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Lina Abirafeh

Director, Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World, Lebanese American University

Dr. Lina Abirafeh joined the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) in 2015. She brings nearly 20 years of experience addressing gender issues in both development and humanitarian settings. Her focus is on gender-based violence in emergency settings - conflict, post-conflict, and natural disaster. She has worked with many UN agencies and international NGOs in countries such as Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amongst others. Dr. Abirafeh has also conducted research trips to Bangladesh, Fiji, Kenya, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda on various gender issues and has published much of this work in books and journals. Her work is summarized in her 2015 TEDx talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krSG-RtiWUA

Dr. Abirafeh completed her PhD in 2008 under the auspices of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Department of International Development, researching the effects of gender-focused international aid in conflict and post-conflict contexts, with a specific focus on gender-based violence. Her book, “Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan: The Politics and Effects of Intervention”, published in 2009, is available at: http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-4519-6 . She received her Master’s degree in international economics and development from the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Wonder Woman: feminist icon or symbol of oppression?

Jun 23, 2017 18:26 pm UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

Its been a busy and controversial year for Wonder Woman. In October 2016, the United Nations made a curious appointment: Wonder Woman would be the global organisations new Ambassador for Womens Empowerment, aligned...

Economy

Mexico-EU Free Trade Deal Signals Strategic Shift Away From U.S. Dependence

Mexico and the European Union officially signed a long-delayed free trade agreement aimed at strengthening economic ties and reducing reliance on the United States amid ongoing tariff tensions linked to U.S. President...

World Bank Emergency Funding Demand Surges as 27 Countries Seek Crisis Support Amid Iran Conflict

Twenty-seven countries have moved to unlock emergency financing from existing World Bank programs following the economic shock caused by the ongoing Iran conflict, according to an internal document reviewed by Reuters. The...

Trump-China Summit Yields Limited Progress on Trade and Tech Cooperation

US President Donald Trumps May 1315 visit to China ended with both nations agreeing to strengthen communication and pursue a constructive strategic stability framework, signaling cautious progress in US-China relations....

US Economy Fueled by AI Investment Faces Rising Risks Ahead of Fed Meeting

The U.S. economy continues to outperform most developed nations, supported by resilient consumer spending and a sharp rise in artificial intelligence investment, according to new institutional research from Citi. Recent...

Goldman Sachs Sees Stronger U.S. Dollar as Global Economic Gaps Widen

Goldman Sachs expects the U.S. Dollar to remain strong as diverging global macroeconomic trends continue to favor the American economy over other major regions. In its latest global research report released Friday, the...

Politics

China Coal Mine Explosion Death Toll Revised to 82 in Shanxi

Chinese authorities have revised the death toll from the deadly coal mine gas explosion in northern Shanxi province to 82, down from the initially reported figure of more than 90. Despite the correction, the disaster...

Trump Says Iran Peace Deal Could Reopen Strait of Hormuz as Nuclear Talks Advance

U.S. President Donald Trump said a largely negotiated memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran could soon reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route disrupted since the outbreak of...

Russia Launches Massive Missile and Drone Strike on Kyiv Amid Oreshnik Threat

Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack early Sunday after Ukraines air force warned that Russia could launch a hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile. Powerful explosions shook Ukraines capital...

White House Shooting Reports Prompt Major Security Response in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed Saturday that it is aware of reports involving shots fired near the White House in Washington, D.C. The incident reportedly took place at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania...

U.S. Military Drill Over Caracas Raises Tensions in Venezuela

The United States military carried out a military drill over Caracas on Saturday, marking the first U.S. military exercise in Venezuela since American forces launched an operation on January 3 that resulted in the capture...

Science

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

SpaceX Starship V3 Test Flight Boosts IPO Momentum Ahead of Historic Market Debut

SpaceX successfully completed a major test flight of its upgraded Starship V3 rocket, marking a significant achievement for Elon Musks aerospace company as it moves closer to a highly anticipated initial public offering....

PDG Explores $1 Billion Sale of China Data Center Assets

Princeton Digital Group (PDG), a major data center operator backed by private equity firm Warburg Pincus, has reportedly launched a sale process for its China-based assets that could be valued at as much as $1 billion,...

Lam Research Expands AI-Powered Semiconductor Tools and Arizona Operations

Lam Research is accelerating its investment in artificial intelligence and advanced sensing technology to improve semiconductor manufacturing efficiency while expanding its presence in Arizona and California. The...

Texas Sues Meta Over WhatsApp Encryption Claims

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms and its messaging service WhatsApp, accusing the companies of misleading consumers about WhatsApps encryption and privacy protections. The...

Pentagon Expands AI Model Testing as It Seeks Alternatives to Anthropic’s Claude

The US Department of Defense is accelerating its evaluation of artificial intelligence models as it searches for alternatives to Anthropic PBCs Claude AI system, according to a Bloomberg report published Thursday. The...