Women's and Feminist Activism in the M iddle E ast

Abstract

Women's activism in the Middle East has a major role in alerting women, families, and social actors to the importance of integrating women in economic, social, and cultural development. Further measures in favor of protecting women's rights are badly needed to guarantee their empowerment and contribution to development and democratization. However, there are hurdles blocking women's emancipation and legal rights in the region. Most countries have not agreed to all the articles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the quota system is not officially recognized in most constitutions, which implies that the representation of women depends on the political agendas of individual leaders. There is also weak commitment by many governments in the region to protect women from violence, especially domestic violence, and concerning their legal rights in police investigations, sanctions, and as victims of violence.