Ghana's anti-LGBTQ+ bill is dead (for now)
Issue 412: A Taliban official criticized the government’s treatment of women, new UN report highlights Haiti’s crisis, sanctions on Sudan leaders, Cuba releases a human rights activist, and more.
A Taliban official just called for an end to the education ban on women and girls
What happened
In a rare public challenge to Taliban policy, Sher Abbas Stanikzai, a senior Taliban official, is calling on the group’s leadership to end the ban on education for women and girls.
Why this matters: This isn’t the first time Stanikzai has spoken about the issue—he’s raised concerns before. But this time, he went further, directly calling on Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada to reverse the ban. That’s a big deal. Open dissent within Taliban ranks is rare, and his statement signals that not everyone in the group agrees with the crackdown on women’s rights.
Tell me more
Speaking at a religious school event in Khost province, he openly criticized the restrictions, saying there’s no religious justification for it and that the Taliban is depriving 20 million people of their rights. Stanikzai is a known figure: He was once the head of the Taliban team in talks that led to the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
What's the situation like for women and girls in Afghanistan?
Girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade.
There are reports that authorities have also stopped medical training for women, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed.
Women can’t work in most sectors and can’t go out in public without a male guardian.
The UN has made it clear that the Taliban won’t gain international recognition as Afghanistan’s legitimate government until these bans are lifted. Countries like Russia and India have been building ties with the Taliban, but even they haven’t recognized them officially.
Will this change anything?
Probably not in the short term. The Taliban’s leadership hasn’t shown any willingness to budge on this issue, and previous calls for change have been ignored. But the fact that a high-ranking Taliban figure is openly pushing back suggests that there’s internal debate about whether the education bans are sustainable. For now, Afghan women and girls remain locked out of schools, universities, and most jobs—with no clear end in sight.
Good to know: Last year, a 24-hour satellite channel called Begum TV was launched on International Women's Day by Hamida Aman, an Afghan-Swiss entrepreneur. From a small studio in Paris, Begum TV beams school lessons, health information, and women’s rights discussions into homes across Afghanistan, filling the empty spaces left by the Taliban’s extensive bans.
The number of internally displaced people in Haiti went up by three in 2024, says UN
What happened
Right now, over a million people in Haiti have been forced to flee their homes—three times as many as last year, the United Nation's International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned last week.
Why this matters: Some 12 million people live in Haiti. Like you and I, they too deserve stability and good health.
Tell me more
Most of them are escaping the capital Port-au-Prince, where armed groups now control about 85% of the city. The government? Barely holding on. The police? Outmatched and under-resourced. And ordinary people? Rushing for safety, often having to move again and again because no place feels truly secure. Over 5,600 people lost their lives last year as the situation worsened. The healthcare system is basically nonexistent, and food shortages are growing worse. And to make things even worse, 200,000 Haitians were deported back to Haiti last year, adding even more pressure to a country that’s already struggling to provide basic services.
Good to know: If you're not seeing too much Haiti coverage these days, it might have something to do with the fact that the country has become one of the deadliest places in the world for journalists. Seven journalist murders since 2019 remain unsolved, and according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the country has one of the worst records for press freedom and accountability. Just last month, Marckendy Natoux, a respected reporter in Haiti, was fatally shot on Christmas Eve while covering what was supposed to be the reopening of Haiti’s largest public hospital. Johnson "Izo" André, one of Haiti’s most powerful armed group leaders, later claimed responsibility for the attack in a video, saying he had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. The Haitian police weren’t even aware that the event was happening.
Where are people going?
Most are fleeing to rural areas, but those regions weren’t exactly prepared to absorb so many displaced families. The UN’s migration agency reports that people are trying to survive in makeshift shelters, facing rising health risks, food shortages, and continued uncertainty about what comes next. Plus: Half of those displaced are children, says UNICEF. And that’s the scariest part—there’s no real plan to fix this. The armed groups aren’t losing ground, the government isn’t finding solutions, and unless something major shifts, Haiti’s displacement crisis is only going to intensify.
How did the country get here?
Haiti has been in crisis since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021, and there’s been no real recovery. Last year, a UN-backed multinational force, called the Multinational Security Support (MSS), arrived to help stabilize things, but they’re underfunded, ill-equipped, and struggling to shift the balance, because, while 10 countries did indeed pledge around 3,100 personnel but so far, very few have actually sent troops. Meanwhile, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC)—the group tasked with restoring some sense of order—is stuck in political gridlock. They already ousted one interim prime minister, and elections, which were supposed to be a priority, feel more out of reach than ever.
What now?
Kenya last week sent another 200 police officers to Haiti as part of the MSS. That brings Kenya’s total deployment to about 600 officers. Kenya initially promised to send 1,000 officers in total, but the rollout hasn’t been smooth. Just last month, Reuters reported that nearly 20 Kenyan officers quit over pay delays and poor conditions—though Kenyan officials deny this, saying all salaries have been paid and there were no resignations. The "international community" has been pushing for a larger UN peacekeeping mission, but without more funding and extra troops, this effort might not be enough to change the situation on the ground.
