Soviet eco-activism exposed state rot – but it also provided the networks, platforms and experience for ordinary people to become anti-authoritarian campaigners.
With El Salvador’s disturbing prison deal with the US in the spotlight, Lya Cuéllar takes a look back at how her country has fared under the self-styled “World’s Coolest Dictator.”
Amid a harsh government clapdown on opposing voices in Egypt, exiled opposition figures are challenging state-imposed narratives from abroad – and impacting politics back home.
With almost a third of young Portuguese living abroad, the country’s visa options and growing recognition of foreign qualifications help keep the economy on its feet. But despite so many immigrant workers coming from Portuguese-speaking countries, their degrees still don’t have the same clout as qualifications earned in Portugal.
“It’s just like a prison, but worse,” says Omar. “You don’t know when you’ll be out. You can’t do anything all day. You don’t even have your personal room. You feel crushed.”
Forty years after the fall of Uruguay’s military dictatorship, the families of the disappeared are still demanding answers. Slowly but surely – through alliances that span politics, forensics, law, history and anthropology – they are casting light into the darkest recesses of their country’s past, in hope of a brighter future.
Before industrialized farming conquered the continent, the crops that fed Europe were adaptable varieties that evolved as peasants freely exchanged seeds, from harvest to sowing, generation after generation. Reviving these seed systems could protect our food supply from future climate shocks – if EU regulations don’t strangle them out completely.
As the Maduro regime’s grip on the media tightened, a group of activists went offline to bring news directly to the people. Thanks to BusTV, many Venezuelans now access uncensored information – not through an electronic screen but on their commute home or in their local town square.
It was already dark when Samrin was left alone in the woods. He had no backpack, sleeping bag, or food. His phone was running out of battery. The next morning, Samrin came online briefly to send Sanooja a final message on WhatsApp: “No water, I think I’ll die. Trangam, I love you.”
Media should not only inform, but foster understanding without exacerbating tensions or perpetuating biased narratives. Instead, Western media’s coverage of Israel-Palestine has prioritised certain perspectives while diminishing others, neglecting crucial context and perpetuating (unconscious) stereotypes.
While the conservative/religious views remain that marriage and reproduction are sacrosanct, even married couples face a lot of issues because they received zero, little or the wrong information about sex while growing up.
“This battle is not just for Leonard and for his companions that day. This is for all those who do fieldwork, for the environmentalists. I will not stop no matter what they do.”
Democracy Playbook
Latest Articles
Why the Kremlin still fears the legacy of Soviet eco-warriors
Soviet eco-activism exposed state rot – but it also provided the networks, platforms and experience for ordinary people to become anti-authoritarian campaigners.
Opinion: El Salvador is the far-right’s dream crypto-carceral state – and it’s failing
With El Salvador’s disturbing prison deal with the US in the spotlight, Lya Cuéllar takes a look back at how her country has fared under the self-styled “World’s Coolest Dictator.”
YouTube Warriors: Egypt’s Political Exiles Defy the Regime Online
Amid a harsh government clapdown on opposing voices in Egypt, exiled opposition figures are challenging state-imposed narratives from abroad – and impacting politics back home.
Migrant talent saves Portugal from brain drain
With almost a third of young Portuguese living abroad, the country’s visa options and growing recognition of foreign qualifications help keep the economy on its feet. But despite so many immigrant workers coming from Portuguese-speaking countries, their degrees still don’t have the same clout as qualifications earned in Portugal.
Prayers, protest and peace: How women helped end Liberia’s civil conflict
As so often in war, men led Liberia’s armed fractions, and women tended to suffer its most severe consequences. But when an interfaith group decided enough was enough, they proved that women don’t have to command armies or hold political office to change the course of history.
Prison of papers: As Netherlands ramps up detentions, undocumented immigrants speak out
“It’s just like a prison, but worse,” says Omar. “You don’t know when you’ll be out. You can’t do anything all day. You don’t even have your personal room. You feel crushed.”
Mothers on a Mission: Uruguay’s movement for the missing
Forty years after the fall of Uruguay’s military dictatorship, the families of the disappeared are still demanding answers. Slowly but surely – through alliances that span politics, forensics, law, history and anthropology – they are casting light into the darkest recesses of their country’s past, in hope of a brighter future.
In Bangladesh, a mothers’ call for justice is finally being heard
For more than a decade, families have accused the Bangladeshi state of abducting their loved ones and tirelessly campaigned for justice. Now, a new administration is finally acknowledging their pain.
