered why anyone would invite me to such a group. Little did I know! Dr.... (Continue reading)
What will the Middle East look like 25 years from now? That was the assignment the World Policy Journal gave Mona El Tahawy for their 25th anniversary edition. Mona decided to have some fun and imagine. This is what she... (Continue reading)
On November 1, Al Masry Al Youm shocked its readers with an article about two girls who went to the police station to report a sexual harassment incident but instead, they were detained for six hours and harassed by the... (Continue reading)
On October 24, Noha made Egyptians proud when in an unprecedented case, sexual harasser Sherif Gommaa was sentenced to three years behind bars, hard labor, and was also ordered to pay 5,001 Egyptian pounds fine to Noha Roshdy Saleh for... (Continue reading)
In an unprecedented case, sexual harasser Sherif Gommaa was sentenced to three years behind bars, hard labour, and was also ordered to pay 5,001 Egyptian pounds fine to Noha Roshdy Saleh for groping her in the street. Egyptian blogger rejoice.... (Continue reading)
Egyptian blogger and human rights activist Nora Younis was awarded the Annual Human Rights Award today.... (Continue reading)
Marwa Rakha was the relationships expert on OTV and I always felt her ideas were balanced, fair and quite mature, perhaps that was why I felt the book was not what I expected.... (Continue reading)
This book was written by the famous writer and blogger Marwa Rakha It is the best Egyptian book about the man-woman relationship, rebelling on a traditional male dominated culture. It will make you laugh at some situations and cry at... (Continue reading)
The Poison Tree is not a traditional novel; it combines the techniques of blogging, journal-keeping, and formal writing while retaining one binding thought that keeps the story together; poison is the fertile ground that I, and many others, was born... (Continue reading)
Statistics show that 75,000 Egyptian couples got divorced in 2006/2007. Marwa Rakha brings up oline reactions to the phenomena in this post. ... (Continue reading)
While some women are still struggling to prove themselves in the workplace, the young generation of Egyptian men and women seems to be taking different route. Marwa Rakha brings us the story of how young Egyptians told a television show... (Continue reading)
More than 1,100 students have so far joined a Facebook group crying for attention for a tragedy waiting to happen at Alexandria University's Engineering College. As more than 7,000 students get ready to return to classes, will their plight be... (Continue reading)
In the aftermath of the Egyptian Parliament going up in flames, people's reactions ranged from utter shock, sadness, to gloating. Wael Nawara conducted an independent poll asking bloggers, readers, and Egyptian internet users to answer the following question: Does the... (Continue reading)
ser Mattar, many Egyptians were happy to find out that Suez Canal canceled its annual celebration on September 14 to donate a total of one million Egyptian Pounds to support the victims of the Doweika tragedy. Scores of people were... (Continue reading)
On February 3, 2006 Al-Salam ferry sank in the middle of the Red Sea killing more than 1,000 people who were coming to Safaga, Egypt from Saudi Arabia. The passengers were mainly Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia, who were returning... (Continue reading)
In a series of posts tackling sexual harassment in Egypt, Marwa Rakha sheds light on a male Egyptian blogger's interpretation of what is really happening on the ground. "The Sex Files," by blogger Wael Nawara presents a rather interesting perspective... (Continue reading)
Reuters published survey on sexual harassment in Egypt is still stirring angry responses from Egyptian bloggers. Marwa Rakha sheds light on more reactions in this post. ... (Continue reading)
Egyptian authorities shut down the Cairo office of an Iranian TV network over a film that justifies the killing of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat by Islamic militants. Marwa Rakha sums up the opinions of Egyptian blogger Dina Ayoub about... (Continue reading)
think the 17% of women who have reported not being harassed on the streets either live under a rock & never come out, or are too ashamed to admit to it, or maybe think that saying it never happened... (Continue reading)
Because of the nature of my work in the tourism sector, I am used to hearing that this or that country has issued a travel warning to its citizens who plan on traveling to Egypt, especially in the aftermath of... (Continue reading)
Why are Egyptian men so special? Why is marrying a foreigner shunned by society? And how difficult it is for an Egyptian woman married to a foreigner to obtain an ID card in Egypt? Marwa Rakha looks at the experiences... (Continue reading)
The Poison Tree - A Bestseller ... (Continue reading)
Egyptian women have their own set of challenges, ranging from the right to marry themselves off to inequality in marriage and divorce rights. Marwa Rakha sheds light on the thoughts and writings of Eman - a self-confessed spinster. ... (Continue reading)
Fantasia's World raises crucial issues that hold back the Egyptian society all together; namely women's rights, violence against women and children, and the general misconceptions of male-female relationships in the Egyptian society and in the Arab world. Marwa Rakha zooms... (Continue reading)
Ni fiction, ni roman, ce sont des histoires de ceur ou de cul, avec parfois des passages relativement oses.... (Continue reading)
I wouldn't really classify it as a great read, nonetheless it's a new writing attempt that worth a stopover.... (Continue reading)
My first and official book signing event .. that day I became an author for real I would like to thank Ahmed Ehab who documented this day... (Continue reading)
Book Signing Events... (Continue reading)
It seems that most posts from the Egyptian blogosphere are attempts at finding answers to the many whys and hows in their heads. Sandmonkey asked why blame Egypt and answered:... (Continue reading)
AUC's School of Continuing Education extends the resources of the university into the community by providing high quality educational opportunities for learners of all ages to enrich their lives, enhance their professional qualifications and promote their careers.... (Continue reading)