Feminism, legal reform and women's empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4389050 |
|---|---|
| Authors | M Moghadam (0000-0002-1939-0606, Purdue University West Lafayette, corresponding author), Valentine M Moghadam |
| Year | 2008 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 191 |
| Pages | 9-16 |
| Publication date | 2008-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Social Science Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0020-8701 • E-ISSN: 1468-2451 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1468-2451.2009.00673.x |
| OpenAlex | W1981000884 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 15 |
| References cited | 7 |
The issue of women's rights in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has gained prominence in research studies, policy debates and feminist activism. Area experts contend that for women to play a larger role in the economy and society is vital to the region's progress. But women in MENA still face gender discrimination that prevents them from reaching their potential, despite impressive gains in education and health. To varying degrees across MENA countries, discrimination against women is built into cultural attitudes, government policies and legal frameworks. The region's family laws codify discrimination against women and girls, placing them in a position subordinate to men in the family - a position that is then replicated in the economy and society. I briefly discuss recent trends in women's activism and family law reform in the MENA region, with a spotlight on Morocco, which adopted an entirely new family law in early 2004. The new Moroccan law drew on international standards and norms on women's and children's rights, the imperatives of national development and Islam's spirit of justice and equality. That a feminist campaign succeeded in altering family law in a MENA country, where laws are based on Sharia, or Islamic law, shows that effective coalitions can be built in MENA countries by linking social and economic development to women's rights. The Moroccan case demonstrates the links among research, activism and policy
Economic growth · Economic Justice · Economics · Empowerment · Family law · Feminism · Geography · Government (linguistics) · Human rights · Islam · Middle East · Political science · Position (finance) · Sharia · Sociology · Gender Studies · Human Rights and Development · International Human Rights and Reproductive Law · Law · Social Science and Policy Research
Women's Emancipation and Civil Society Organisations
Women’s Emancipation and Civil Society Organisations
Women's human rights in the Arab-Islamic world
Experiencing ‘nikah Captivity’ in the West
Is gender the barrier to democracy? Women, Islamism, and the “Arab spring”
The effect of religiosity and cultural conservatism on digital privacy concerns
A Delicate Balancing Act
Unilateral Divorce for Women and Labor Supply in the Middle East and North Africa
Governing European Subjects
Power, exclusion and empowerment
Global Perspectives on Women and Work
Designing sustainable public spaces using design justice framework
Women’s Rights and Misperceived Gender Norms Under Authoritarianism
International incentives for women’s rights in dictatorships
My Place Isn't in the Kitchen
| Unique citing works | 15 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2011 - 2025 (15) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 14 |