The Protester.

Picture of Mannoubia Bouazizi and her son, Mohammed Bouazizi.
Image from TIME Magazine Online



This post's original intent was to discuss Huffington Post's "Woman of the Year" article. Whilst browsing the interwebs for further information on women I found to be inspirational in 2011, I stumbled upon TIME Magazine's feature "The Protester".
2011 has, undoubtedly, been a landmark year for social and political activism globally. From the Arab Spring uprising throughout much of the middle east to economic protests in Greece, people are banding together and fighting for a united cause: recognition of their basic human rights and an end to government/corporate corruption. I won't speak too much on the protests and movements themselves (and the fascinating role that social media has played in it) as I'm clearly not informed enough to create a cohesive, bloggable opinion on it. I will, however, direct you to the utterly incredible Yuri Kozyrev's Pictoral Essay on the global movements.

For me, one of the most fascinating aspects of these movements (particularly those in the Middle East) has been not only the involvement, but organisation and innovation of women, particularly online. If you have the time, I strongly encourage you to read or subscribe to the following:

- Egyptian Chronicles - particularly this article on #VirginityGate;
- A Tunisian Girl - you might need to translate through Google;
- Promise and Peril: women and the "Arab Spring" - very thought-provoking;
- Women in the new Libya - Challenges Ahead
- Sudanese Women Demand Justice
- Wikipedia entry - List of Women who sparked a revolution

Have any more? Please post them in the comments section.