Today is International Women’s Day, and I was browsing through twitter for something that’s awe-inspiring to today’s events that are happening in this not-so-friendly climatic atmosphere we’re living in. AJ+ posted a BTS footage of Yemeni’s first female rapper, 23-year-old Amani Yahya, speaking about the difficulties that women living through conflict (of war) are facing.

OxFam in the Middle East brought Yahya together with four other artists: Meera Irshaid & Krist from Jordan, and Rush Saifullah & Myam Mahmoud from Egypt to Beirut, to record a track about womens’ rights. Here’s the result of the dope collaborative effort! It is in their native tongue, so if you’re looking for the english translation, it’s down below.

Salute to women everywhere making a difference, no matter how big or small!

Mira

Explain to me how you consider women to be machines

Explain to me clearly how you consider her your other half

While you are sitting there throwing orders as if she were a slave

As if you got her from a market through a free deal

Don’t be human if you do not want to be

To exist or not, this law allowed me to

Think for a second and live a moment of peace

And realised that I exist with or without you

In general, masculinity for some

Can only be seen as a loud roaring voice 

And you, moved from your father’s house to the house of man you were forced to marry 

They do not give you a break, they tie you up to ignorance

They put limits to your dreams, but they will never limit your power

The many days you have resisted harassment and war cannot be counted, but the power that lies in you will never be stopped

When you start thinking of yourself, your path will not be blocked 

Krist

Don’t talk to me of a masculine society and tell me to shut up and forget

You have no right to rule and oppress just because she is a woman

Because of your thirst for ignorance you try to dominate her

A woman is a complete human she is not a half, so stop considering her one.

Women are not shame, they can be whoever they want

Mothers, scientists, leaders by nature

Women are revolutions and heads of houses,

The point is that a woman is not private property

 

Amani

You tell me that a woman can never become something big

A school teacher, that’s all she can ever be

But you have surely forgotten

That women are essential beings that cannot be eliminated 

despite your constant tough oppression

You call her names such as ‘shame’ & ‘reputation’

You try to make me forget that you are the perpetrator

A woman owns herself, she is not the property of anyone else

Exploitation, persecution and marginalization of women

From the violence she has endured, she has created a revolution

All the challenges she is facing are making her stronger

She can do whatever she wants, she does not need your permission

 

Kareem

They burry justice with their violent thoughts

They imprison freedom with metal handcuffs

Our women are prisoners from the old ages

We kill women in many different ways

We divert the meaning of words for unlawful principles

We call for justice and exclude women

And now with wars, women are being sold in markets

All eyes on you while counting your breath

She is not your property, or a prey to devour

You don’t have power over her or her freedom

There is no battle of the sexes not even round after round

In the midst of camps, women are as tough as a thousand state

Their reward were their independence

They spread their wings and flew like migrating birds

Fleeing from injustice, harassment and exploitation

With their will and patience they will win, their weapons are much stronger than yours

Mayam

If I had to fight to ask for a normal life

You will find loud armies supporting me 

You will find various armies that also call for freedom

The way women’s rights are given to them 

are in reality hanging ropes

so leave me break free from the limitations imposed on me

The color red is not romantic, it reminds me of blood

Leave me be independent, I am satisfied with that

I put my own rules which you do not possess

My worries keep reminding me that I have to ask for support

Your life is divided between sacrifice and exploitation

They forced you to marry the rich guy instead of the one you love

Despite your weakness, you take advantage because she is a refugee 

She is courageous, strong, a heroin, and you surely know that

It’s a war, and my army is stronger than yours, my enemy is ignorance

I will rebalance society’s scale and I will dream