Accent of Women

On today’s program, we bring you the second part of the first lecture delivered by, regular guest on this show, Frieda Afary, an Iranian academic and librarian from the US, has recently delivered a series of lectures on Humanist Alternatives.One of the pillars of the rise of fascism in the 21st century has been the void in the articulation of a humanist alternative in face of the deepening economic, social political and environmental crises of our time. In order to develop conceptual and practical frameworks for humanist alternatives, and constructive collective action, Afary argues, it is necessary to address and discuss the fundamental transformations needed in economic, social, political, environmental relations on a national and global scale. It is also necessary to be aware of the long history of anti-humanist discourse and to respond to some of those critiques.So this first lecture which starts to explore this general idea of humanist alternatives, is called Labor and Economy.

On today’s program, we explore a little bit of social theory and philosophy. A regular guest on this show, Frieda Afary, an Iranian academic and librarian from the US, has recently delivered a series of lectures on Humanist Alternatives – so this week and next week, I will bring you the first of those lectures.One of the pillars of the rise of fascism in the 21st century has been the void in the articulation of a humanist alternative in face of the deepening economic, social political and environmental crises of our time. In order to develop conceptual and practical frameworks for humanistalternatives, and constructive collective action, Afary argues, it is necessary to address and discuss the fundamental transformations needed in economic, social, political, environmental relations on a national and global scale. It is also necessary to be aware of the long history of anti-humanist discourse and to respond to some of those critiques.So this first lecture which starts to explore this general idea of humanist

On today’s show we speak with Lebanese-born, australian-based filmmaker Samia Mikhail about her poetry which responds to the barbarism of imperialism, while feeling the pain of the oppressed and the  murdered, and expressing the pain and rage of all that is left of humanity as we watch senseless wars created in the Global South by ruling classes of the Global North. How can one write any other poetry when people make money from killing others and stealing their fields? We don’t beg emotions from those who don’t have any. Oh God, how cruel people can be.Samia’s poetry and writing can be found at the following Arabic publications: Ilaaf, Ana AlAaghar, Eihterafaat kinaah,Thakafaat, Kitabaat, Horraas alwatan, Kalimaat bawhh al-rouh, Rasa’el maa kahwat Alsabaah.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Sangeun Kim, Seayoung Park, and Serena Jeong. During their recent visit to Australia for a cross-cultural exchange with fellow Australian women, they reflect on the meaning of leadership, the everyday challenges faced by working women in Korea and Australia, and what solidarity between women across cultures can look like.Tune in to hear their insights, stories of resilience, and how EAWK is creating space for women to lead with purpose—both at home and abroad.Learn more about EAWK at empowerkorea.com/aus

Operation Inglenook is an initiative by the Australian Border Force which claims to focus on identifying exploitation and potential victims of trafficking and modern slavery.This harmful - and unsuccessful - approach unfairly targets the sex industry, leading to invasive workplace raids, canceled visas, detention and deportation. This is very distressing for migrant sex workers, no matter their visa status. Operation Inglenook is a racist, violent campaign targeting Asian-migrant sex workers through workplace and border raids. Today’s speeches are from a rally held on 17 April 2025 and are: Bee from Justice for our sisters, Penny who is a migrant sex worker, and a statement from the The Asian Migrant Sex Worker Advisory Group (AMSWAG).

The recent episode is addressed to raising awareness on Family Violence and it's associated trauma by sharing lived experiences AND the ongoing struggle for Palestinian women and children.In the first half, Chris Mallika Bhadra speaks to two of Genwest's team members - Rania and Joal to discuss their experiences and ways to win over Family Violence.In the second half, Dr Benish Chaudhry speaks up at the weekly Sunday Palestine Rally in Naarm Melbourne, on Mother’s Day 2025, this Sunday 11th May.This episode was produced and recorded on the lands of the Kulin Nation.

In 1804, enslaved Haitians successfully overthrew French colonial rule and founded the world's first Black republic. But by 1825, the French returned and demanded Haiti to pay “reparations” for French financial losses, including the value of the lives of the formerly enslaved. With warships off its coast, Haiti was forced to agree to an indemnity debt, which totaled hundreds of millions in today's dollars, a ransom for freedom. Lasting for generations, this so-called independence debt was not just a financial burden hindering Haiti’s development across all sectors, it was a calculated act of economic warfare where foreign funding replaced sovereignty, while the imperial west escalated its predation: repeated military invasions, embargoes, financial coercion, political interference, orchestrated coups, and installed puppet governments and dictators.  From France’s gunboat diplomacy, to US military occupation, to UN missions for “stabilisation” and the brutal suppression of justice movements, Haiti has been a l

Looking at gender based violence in Myanmar

This episode is dedicated to raising awareness around 'cybercrime' within our communities. This episode features Ms Saleha Singh and has been presented by Dr Chris Mallika Bhadra on the lands of the Kulin Nation.

On this week’s episode, we listen to an interview with Dr Iori Hamada, a Japanese Studies lecturer and researcher based in Melbourne. Driven by a passion for social inclusion, Iori is dedicated to fostering a more equitable society, particularly for disadvantaged groups such as migrants and women. In this conversation, we talk about gender inequality in Japan and how gender and migration intersect in the experiences of the Japanese community in Victoria, Australia.

