Patriarchy and the resulting violence against women and children are increasingly being viewed as a problem both in the western and Arab/Islamic worlds. A group of women’s rights activists from the Maghrib came to Germany to gather information and learn from their colleagues. Martina Sabra reports.
The history of Christianity in Iraq dates back to the first century AD, but since the outbreak of sectarian violence in the country following the US invasion of 2003, many Christians are fleeing their homeland and finding sanctuary in Syria. Stephen Starr reports from Damascus
The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (RIIFS), established in 1994 in Amman, Jordan, sees itself as a focal point for dialogue between Christians and Muslims. The center also explores the roots of Islamic radicalism. Martina Sabra reports
The Syrian intellectual Sadiq al-Azm proposed Self-Criticism after the Defeat to the Arabs in 1968, and in the following year a Critique of Religious Thought. He sees a third way for the Muslim faith between radicalism and state Islam
The recent parliamentary election in Algerian has made little difference to the balance of political power. One thing, however, is new: there are now suddenly five times as many female members of parliament. Martina Sabra asked the Algerian lawyer and women's rights activist Nadia Ait Zai about what was behind this change, and about prospects for the future