By Lipi Mehta:
2015 was an iconic year for politics, gender and equal representation. It was also momentous because of the way we as a people reacted to both natural disasters and violent acts of terrorism. The human spirit emerged victorious in spite of it all. As our freedom of speech and expression stood threatened, voices defending the same got louder. And while we still need learn and unlearn many a lessons, these 21 moments from 2015 are an attempt to look back at a glance, at the year that was…
Earthquakes in Nepal in April and May killed close to 9,000 people and injured thousands. Villages near the epicentre were flattened and thousands were left homeless. Experts suggest that it will take a few years to rebuild Nepal’s economy in the wake of this disaster.
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This 2 Min. Video Captures The Terrifying Moment When The Earthquake Hit Nepal
The Fault Lines With Us: Why The Next Earthquake Will Be Our Doing
In India too, there was a nationwide campaign against menstruation taboos, after 20-year-old Nikita Azad’s letter on Youth Ki Awaaz went viral and challenged the age-old stigma of menstruation women not being allowed in temples.
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‘A Young Bleeding Woman’ Pens An Open Letter To The Keepers Of Sabrimala Temple
Nikita Azad On How Her Letter On Youth Ki Awaaz Started The National Campaign #HappyToBleed
With air pollution in Delhi rising to a threatening level and the Delhi High Court calling the city a ‘Gas Chamber’, a ‘red alert’ is issued by the Delhi government and measures to reduce pollution are being set in place.
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Delhi’s Odd-Even Number Plate Experiment: Will It Succeed?
32,000 People In Delhi Will Be Dead By 2025, All Because Of This Avoidable Reason
43-year-old Sundar Pichai was Product Chief at Google until he was made CEO this year. He is an IIT Kharagpur graduate and the first Indian to hold the top-most position at Google.
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai Speaks Up On Intolerance In USA. And There’s A Lesson For India
Three-year-old Aylan Kurdi’s body was washed ashore when the boat he and his family were travelling in capsized. Those who stand to lose the most from all this are the Syrian children, for whom home and family have been all but shattered, leave alone their education and future careers.
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All Of Us Are Responsible For Why 3 Year Old Aylan Kurdi Is No More
[Y]ral: Watch To Understand What The Life Of A Refugee Fleeing His Homeland Looks Like
Ahmed’s arrest led to worldwide outrage as this was a clear example of racial profiling and Islamophobia leading to the outrageous notion that “all terrorists are Muslim”. Post this, US President Barack Obama condemned the incident and invited Ahmed to the White House.
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USA’s Most Wanted: Ahmed’s Clock
Viola Davis gave a stirring speech after her win stating that the biggest thing that separates women of colour from anything else is opportunity. She added, “You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”
After Dr Kalburgi was shot dead, many writers, scientists and filmmakers across the country returned their state-conferred awards in protest. A nationwide debate on intolerance arose, with various protests all over the country.
Also read:
The Murder Of Dr. Kalburgi Signals The Death Of Free Speech, Reasoning & Dissent In India
As Over 30 Indian Writers Return Their State Awards, Will Those In Power Please Stand Up?
Akhlaq’s death caused a huge uproar all over the country. Along with the imposition of a beef ban in some states across the country, this incident started a nationwide debate on religious intolerance and atrocities committed against minorities in India.
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After Dadri Lynching, Read Farhan Akhtar’s Powerful Letter To The Govt. And People Of India
[Y]Ral: Is The Beef Ban Justified? This Is What The People Have To Say
As part of our #AbortTheStigma campaign, illustrator Maitri Dore made this visual that reached close to 5 million users online and garnered more than 170,000 reactions from people across the world. Various conversations about sexual and reproductive health rights and a woman’s right over her own body started because of this visual and they continue till date.
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From “We love this!” to “Fetus Fetishists”: What You Felt About Our Illustration on #AbortTheStigma
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What Does India’s First Trans College Principal Think About LGBT+ Rights? A YKA Exclusive
Kolkata’s First Durga Puja By Transgenders Promises To Be Amazing
In what was considered a historic election, Nitish Kumar won Bihar Elections 2015 and took over his third term as Chief Minister. The elections were important also because it was a defeat for BJP, a significant one considering PM Modi’s landslide victory in the 2014 General Elections.
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Youth Ki Awaaz’s Coverage Of The Elections: Bihar Elections With Ojha
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Je Suis Charlie – No One Deserves Death For An Expression
How NOT To Respond To The Paris Attacks
“City Of Love Is Heartbroken Today”: Social Media Reacts To #ParisAttacks
The suicide bombings in Lebanon were the worst terrorist attacks in Beirut since the end of the Lebanese Civil War. They happened on November 12, 2015, a day before the Paris Attacks. There was heavy criticism on the difference between the reactions to both the attacks with the media and governments being questioned about whether the lives of citizens in first-world countries matter more than others.
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If You’re Outraged About Paris Attacks But Clueless About Beirut Then Read This
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Awaaz Network Explains Why They Used The Nazi Swastika To Protest Against PM Modi
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In November and December, the city of Chennai battled with the worst floods in almost a century with close to a 100 lives being lost. However, human spirit defeated this calamity as organisations and relief initiatives were set up in real time to prove help and people across the country contributed to these efforts in numerous ways.
Also see:
14 Photos That Show How Chennai Rains Haven’t Dampened The People’s Spirit
An IAF Helicopter’s Amazing Rescue Of A Pregnant Woman During The Chennai Flood
The 2015 Delhi Queer Pride March was proof of how discriminatory laws can’t dent LGBT pride in India. With the Indian Parliament recently rejecting MP Shashi Tharoor’s bill to scrap Section 377, this is a crucial time for the fight for equality to continue.
Also see:
14 Beautiful Photos That Show How Discriminatory Laws Can’t Dent LGBT+ Pride
‘Officially A Homophobic Country’ Cries Twitter After Parliament Rejects Bill To Scrap 377
“Tonight, they step off this plane as refugees, but they walk out of this terminal as permanent residents of Canada,” Trudeau said. The Prime Minister also made news for his Cabinet, which is the most diverse in history. When asked why he chose the ministers who he did, he said, “Because it’s 2015!”
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That Moment When Justin Trudeau Created History By Welcoming Syrian Refugees To Canada…