Ghana's anti-LGBTQ+ bill is dead (YAY!), but it may return
Refresher:
Ghana’s parliament last year passed a severe anti-LGBTQ+ bill (not a law), one of the strictest in Africa. The bill drew strong criticism from the UN, human rights activists, and even Ghana’s own finance ministry, which warned that passing it could cost the country US$3.8 billion in World Bank funding over the next few years. The bill hasn’t been signed into law yet because two individuals, Amanda Odoi and Richard Dela-Sky, challenged it in court, arguing that it violated Ghana’s constitution. The Supreme Court dismissed the case, saying they can’t rule on a law that hasn’t been signed yet. Then came Ghana’s December 2024 elections. Fast-forward to 2025...
What happened
Akufo-Addo lost to John Mahama, and when Mahama took office on January 7, 2025, he confirmed that the bill was void. His reasoning? Any bill that hasn’t been signed before the end of a parliamentary term automatically expires. That’s good news for now—but it doesn’t mean the fight is over.
Why this matters: Ghana already has laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy (a colonial-era holdover), but this bill would have taken persecution to a whole new level. It proposed: Up to five years in prison for same-sex relationships, up to 10 years for LGBTQ+ advocacy—which could mean anything from running an NGO to posting in support online, six years in prison for landlords who rent to LGBTQ+ tenants, and punishments for gender-affirming healthcare providers and recipients.
Could the bill come back?
Short answer: Yes. Mahama didn’t outright reject the bill—he suggested that Ghana should have a broader conversation about "family values" and hinted at education instead of legislation. But hardliners in Parliament are already pushing back. Bernard Ahiafor, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has vowed that the bill will return under Mahama’s presidency. The only question is when and how—whether as a government-backed law or another private members' bill.
What now?
Even though the bill didn’t become law, the mere fact that it got this far has made life much harder for LGBTQ+ people in Ghana. Activists report rising violence, discrimination, and fear, as many see the bill’s passing in Parliament as a green light for hostility. Local activists remain cautious. The bill’s supporters are still in power, and if public sentiment is weaponized, it could easily make a comeback. For now, Ghana’s LGBTQ+ community is left in legal limbo—relieved that the bill is off the table, but wary of what comes next.
what else happened
Bad
Chad: An attack on the presidential palace in N'Djamena, Chad, resulted in 19 deaths. (AP)
DRC: Allied Democratic Forces militants killed ten people in an attack on a village in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AP)
Turkey: Bootleg alcohol killed at least 37 people and left 80 others hospitalized over the past week in Istanbul. (ABC News)
Taiwan: (Bad because this newsletter is against capital punishment) Taiwan carried out its first execution in five years on a man who was convicted of the 2013 murder of his former girlfriend and her mother. (Yahoo! News)
Mali: The country has for the first time banned same-sex intimacy. (MambaOnline)
Nigeria: At least 77 people were killed and several others were injured when a fuel tanker overturned on a highway in Suleja, Niger State, Nigeria, and later explodes when people gathered to collect the spilled fuel. (The Straits Times)
Interesting...
Iran/Russia: Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the Iranian–Russian Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The 20-year deal will see cooperation between the two countries in multiple areas, including nuclear energy, counterterrorism, and environmental issues. (Middle East Eye)
Nigeria: Nigeria has just been admitted as a partner country to the BRICS bloc, marking a major step for the growing alliance of emerging market economies. This move adds one of Africa's largest economies to the mix, with Brazil—currently chairing the group—saying Nigeria's interests align with those of the other members. BRICS, which originally started in 2009 with Brazil, Russia, India, and China, now represents more than half of the world's population and nearly half of global GDP. (Firstpost)
Colombia: Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended dialogue with the National Liberation Army following accusations of war crimes against the group. (Reuters)
Good
South Korea: South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested after his declaration of martial law. He becomes the first sitting president in South Korea's constitutional history to be formally arrested. (NPR)
Sudan/USA: The US just slapped sanctions on the head of Sudan’s armed forces and is reportedly convinced the military's been using chemical weapons in the country’s ongoing civil war. This announcement came just a week after similar penalties were placed on the leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was clear: neither of these men is fit to lead a peaceful Sudan in the future. With the war now one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters—tens of thousands dead, over 10 million displaced, and a deepening famine—the sanctions and the chemical weapons accusations paint a grim picture of just how brutal things have gotten. (France24)
UAE: A UAE gas processing plant just hit a major milestone, becoming the first in the world to convert methane from natural gas into graphene and hydrogen right on site. This "loop" technology, created by British company Levidian, is being tested at the Habshan Gas Processing Plant by Adnoc Gas. The company’s tech team is now looking at how they can use the graphene, which can strengthen everyday materials like concrete and tires. This breakthrough is pretty exciting, especially considering methane is the second biggest human-made contributor to climate change, and keeping it out of the atmosphere is a huge win. (The National)
