Upstream Journal

04/01/2026

Stephen Lewis was an inspiration to those who seek a more just world, and news of his death came as a terrible shock. It was my pleasure to publish an interview that one of my team did with Mr. Lewis back in 2006. Apparently he did it on an early morning as he prepared and had breakfast at his home, the only time he could fit it in! I failed to edit their conversation down for the issue I had planned, so it ran over two issues.

He was clearly a kind, thoughtful, informed and inspiring man with clear insights into global challenges. Such a life well-lived.

https://upstreamjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/sept_2006.pdf

https://upstreamjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/march_2006.pdf

03/11/2026

This new article and podcast explores the issue of children born of war. The children born of war are mainly considered to be those children born to local women of men who have been members of an enemy, allied or peacekeeping force.

Through no fault of their own, these children often carry a sense of disgrace and shame as they grow.

Features interviews with extraordinary women who talk about their past and how they continually overcome the challenges it brought.

The illustration is from a sculpture designed and created by Rebecca Hawkins.

https://upstreamjournal.org/children-of-war/

03/01/2026

02/20/2026

Most girls in Bangladesh are married before they are 18. For the impacts, and what can be done to prevent harm, check out the latest article and podcast by Dasheeni Joud Selvaratnam

www.upstreamjournal.org

11/25/2025

Domestic violence and an unequal distribution of labor in South Korea were motivating factors behind the rise of what is known as the 4B feminist movement. In a new article and podcast episode, Lily Wang explores the expansion of 4B beyond Korea, and the extent to which it may or may not have an impact on the protection of women’s rights. https://upstreamjournal.org/the-4b-movement-radical-feminism/

10/06/2025

About eight million Canadians are aged 65 and older, almost 20% of the total population. Single seniors, particularly women, are highly likely to be in poverty. One-third of the senior population, mostly the women, have a mobility disability. And loneliness is a significant issue for many seniors, and again this is affecting mostly women.
In this Upstream Journal articles and companion episode on the Human Rights Magazine podcast, Enid Kohler looks into these concerns, and possible solutions.
www.upstreamjournal.org

08/14/2025

Kurdistan is a region in western Asia where political, cultural and environmental concerns overlap to a significant degree. Control of water is of particular importance. In a new article and podcast episode, Selin Abali explores some aspects of the tensions that continue to arise as Kurdish people face challenges to how rivers are managed and to their overall relationship with the water that is central to their lives.
www.upstreamjournal.org

08/12/2025

The UJ is taking a new direction with the addition of a section that "welcomes thoughtful and informed contributions providing critical reflection on human rights and social justice"!
We've just launched this "Ideas and opinions" section with two thought-provoking articles that I invite you to check out:
The Artist as Preacher: James Baldwin’s Sacred Task. Yahia Lababidi considers the role of the artist as understood by James Baldwin. “To read Baldwin, today, is to uphold this time-honored task of the writer: to transform perception. For this reason, his words continue to pierce, console, and instruct. In a time when language is often twisted to conceal, Baldwin restores its capacity to illuminate. He summons us to see, to feel, to reckon, to recover our shared humanity.”
Israel’s crisis of identity, of purpose, of faith in the state itself. Valentine Matta looks at aspects of what she calls the country’s “existential inflection point”, and a society that has “learned to partition its moral concern—to grieve Jewish suffering while remaining largely indifferent to Palestinian pain”.

08/11/2025

Refugees from the world's worst humanitarian crisis face obstacles, limited support. A new article and podcast at Upstream Journal.

05/27/2025

Tibetan communities face a new challenge as people leave - a new article and podcast at www.upstreamjournal.org

Sixty-five years after the People’s Republic of China invaded Tibet, the diaspora is now shifting to the West. What are the advantages and disadvantages to a changing diaspora and why is it happening?

05/26/2025

International students in Canada can face considerable obstacles and sources of stress. There can be financial strain, including finding affordable accommodation. Finding meaningful part-time work can be difficult. There is also concern about exploitation by employers, landlords and criminals posing as immigration consultants.
Our podcast, Human Rights Magazine, looks into the issue in a new episode hosted by Napas Thein, with technical support and outreach by Jing Xiao.
https://upstreamjournal.org/humanrightsmagazine/