A decade after the Arab Spring

CIVICUS Voices

Over ten years ago, millions of people took to the streets in the Middle East and North Africa to demand justice, democracy and fundamental freedoms. This was an important moment for civil society, that has left a long and checkered legacy.
We speak to Mozn Hassan, a human rights defender from Egypt, who took part in the Egyptian revolution in 2011. She speaks to us about that time and how it has shaped the feminist movement. She is the founder of Nazra, a women’s rights organization, which is working to strengthen the Egyptian feminist movement and integrate feminism and gender awareness into politics and society.

Next, we hear from Lilia Khazri, a 21-year old social activist from Tunisia advocating gender equality, peacebuilding and youth empowerment. She is also a member of the CIVICUS Youth Action Team. She reflects on her current activism and the influence of the Arab Spring.
The threats against activists continue till today. We talk to Sayed Yousif al-Muhafdha, is a Bahraini human rights defender, who lives in exile in Germany, about his arrest and detention, and how the trauma of the Arab Spring stays with him and his family.

CIVICUS Voices is a podcast produced by CIVICUS and hosted by Aarti Narsee and Mawethu Nkosana. Our producer is Elna Schütz, and today’s content producers were Matthew Reading Smith, Silvia Puerto Aboy, and Samia Diri.

Find out more on www.civicus.org or on social media under @CIVICUSAlliance.
Music in this podcast is One Night In Africa by John Bartmann under CC0 1.

You can find CIVICUS online and on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. CIVICUS Voices is hosted by Aarti Narsee and produced by Elna Schutz, Jamaine Krige, and the CIVICUS team.