Venetia Rainey

Reporter

Venetia Rainey is a multimedia journalist who has filed stories from across the MENA region and Europe.

Venetia Rainey is a multimedia journalist who has filed stories from across the MENA region and Europe.She has reported in depth on the refugee crisis in Lebanon, spoken to the last remaining Jewish chef in Tunisia and covered a divisive national election in The Netherlands. Her work mainly focuses on issues around migration and gender.She is currently based between Amsterdam and Athens.


Greece exits bailout, but ‘shackles and the asphyxiation continue’

After eight years of emergency loans, Greece on Monday exited the international bailout program that prevented it from going bankrupt. Far from celebrating, Greeks are still reeling from heavy pension cuts, tax hikes and troubling levels of unemployment.

Nuria at My Red Light, a social project in the form of a brothel in Amsterdam. Nuria plans to retire from sex work later this year and work full-time in an administrative role at My Red Light.

A Dutch brothel where women work for themselves

Women & Gender
Rie van de Mueren (r) used to be a professional ballroom dancer. She's with Dieuwer Duijf at the Music Salon, which holds dance parties for the elderly in north Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is tackling loneliness one dance party at a time

Music
Demonstrators rally on behalf of LGBT asylum-seekers in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

‘Not gay enough’: Dutch authorities challenge asylum-seekers to prove their sexuality

Justice
Linawato Sidarto has lived in Amsterdam almost as long as she lived in Indonesia, but she says she doesn't think she'll ever be able to feel Dutch.

First- and second-generation Dutch wonder whether they’ll ever be considered locals

Global Politics
Dutch far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders campaigns for the 2017 Dutch election in Spijkenisse, a suburb of Rotterdam, on February 18.

Why some immigrants in the Netherlands plan to vote for the ‘Dutch Donald Trump’

Global Politics

The Dutch suburb of Spijkenisse is a center of support for the anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders.

After Noor (right) fled Syria with her family, her husband began to be abusive. She now receives counseling and health services at this women's center in Jordan.

A women’s health center for Syrian refugees is helping Jordanian women, too

Conflict

About one in three Jordanian women report experiencing domestic violence but many lack access to services. Now, Jordanian women are getting help in centers set up to treat Syrian refugees.

Aicha Hassan left Syria for Lebanon for years ago.  She doesn't want to stay in Lebanon, but "I don't intend to go back to Syria, either, even if things get better."

For these Syrian women, their 20s have been defined by war

Conflict

When the war in Syria started five years ago, Lebanon was a relatively welcoming place. But not so much anymore. Three Syrian women who arrived in Lebanon over the five years of the war tell their stories.

Hiba Bekai's office is her home, where she sews and does other needle work that she sells to Syrians and Lebanese.

This Syrian woman never had a paying job at home. Now she’s started a business in Lebanon.

Conflict

The war back home in Syria forced women into new roles outside of Syria. Some of them are creating opportunities for themselves.