The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region encompasses both western Asia and northern Africa, and a recent term used to describe it in some circles is South West Asia and North Africa or SWANA in an effort to decolonise the terminology and better reflect its diversity. The region has been the site of numerous significant historical events and movements, including the rise and fall of powerful empires, the birth of Abrahamic religions, as well as the colonisation and decolonisation of most of its territories turned nations. Today, many peoples remain occupied, their land disputed or forcibly erased.
Civil war, political turmoil, and ongoing corruption contribute to the instability that some of the region experiences. In turn, this has and continues to have a profound impact on the lives of women and girls, who are often disproportionately affected by the violence and disruption caused by these conflicts.
In addition to the challenges posed by instability and violence, girls and women face gendered discrimination that prevents them from participating fully in society. The impacts of this are compounded by the patriarchal systems in place and are felt on a family level, a community level and beyond at the national and regional level. Political and religious violence also contribute to the intersectional and layered challenges faced by women and girls in the region. In recent conflicts, a rise in child marriage and gender based violence has been seen simultaneously halting girls education and economic potential. Wherever instability strikes, peace and the hard earned advancements in women and human rights are often the first casualties lost.
And yet, women have been and continue to be on the forefront of social, political, and justice movements from their resistance against imperial colonisers during the 20th Century – from Egypt and across North Africa fighting the repression of dictatorial regimes and illegal occupation of Palestine. Human rights and liberation movements from Sudan to Palestine, Iran and Libya are not only supported by women but women are overwhelmingly represented as the drivers of such movements. Examples in the last decade alone include women on the forefront of revolution from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya to Yemen, Syria and more recently Sudan and Iran and the current #WomenLifeFreedom #JinJiyanAzadi movement. On the other hand, women are often the first targets of revolutionary change and the region has lost many women leaders in the struggle for liberation. Freedom can only be achieved when women are its champions; their resilience, determination and strength is our hope.