On this week’s episode we listen to the story of Fayeza, a 21 year old woman born and living in Afghanistan. Fayeza comes from the Hazara ethnic group of Afghanistan. She was preparing for medical university when the Taliban came back to power and banned education for women. In this conversation we talk about her life journey, her insights into the political situation, and her aspirations.

 Zena Cumpston is a Barkandji woman with Afghan, English and Irish heritage.Zena works as an artist, writer, consultant and curator. She is passionate about plants and seeks out projects that empower community and Country. Zena is a member of the Birrarung Council and the curator of First Nations Projects at InPLace Artist Residencies. In 2024 Zena co-wrote the Yuruwan ‘Growing on Country’ resource, a unique space to consider food sovereignty and cultural landscapes, fostering fertile conditions for social and environmental justice and change. She is the co-author of the highly popular book ‘Plants; past, present, future’ (First Knowledges series) and is a widely published essayist and regular public speaker.

Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte is in the custody of the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands after being arrested in Manila on Tuesday 11 March, on crimes against humanity charges linked to his deadly "war on drugs".Mr Duterte was detained by Philippine police and flown to The Hague in the Netherlands on an arrest warrant. Police say that during his arrest, Mr Duterte threatened officers, refused to be fingerprinted and his associates and family blocked his arrest for 12 hours.On Accent of Women today, we look at Duterte’s deadly war on drugs and what this arrest means, but in further news, the workers at the semiconductor manufacturer, Nexperia, had a victory last week as well, following 4 days of strike action. My guest today is Rochelle Porras from EILER – The Ecumenical Institute for Labour Education and Research

Ana Gamero, originally from Peru and now living in Australia for 17 years, made the bold transition from construction to welding while undertaking an Engineering Fabrication Apprenticeship. In this conversation, she shares her journey in the trades, the invaluable support from her colleagues, and the guidance of Courteney Munn, Project Manager at AMWU, who helped her navigate the challenges she faced. Through the union, Ana discovered a powerful sense of community and support.The song in the intro is Marinera Norteña - La Trujillana. The song at the end is La Flor de la Canela, by Chabuca Granda and interpreted by Eva Ayllon en vivo en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Both songs are gems of Peruvian musical heritage. Special thanks to Ana Gamero for the interview.This episode was presented by Ximena Jimenez and produced on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, in what is now known as Melbourne. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging, and acknowledge their ongoing con

This episode is dedicated to raising awareness around 'mental health' within South-Asian diaspora and communities. This episode features Ms Tania Biswas and has been presented by Dr Chris Mallika Bhadra on the lands of the Kulin Nation.

Racerage is a queer, Blak radical rapper; mixing dark electronic hip-hop with defiant punk energy. They collaborate with other BIPOC, queer and trans artists, to create political protest rap ... hip hop as truth telling. Racerage dropped their debut record Black Medusa in 2021; the soundtrack to a shared decolonised, queer, accessible future;On this episode of Accent of Women, we hear about their journey as a multiply marginalised artist in the local music industry, coming to culture, and their experiences with grassroots activism and harm reduction advocacy in Naarm-Melbourne.

Excerpts from 29 January Webinar, hosted by APAN: Beyond the Ceasefire: Next steps to liberation and justice- Pt 2On this week's show we play excerpts from the recording of a webinar hosted by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network which takes a critical look at the ceasefire agreement and unpacks what it means for the movement for Palestinian justice. It contextualises the movement within the broader struggle for Palestinian rights, and discusses the reality of the ceasefire for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.The speakers featured on the podcast are:Dr Lana Tatour: a Palestinian woman whose family was displaced in the 1948 Nakba, and an academic on Settler colonialism, race, and decolonization in PalestineSamah Sabawi: a Gazan Palestinian author, playwright and scholarSongsMawtini -Mohammed YoussefMystic of the Middle East- Serge Quadrado

Excerpts from 29 January Webinar, hosted by APAN: Beyond the Ceasefire: Next steps to liberation and justice- Pt 1On this week's show we play excerpts from the recording of a webinar hosted by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network which takes a critical look at the ceasefire agreement and unpacks what it means for the movement for Palestinian justice. It contextualises the movement within the broader struggle for Palestinian rights, and discusses the reality of the ceasefire for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.The speakers featured on the podcast are:Dr Lana Tatour: a Palestinian woman whose family was displaced in the 1948 Nakba, and an academic on Settler colonialism, race, and decolonization in PalestineSamah Sabawi: a Gazan Palestinian author, playwright and scholar

August 2024 was a tragic month for the South-Asian diaspora as a young female medical doctor was abused and consequently lost her life at RG Kar Hospital, Kolkata, India.This episode is dedicated to women and worker safety in our workplaces and in public premises.

Today’s story is about the intersection between music, sexyness and politics. We’ll talk about how it is living on a visa as a creative and how music can build up a sense of radical home. Special thanks to Luara, the founder of Inbraza, for her invaluable contributions. The phonk music featured at the end of this episode is from the album Músicas Pra Descer Até O Chão, Vol. 1 by Mike, O Prodigio, and Kay.