Culture

Chances are you’ve been staring at your computer screen for hours already. If not, then you may later on today. Have you ever considered how much TV and computer screen time we expose ourselves to? Often children are exposed to many more hours of screen time than recommended; the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children recommends no more than two hours of screen time daily. Stipulations of this sort are part and parcel of the campaign to lower rates of overweight children and obesity in adolescents. (Overweight is generally used for children and adolescents ages 2-20, while obesity is used for adults 21 and older).

Shahzad Iqbal is Manager of Finance for the Kashf Foundation, a Pakistani organization offering microfinance products to women. Clients have received over $200 million in microloans over the last fourteen years. Kashf has been the recipient of a number of accolades, most recently the Global Leadership Award from Vital Voices. Their work was featured in New York Times bestseller Half the Sky. In this third interview I conducted during the 2010 Skoll World Forum, I spoke to Iqbal about Kashf’s history, future, and how gender is an important consideration in his work.

Sakena Yacoobi is the founder and director of the Afghan Institute of Learning, a social venture in Afghanistan, which aims to bring education to women and girls. Operating since 1995, the organization has served over 7.1 million Afghans. Yacoobi has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the Gleitsman International Activist Award. I spoke with her at the 2010 Skoll Word Forum on her work and its impact.

“Do not bring shame to the family,” warned Elham Mahdi al Assi’s mother before Elham died from internal bleeding due to days of sexual torment by her new husband. Abed al Hikmi had taken his new bride to Dr. Fathiya Haidar, who advised the groom to stay away from his bride for several days in order for her to heal. Instead of following the doctor’s orders, al Hikmi continued his assault, assuming his wife’s screams had to do with spiritual possession and not because of the pain or torment that he was inflicting on her.

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The crowning of Ms. Rima Fakih, 24, as Miss USA 2010 on May 16, brought forth a mixed reaction from Arab and Muslim communities across the globe. Facebook and Twitter erupted with a barrage of updates, from declaring a victory for Arabs in America, to completely opposite reactions lamenting the inappropriate and inaccurate representation of Muslim women in mainstream America.