Cuba: The Government of Cuba released dissident and human rights activist José Daniel Ferrer from jail. (Reuters)
South Africa: The Democratic Alliance (DA) has officially endorsed Cape Town hosting WorldPride in 2028. (MambaOnline)
Venezuela: The government of Venezuela lifted its ban on the social media and instant messaging app Telegram. (TechRadar)
Bolivia: A judge in Bolivia ordered the arrest of former Bolivian President Evo Morales on statutory rape charges. (The Guardian)
Israel/Gaza: The Government of Israel approved the proposed Gaza ceasefire agreement, which had previously been approved by the Security Cabinet of Israel. (CNN) (The Guardian)
recommendations
Watch... "Wicked". Every time I meet someone who hasn’t seen Wicked, I can’t help but feel a little envious. Watching it for the first time is an experience, and if you still have that ahead of you—consider yourself lucky. Based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked flips The Wizard of Oz (1939) on its head, telling the story from the perspective of the so-called "Wicked Witch of the West." Except, she’s not actually wicked—just Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a bright, ambitious student who happens to have green skin. Her best friend? Glinda (Ariana Grande), the blonde, bubbly contrast to her sharp edges. The film is funny, deep, got strong direction, impressive set design, and choreography that keeps the energy high at all times. It also clears the Bechdel Test with ease, featuring multiple women in positions of power. One notable shift from the Broadway version is the casting. The original production wasn’t exactly known for diversity, but this adaptation makes a point of changing that. Cynthia Erivo, a Black British actress of Nigerian descent, plays Elphaba—a character shunned by society for her skin color (green or otherwise). The parallel isn’t subtle, but it makes the story hit differently in all the right ways. If you’re still on the fence, Media Diversity Reviews gives it an astounding A-. Did this finally convince you?
Listen to... "True Crime Reports". If you’re into true crime but tired of hearing the same cases over and over, True Crime Reports might be what you’re looking for. This weekly podcast and video series by Al Jazeera focuses on underreported crimes from the Global South and beyond, telling stories of corruption, power, and injustice that rarely make headlines in the West—straight from the people who lived them. So far, two 30-minute episodes have dropped, both narrated by journalist Halla Mohieddeen. The first episode covers Thabo Bester, a conman who made a mockery of the South African justice system in 2022 (yes, even a faked death makes an appearance), and the second episode takes us to British Columbia, where a prominent Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was gunned down in 2023 just after leaving his local temple—a murder that sent shockwaves through the Sikh community.
Read... Iraq Offers Lessons and Warnings for a New Syria. What can post-Assad Syria learn from Iraq? The country shares many features of Syria's history. It’s basically gone through a very similar process, going through decades of dictatorship too, more than 20 years ago, and today, well, it’s a functioning democracy (more or less). Kurdish journalist Kamal Chomani wrote an excellent piece for New Lines Magazine on the many lessons that Iraq has to offer if Syria is truly interested in a path toward stability and democracy. It's got three critical lessons from Iraq's post-Saddam experience that Syria could apply: 1. Share the power, 2. No "strong leader" cult allowed, and 3. Focus on practical issues. If his long read is too long for your taste, I did a video summary of it on my TikTok. (This is very new for me, but so many of you throughout the years have requested that I also do audio and video; here I am, becoming comfortable with it).
video of the week
Conscious rap in Qazaq I If you haven’t been paying attention to music from Central Asia, now’s the time to start. There’s a whole wave of artists pushing boundaries, mixing local languages with global influences, and creating something fresh. Take dudeontheguitar, for example. He started out playing guitar on the streets of Almaty, but now he’s making some of the most interesting conscious rap coming out of Kazakhstan. His latest track, "Obal oilar-ai," is about the struggle of making ends meet–an experience many young people in Kazakhstan can relate to right now. Thank you, Instagram, for putting his profile on my timeline. You want more recommendations from this part of the world? Bet. Say Mo's Lil Bit is a Kazakh play on 50 Cent's "Just A Lil Bit", Syke Däli's Umyt reminds me of Swedish gangsta rap but Turkmenistan-style, and Ruhsora Emm's Мили is giving the Uzbek version of Cassie's "Me & U". If you’re curious, just look them up on YouTube. Or, if you want a shortcut, follow this newsletter’s very own Spotify playlist, "Go Global Weekly." Your next Spotify Wrapped will thank you.
on a funny note
I couldn’t help but laugh at how people in the U.S. were handling the whole TikTok shutdown situation. In true internet fashion, the last days of U.S. citizens on the app turned into a mix of chaos and comedy—some were frantically moving to RedNote (another Chinese app), others were racing through Duolingo Mandarin lessons like it was an Olympic sport.
But here’s the kicker—TikTok might not be gone for long. Turns out, Donald Trump, who is re-inaugurated today, is apparently interested in keeping the app alive–which makes me think, did the Democratic Party even want to win? Because if you were looking for a masterclass in political self-sabotage, handing this whole situation to Trump on a silver platter is a pretty good start.