Accent of Women

On today’s program of Accent of Woemn, we hear from Iranian women about their challenges with the COVID pandemic and the shadow pandemic (gender-based violence). Today’s panelists are: Sudi Farokhnia – a women’s rights activist and community organiser for more than 20 years, and she is one of the co founders of iranian circle of women’s intercultural network.Sona Kazemi – a research fellow of Migration Studies, Disability Studies, and Medical Humanities at the Ohio State University.

Tensions over the Ukraine-Russia crisis have been simmering for more than two months, with diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue showing little sign of progress.Russia has more than 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine, sparking Western warnings of an imminent invasion.Anti-war activists across Europe are organising and strategising to resist the war, and a coalition of these activists organised a public meeting on 25 January – and it’s a broadcast of this panel that I bring you today on Accent of Women. The two organisations involved in this panel are European alternatives and Another Europe is possible. The panel host is Alena Ivanova, and the guests are Oleksandra Matviychuk, Yuliya Yurchenko and Mary Kaldor.

The Sri Lankan government celebrated the 74th anniversary of the country’s independence from the British empire on 4 February. But for Tamil speaking people on the island, 4 February 1948 marks the day one oppressor handed power to another. It is Tamil Oppression Day. From that day onward, local politicians promoting Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism co-opted the ruthlessness of colonial rule, leading to many pogroms and other heinous acts to be committed against Tamil and other minority communities. The violence has never ceased.

What are the prospects for democracy in a country whose economy is in freefall, where millions face poverty and food insecurity, and where violence is increasing at an alarming rate? On today’s program we’ll discuss the coup in Myanmar, one year on.Today’s guest is Debbie Stothard, the founder of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma – she is based in Bangkok, and has worked on Burma solidarity activism for decades.

Tonga is facing an unprecedented disaster from the massive volcanic eruption that occurred on Saturday January. It covered the Pacific nation in ash, triggered a 15-metre tsunami that destroyed almost all homes on two small islands and damaged undersea communications cables, largely cutting off the country. The Tongan people are in an urgent process of recovery and clean up, and to tell us what is happening there, I had the opportunity to speak with two community organisers.

Today is our first show for 2022, and it’s with heavy hearts that we farewell a friend and supporter of this show, a staunch Gooniyandi Woman, Viv Malo. Today’s show is dedicated to Viv, and features her voice on 3CR and at rallies and demonstrations around this country. But first, a bit about Viv.

On today’s program, we look at women climate warriors across the world, and the work that they are doing in relation to fighting against the tide of environmental destruction, for the survival of the planet.

In the last week, the Federal Court has heard a case for the extradition of a Sydney nanny back to Chile to face charges of Crimes Against Humanity during the Pinochet dictatorship of 1973 to 1990. Adtriana Rivas is accused of kidnapping seven communists during the Pinochet era, and is implicated in their torture and murder. Rivas was a part of the infamous Chile National Intelligence Directorate, abbreviated to DINA.On today’s program, Pilar Aguilera co-founder of National Campaign for Truth and Justice in Chile, Australia.

Today on Accent of Women we turn our focus to Sudan. On October 25, the Sudanese military carried out a coup, announcing the dissolution of the power-sharing Sovereignty Council and the transitional government. It arrested Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and declared a state of emergency. Since that time, there have been massive street protests, in fact, it is a revolutionary situation on ground there. There’s been a media and internet black out for almost three weeks, making it very difficult to obtain information, and convey to the protesters all of the support there is for their struggle.

Today on Accent of Women we turn our focus to the Philippines.  The current President, Rodrigo Duterte is facing charges by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.  These charges arise from Duterte’s War on Drugs that has seen over 20,000 people extrajudicially murdered in the streets.  There’s an ever growing COVID crisis, spiralling the existing economic crisis out of control.  And the country goes to a Presidential election in May 2022.  President Duterte is constitutionally preventing from running for an additional term, but they may not stop him.