This edition shines a light on the battles for justice and rights across the globe. A women’s rights activist in Iraq was killed, a land defender in China is denied life-saving treatment, and Afghan women face increasingly repressive Taliban policies, while civic freedoms are suppressed in Pakistan and Kashmir. In Venezuela, thousands remain under house confinement despite a new amnesty law, and in the United States, unaccompanied pregnant minors in immigration custody face severe barriers to healthcare. The edition also highlights research presented at the Toronto Democracy Forum 2025 on how opposition movements resist rising autocracies and why Middle East protests fail to achieve lasting change, alongside insights from WAEN CEO Khalid Ramizy’s book The Stolen Republic, which reflects on Afghanistan’s collapse, its ongoing challenges and the need to support democratic resilience.
Every struggle tells a story, let’s amplify voices, protect defenders, and turn awareness into action.