Photo by Syed Shahryar

A few weeks back, the government of Jammu and Kashmir issued an order asking all telecommunications operators to do whatever is necessary to block the blasphemous film ‘Innocence of Muslims,’ even if it required blocking Facebook and YouTube completely.

Love’s labour is lost in a country where many women feel that they are not treated equally and are even denied basic constitutional rights. Controversy is never far away because girls’ schools are burned down denying them education. A shot in the head as in the case of Malala is enough to kill off any revolution stirring a woman’s right to freedom of expression.

“I believe that success in life is a matter of work and faith, like walking along a long road until we reach our aim. Nothing can define me, neither my shape, nor size, nor weight, because I trust my emotions and believe in my dreams.” Our reader from Africa, Ferhat Bezazel, shares his story with us.

There is always a first time for everything that happens to us. There is something special about the first experience. The case was not different with my first day in Germany. I had never travelled to a foreign country before. When I landed in Germany the feeling was mixed. I was missing home, I was worried, but at the same time the thought of meeting new people and learning new things brought some relief.

It was a cold morning on October 1, when I arrived at Frankfurt international airport. I felt dead tired. I completed the formalities at the airport, collected my luggage and started looking for the way to the train station. I had to catch a train to Cologne and then to Bonn. I was worried, but didn’t want to give this impression to the people around.

Ronaq Zahoor is from Sopore in Indian-administered Kashmir

“I was born and brought up in Sopore, 50 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir. I am reserved, a little laid-back and an abstract thinker.”

Ronaq Zahoor, the latest addition to the Women Talk Online team, talks about her life in Kashmir, the conflict, the dangers and her love for writing.

Women love to express themselves and how! We found some very interesting blogs by women and on women’s issues, on topics ranging from fitness, relationships and literature to art and yoga. Here’s a short list.

“Out of place everywhere, at home nowhere.” These are the famous words of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He admitted to being an odd mixture of the East and the West. “I cannot be of the West. But in my own country, I have an exile’s feeling.”