Seeds of resistance: The fight to preserve Europe’s peasant seeds
Before industrialized farming conquered the continent, the crops that fed Europe were adaptable varieties that evolved as peasants freely exchanged seeds, from harvest to sowing, generation after generation. Reviving these seed systems could protect our food supply from future climate shocks – if EU regulations don’t strangle them out completely.
Focus: Climate
“Back door privatization”? Global South’s Share of Deep-Sea Mining Profits Under Scrutiny
The International Seabed Authority is supposed to ensure that profits from the deep sea are shared with all mankind. But so far, a few companies seem poised to take a majority share.
Genetic engineering against malnutrition: Does Golden Rice live up to its promise?
For the first time ever, large quantities of the genetically modified “golden rice” were harvested in the Philippines. It is supposed to save children’s lives. Rice farmers, nutrition experts and mothers report on their experiences.
By land or by sea: will Chile open the door to deep sea mining?
After the international negotiations on deep sea mining, it is worth asking whether this activity could be developed in the future in Chile, a mining country whose sea is almost five times larger than its continental surface. While some say that “it does not make sense”, others suggest that it could be an alternative to reduce land-based mining conflicts.
Where sun pays the bills: how a village in India is testing the limits of solar power
In Modhera, no one pays for electricity any more. Instead, villagers look at their electricity bills every month to see how much money they’ve earned from selling solar-generated electricity to the main grid.
A new crop of farmers fight stereotypes and food insecurity in Asian and African metropoles
“We are farming sustainably and extremely efficiently, we use 95% less water than traditional farming, and we are net carbon negative, because we use renewable energy,”
Focus: Migration
“They will start locking us up” The humanitarian toll of saving lives at the Polish-Belarussian border
What happens when ordinary people become human rights defenders? In a village in Poland, volunteers shoulder the burden their state resists by helping those who cross the border from Belarus to seek asylum.
Invisible children: the struggle of Nepali mothers returning home
“I became totally helpless. I was there to earn money to support my family, but I was trapped abroad,” Sunita said.
Little Help: The downsides of working for a top cleaning platform in Germany
“For us, it’s an evil we have to accept. Faced with not finding work and not being fluent in the language…well, we take what we can get.” -Nani
Detained Davincis: Artists in Lithuania draw attention to the plight of asylum-seekers
In May 2021, several thousand people crossed from Belarus into Lithuania, seeking asylum in the European Union. One year later, most remain in detention.
“Mom, when are we going home?”
The Russian war displaced more than half of Ukraine’s children. Here’s a story of one.
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Inside #DemocracyPlaybook
The peace movement in Liberia is female!
Women of Christian and Muslim faith came together to pray - and refuse sex - for peace.
Learn about their bold activism and read the whole story online (Link in bio).
Written by Tina S. Mehnpaine
Illustration by Marie Schwab
Edited by Purple Romero
#sexstrike #peacemovement #liberia #nonviolentprotest #sitin #civilwar
🚨 Poland’s New Border Law: Protection or Human Rights Violation?
Poland just passed a law allowing authorities to suspend asylum applications at the border for up to 60 days—extendable with parliamentary approval. Officials claim it’s a security measure against Belarus weaponizing migration, but human rights groups warn it traps vulnerable people in danger and violates international law.
Our newsroom has been reporting on the Eastern European migration crisis since 2021, covering everything from the mental toll on activists helping migrants to human rights violations by Polish border guards—some with deadly consequences.
What do you think? Is this a `necessary` step for national security, or is it a dangerous precedent violating human rights? Let us know your thoughts in the comments 👇
Read about this and other migration reporting at unbiasthenews.org
#Poland #Borders #Migration #HumanRights #Refugees #FortressEurope #EU #Belarus #Migrants #Journalism
When home is no longer safe, resistance finds a new battleground. Exiled Egyptian activists are using YouTube to challenge the regime, expose corruption, and keep the fight for democracy alive.
Read their stories in the latest of our #DemocracyPlaybook 👇
🔗 Link in bio.
When war tore Liberia apart, its women refused to stay silent. They prayed, protested—and even launched a bold sex strike—to force peace. 💪🏾✊🏾
Learn how an interfaith sisterhood took on warlords, defied the odds, and helped reshape Liberia’s future.
