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It is no longer surprising that women associate delivery rooms with feelings of terror and fear, not only in relation to the process of childbirth but the potential for humiliation, offense, and mistreatment. Many women, and Tunisian women in particular, have complained about suffering multiple violations at the hands of medical and paramedical personnel, including midwives. They are also subjected to various types of violence and discrimination on the basis of race, class, and age, not to mention coercive medical procedures.

On the first Saturday of every month, groups of men kneel in the main squares of many cities across Croatia to “pray for women’s chastity” and a “strong masculine authority in family settings.” This ultraconservative Catholic masculinist movement began in Poland and was later imported into Croatia by influential Polish groups such as Ordo Iuris, which was among the mobilizing forces behind the 2021 total abortion ban in Poland. Pro-masculinist demonstrations in Croatia have been met with female resistance: for instance, the artist Arijana Lekić-Fridrih dedicated a performance to femicide victims, and Ženska mreža Hrvatske (Women’s Network Croatia) organized counterdemonstrations. “Look at Poland—it should not be ignored,” Lekić-Fridrih warned.

In light of the alarming numbers that confirm the rise in violence against women in Tunisia, especially domestic violence, a state of fear and caution has settled over the feminist community concerned about the entrenchment of patriarchal mentalities not only in society but in state institutions too, those not properly implementing Law No. 58 of 2017. This is a serious obstacle to women’s safety and turns their issues into marginal topics.

During the international conference “THE FOREST FACTOR: More nature to fight climate change,” held in Rome on June 6-7, Fiore Longo spoke about green colonialism and its consequences on women’s lives.

Shortly after the Army deported Laila’s husband to Syria, a specific person found out and started knocking at the door of her tent every night, claiming to want to help her. When he realized it wasn’t working, he resorted to threats: “If you don’t open the door today, I know you’ll do it tomorrow.”

Feminists in Tunisia are frustrated with the decline in women’s participation in the new parliament, the result of the new electoral law which was introduced by President Kais Saied and does not guarantee a quota of women politicians, as was the custom in previous elections.

Feminists volunteering in the areas affected by the earthquakes in Turkey denounce the fact that women’s basic needs like sanitary pads are being treated like secondary issues, as usually seen in times of crisis. Apart from basic material needs, security concerns and lack of socio-psychological support amount to worrying levels.

Gender-based violence online is just as real and dangerous as it is offline. Among the most widespread abuses on social networks and dating apps, the “unwanted penis photos” sent by total strangers deserve a separate discussion. The motivations may vary depending on the context and psychological profile of the sender, but common factors include: narcissism, exhibitionism, sexism and camaraderie…

“If we have such a present and frequent femicide and if the perpetrators are not sanctioned in time or prevented - who cares about 'one less whore who deserved to be tortured, raped, killed and crucified on a pillar of shame and disgrace.” Read more about human trafficking in Montenegro in our interview with activist Aida Petrović.

The case of pregnant Mirela Čavajda has rekindled a debate among the Croatian public and decision makers regarding women's rights to make decisions about their own bodies. Medfeminiswiya reports.