RHEA MOGUL
Freelance journalist
HONG KONG PROTESTS
South China Morning Post
More than 1.7 million people braved the rain and thunderstorms to take to the streets to demand freedom and democracy in Hong Kong.
South China Morning Post
During Hong Kong's 2019 anti-government protests, students and alumni gathered to support the movement.
Hong Kong Free Press
The physical wounds of Hong Kong's protest movement are clearly visible, but in a society that continues to stigmatise mental health problems, the psychological trauma will leave a harmful – yet hidden – effect on Hong Kong people.
South China Morning Post
Pro-democracy icon Joshua Wong greets protesters as they march through Causeway Bay on New Year's Day to demand freedom and democracy in Hong Kong.
South China Morning Post
More than 100 students from 12 secondary schools in Tsuen Wan formed a human chain this evening, to protest against the government’s inaction towards the protester's five demands.
Hong Kong Free Press
As some of society’s most vulnerable residents, many within the asylum-seeking and refugee community have been deeply affected by the recent political climate in Hong Kong. It has triggered memories of their past, leaving them concerned about their future here, and worried for their own safety.
WOMEN AND GENDER
Hong Kong Free Press
According to the Census and Statistics Department, ethnic minorities make up 8 per cent of the Hong Kong population, including migrant workers. However, their voices are mostly absent in policy discussions that affect the lives of their communities and the city as a whole. The Diversity List aims to change that.
Hong Kong Free Press
Females make up between two and nine per cent of total numbers in about four out of five prisons worldwide. Only 19 systems have a higher percentage. At the top of that list sits Hong Kong, which currently has more women among the prison population than any other jurisdiction in the world.
(Photo: Justice Centre Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Free Press
For many people classified as “non-essential workers,” the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of employment and income. But Claudine, 47, a trained nurse, remains unseen and unable to work, despite a demand for skilled people like her.
(Photo: RUN Hong Kong)
Ariana Magazine
As of September 2019, there were 22 surrogates at Akanksha Hospital – many of whom were able to pull their families out of poverty. But after India’s upper house of Parliament approved the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2019, the government will soon put an end to the industry.
(Photo: Deepti Asthana)
Ariana Magazine
Sometimes it takes a week, a month, or 40 years – a lag that can further cast doubt on women’s stories. Exploring the complicated and emotional process of going public with accusations, I spoke with three women in three different countries who share their stories about why they came forward – and what happened when they did.
Ariana Magazine
In many parts of the world, periods are simply a fact of life. But in some countries, menstruation takes a deeper toll, both physically and psychologically. This is particularly true in Southeast Asia, where menstruation is shrouded in layers of shame and stigma.
(Photo: Anthony Kwan)
South China Morning Post
June and the summer months have become synonymous with a diverse global calendar of Pride events, during which LGBTQ+ people address the prejudice and challenges faced by the community.
This year, Covid-19 has changed this landscape; events are happening online or not at all.
But Hong Kong’s vibrant LGBTQ+ youth are not letting these restrictions get in the way of their activism. They are taking it upon themselves to raise awareness, promote inclusivity and educate others about issues faced by their community.
HUMAN INTEREST
South China Morning Post
Even as their numbers decline elsewhere, Parsis are thriving in Hong Kong, a city their forebears helped build – think the University of Hong Kong, the Jockey Club, and the Star Ferry.
(Photo: Xiaomi Chen)
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong’s police force has faced numerous accusations of excessive force since widespread and sometimes violent protests broke out in June last year against the now-shelved extradition bill.
But many members of the city’s ethnic minority population feel that the criminal justice system has historically been discriminatory against them.
CNN
Dadar Parsi Colony is one of 25 colonies in Mumbai that officials designed solely for Parsis, an ethnoreligious group of Persian descendants in India who follow the Zoroastrian religion. But their numbers are dwindling. There were more than 100,000 Parsis in the country in 1941. By 2011, there were fewer than 60,000. And by 2050, experts predict numbers will drop to about 40,000.
SHE WAS MURDERED FOR CATCHING AN INDIAN PRIEST AND NUN IN A SEX ACT. THREE DECADES LATER, JUSTICE IS SERVED
CNN
In 1992, Sister Abhaya's dead body was found in a well in the city of Kottayam, in Kerela. But her killers would not be sentenced for another 27 years.