📖 Read now: Prayers, Protest, and Peace: How Women Helped End Liberia’s Civil Conflict by Tina S. Mehnpaine.
🔗 Link in bio.
#Liberia #WomenForPeace #LeymahGbowee #PeaceBuilding
Inside #DemocracyPlaybook
With the experience of a decades-long fight for justice, the Mothers and Families of the Detained-Disappeared in Uruguay have learned that collaborations and various tactics are key when seeking memory and truth in the face of repressive methods.
Their resilience is inspiring and the memories of their loved ones educate next generations.
Read the whole article online (Link in bio)
Written by Meredith Jackson
Illustration by Maryna Natkhir
Edited by Purple Romero
#enforceddisappearances #dictatorship #silentprotest #dondeestan #anthropology #archeology #memory
🔎 “Where are they?” This powerful question has echoed through Uruguay for decades, as the country’s mothers continue their relentless search for truth and justice for the disappeared. 🇺🇾
In our latest article, Mothers on a Mission: Uruguay’s Movement for the Missing, journalist Meredith Jackson explores how the Madres y Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos have fought tirelessly for the past 40 years, uncovering the darkest truths of Uruguay’s dictatorship and demanding answers. Through silent marches, forensic archaeology, and the power of memory, these mothers are lighting the way for a brighter future.
Read more on this powerful movement and the families who refuse to be silenced as part of our #DemocracyPlaybook—link in stories.
#Uruguay #HumanRights #Dictatorship #MadresYFamiliares #Uruguay
What happens when the truth is shut down? Where do people turn when reliable information is hard to find and independent media is almost wiped out?
🇻🇪 In Venezuela, 80% of radio stations are gone, 400+ media outlets shut down, and journalists jailed. But censorship hasn’t stopped the news—it’s just taken a new form.
🚍 The Bus TV is turning city buses into moving newsrooms, delivering independent news to people on the streets. Citizens are fact-checking, reporting from balconies, and breaking through censorship. In a country where 30% lack internet and independent media is blocked, citizens are taking journalism to the streets.
Want to learn how people worldwide are defending democracy? Check out The Democracy Playbook for more bold strategies.
📖 Read In Venezuela, catching a bus to catch the news
Written by Shaylim Castro Valderrama
Illustration by Ludi Leiva
Edited by Ankita Anand
Video: Gabriela Ramirez
#Democracy #UnbiasTheNews #DemocracyPlaybook #Venezuela #Censorchip #Maduro #Dictatorship #Venezolanos
As thousands of young Portuguese professionals leave for better opportunities abroad, skilled migrants are arriving to fill the gaps. But are their talents truly being recognized?
Our latest report for the Brain Waste Investigation, in collaboration with Lighthouse Reports, takes us to Portugal, revealing that while Portugal does better than most European countries at integrating skilled migrants, many still face bureaucratic delays, underemployment, and lower wages.
Portugal welcomes talent—but does it value it?
Learn more in our article. Link in bio.
#BrainWaste #Migration #BrainWaste #LighthouseReports #UnbiasTheNews
Inside #DemocracyPlaybook
Inspired by movements like the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina (1970s) families in Bangladesh found their strength in numbers.
Mayer Daak brought the families of forcibly disappeared persons together to amplify their demands for justice. Together, they couldn´t be overheard.
Read the full story online as part of our Democracy Playbook. Link in bio.
Written and photographed by Dil Afrose Jahan
Illustration by Erdy-Duangkamol Kongtanajaroenchai
Edited by Purple Romero
#enforceddisappearances #humanrights
Inside #DemocracyPlaybook
The peace movement in Liberia is female!
Women of Christian and Muslim faith came together to pray - and refuse sex - for peace.
Learn about their bold activism and read the whole story online (Link in bio).
Written by Tina S. Mehnpaine
Illustration by Marie Schwab
Edited by Purple Romero
#sexstrike #peacemovement #liberia #nonviolentprotest #sitin #civilwar
🚨 Poland’s New Border Law: Protection or Human Rights Violation?
Poland just passed a law allowing authorities to suspend asylum applications at the border for up to 60 days—extendable with parliamentary approval. Officials claim it’s a security measure against Belarus weaponizing migration, but human rights groups warn it traps vulnerable people in danger and violates international law.
Our newsroom has been reporting on the Eastern European migration crisis since 2021, covering everything from the mental toll on activists helping migrants to human rights violations by Polish border guards—some with deadly consequences.
