Whose Feminism? Gender-Inclusive Policymaking in the Arab Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

Some feminist scholars have asserted that nominal representation does not secure substantive representation for gender equality and that the mere presence of more women in politics does not necessary lead to inclusive policies. This assertion makes sense because advancing gender equality and equitable opportunities requires a strategy to address intersectional forms of oppression, a systemic requirement that was historically lacking across much of the Arab Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. More recently, on the eve of the twenty-sixth anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Conference, governments across the region are laying claim to substantive advances in gender mainstreaming and to increasing the presence of women in political institutions, particularly in the resource-rich gulf. Despite the rush to support gender-inclusive policies, MENA governments did not bring the level or kind of gender equality and inclusion envisioned. This article explores the ways in which state feminism is advanced by governments across the MENA. We conduct a brief historical overview of women’s machineries and feminist movements and propose a way forward that cuts across countries, sectors, and age groups. We envision a consolidated movement that seeks to ensure that the prevailing form of feminism is one that champions the rights and interests of the collective and not of the few who are in power.