What do you think? Is this a `necessary` step for national security, or is it a dangerous precedent violating human rights? Let us know your thoughts in the comments 👇
Read about this and other migration reporting at unbiasthenews.org
#Poland #Borders #Migration #HumanRights #Refugees #FortressEurope #EU #Belarus #Migrants #Journalism
When home is no longer safe, resistance finds a new battleground. Exiled Egyptian activists are using YouTube to challenge the regime, expose corruption, and keep the fight for democracy alive.
Read their stories in the latest of our #DemocracyPlaybook 👇
🔗 Link in bio.
When war tore Liberia apart, its women refused to stay silent. They prayed, protested—and even launched a bold sex strike—to force peace. 💪🏾✊🏾
Learn how an interfaith sisterhood took on warlords, defied the odds, and helped reshape Liberia’s future.
📖 Read now: Prayers, Protest, and Peace: How Women Helped End Liberia’s Civil Conflict by Tina S. Mehnpaine.
🔗 Link in bio.
#Liberia #WomenForPeace #LeymahGbowee #PeaceBuilding
Inside #DemocracyPlaybook
With the experience of a decades-long fight for justice, the Mothers and Families of the Detained-Disappeared in Uruguay have learned that collaborations and various tactics are key when seeking memory and truth in the face of repressive methods.
Their resilience is inspiring and the memories of their loved ones educate next generations.
Read the whole article online (Link in bio)
Written by Meredith Jackson
Illustration by Maryna Natkhir
Edited by Purple Romero
#enforceddisappearances #dictatorship #silentprotest #dondeestan #anthropology #archeology #memory
🔎 “Where are they?” This powerful question has echoed through Uruguay for decades, as the country’s mothers continue their relentless search for truth and justice for the disappeared. 🇺🇾
In our latest article, Mothers on a Mission: Uruguay’s Movement for the Missing, journalist Meredith Jackson explores how the Madres y Familiares de Detenidos Desaparecidos have fought tirelessly for the past 40 years, uncovering the darkest truths of Uruguay’s dictatorship and demanding answers. Through silent marches, forensic archaeology, and the power of memory, these mothers are lighting the way for a brighter future.
Read more on this powerful movement and the families who refuse to be silenced as part of our #DemocracyPlaybook—link in stories.
#Uruguay #HumanRights #Dictatorship #MadresYFamiliares #Uruguay
What happens when the truth is shut down? Where do people turn when reliable information is hard to find and independent media is almost wiped out?
🇻🇪 In Venezuela, 80% of radio stations are gone, 400+ media outlets shut down, and journalists jailed. But censorship hasn’t stopped the news—it’s just taken a new form.
🚍 The Bus TV is turning city buses into moving newsrooms, delivering independent news to people on the streets. Citizens are fact-checking, reporting from balconies, and breaking through censorship. In a country where 30% lack internet and independent media is blocked, citizens are taking journalism to the streets.
Want to learn how people worldwide are defending democracy? Check out The Democracy Playbook for more bold strategies.
📖 Read In Venezuela, catching a bus to catch the news
Written by Shaylim Castro Valderrama
Illustration by Ludi Leiva
Edited by Ankita Anand
Video: Gabriela Ramirez
#Democracy #UnbiasTheNews #DemocracyPlaybook #Venezuela #Censorchip #Maduro #Dictatorship #Venezolanos
As thousands of young Portuguese professionals leave for better opportunities abroad, skilled migrants are arriving to fill the gaps. But are their talents truly being recognized?
Our latest report for the Brain Waste Investigation, in collaboration with Lighthouse Reports, takes us to Portugal, revealing that while Portugal does better than most European countries at integrating skilled migrants, many still face bureaucratic delays, underemployment, and lower wages.
Portugal welcomes talent—but does it value it?
Learn more in our article. Link in bio.
#BrainWaste #Migration #BrainWaste #LighthouseReports #UnbiasTheNews
Inside #DemocracyPlaybook
Inspired by movements like the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina (1970s) families in Bangladesh found their strength in numbers.
Mayer Daak brought the families of forcibly disappeared persons together to amplify their demands for justice. Together, they couldn´t be overheard.
Read the full story online as part of our Democracy Playbook. Link in bio.
Written and photographed by Dil Afrose Jahan
Illustration by Erdy-Duangkamol Kongtanajaroenchai
Edited by Purple Romero
#enforceddisappearances #humanrights
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