Women’s rights

Speaker of the National People's Assembly, Dr. Khalida Boufedech, is pictured in this undated image.

Meet Khalida Boufedech, the first woman to lead Algeria’s parliament

Khalida Boufedech became Algeria’s first woman parliament speaker and the highest-ranking woman to hold constitutional office in the country’s history.

An activist takes part in a demonstration against sexual harassment, rape and domestic violence in the Lebanese capital Beirut on December 7, 2019. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP) (Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images)

Culture

Lebanon arrests man after video of public assault on wife goes viral

The man seen violently beating a woman at a restaurant has been arrested, but the incident has reignited debate over domestic violence amid warnings that such abuse can increase during periods of war.

MURAT KOCABAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

How ‘dog mom’ vacuum cleaner ad sparked culture war in Turkey

A Mother’s Day advertisement featuring a “dog mom” triggered a backlash from conservative media, government officials and regulators, turning a soft consumer campaign into a flashpoint over motherhood, declining birth rates, stray dogs and even antisemitism.

Kurdish people waving Kurdistan flags gather to celebrate Nowruz on the hill of Urkesh in the countryside of Amuda in northeastern Syria on March 18, 2026. Nowruz, meaning "new day," is an ancient festival that marks the start of spring and the new year on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20 or 21. It is celebrated by more than 300 million people worldwide and has been observed for over 3,000 years across regions including the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of Eastern Euro

Analysis

Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds?

Damascus is making limited but tangible progress in its engagement with Syrian Kurds, even as Ankara seeks to shape the terms of any settlement.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Iran formally allows women to drive motorcycles: What to know

Iranian instructor Maryam Ghelich stands with student Narghes as they look at Elham (3rd R), Leila and Mona, posing on their motorbikes before their lesson at a training center in northern Tehran on Dec. 7, 2025.

Culture

Lebanon’s first lady Nehmat Aoun takes center stage during Pope's visit

Adri Salido/Getty Images

Lebanon’s citizenship offer for FIFA head sparks debate over equal rights

CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Iran judicial chief orders crackdown on women defying hijab law: What to know

A couple sits facing the skyline of Tehran from Bam-e Tehran in Tehran, Iran on October 24, 2025. (Photo by Bahram / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by BAHRAM/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Can Egypt's new marriage e-registry curb child marriage?

Women's rights activists, marriage registrars and information technology experts have mixed reactions about a new electronic marriage registry service in Egypt.

Beats for women: Turkey's star hijabi DJ leads dance revolution

Turkey's popular DJ Safir says women love the freedom of her all-female shows regardless of their politics or ideology.

Egyptian women speak freely about choice to veil at hijab summit

In a summit organized by an award-winning Facebook community called Surviving Hijab, many veiled and unveiled Egyptian women discussed the many considerations and challenges involved in the personal decision to wear hijab.

Palestinian students look at gender equality through cameras

A short film project in the West Bank urges high school students to examine gender issues through the lens of a camera.

How this Ramallah shop teaches women to fight against harassment

Palestinian-American Yasmeen Mjalli created BabyFist to speak out against street harassment in Ramallah, but the shop quickly turned into a safe space for women to share their stories and seek legal advice.

Palestinians elect first female head of village in Jenin

The election of a woman as head of the al-Judeida village council in the West Bank governorate of Jenin shed light on the inequalities between genders in leadership positions in Palestine.

Meet the mother of three who is Egypt's first female maestro

Eman Genedy has conducted several orchestras and made a name for herself in a conservative society that frowns upon women singing, let alone conducting an orchestra.

Lebanese mountaineer speaks up for women, children from Everest summit

Joyce Azzam became the first Lebanese woman to complete the Seven Summits challenge by climbing Mount Everest, and now she's going back to clean it up and set an example for others.

Should women cover up so men can fast in Egypt?

An online campaign calling for "girls to dress modestly during Ramadan" has provoked the ire of critics who see it as a veiled call for sexual harassment under the pretext of piety.

Woman heads Palestinian Health Ministry for the first time

Only three women have been appointed to ministerial positions in the new Palestinian government, out of 18 ministries in total, raising the ire of activists.

Case of runaway sisters highlights ongoing plight of Saudi women

After their case made international headlines this month, one of the Saudi sisters who fled abroad spoke to Al-Monitor about the kingdom’s “flawed justice system” and called on the leadership to carry through with better reforms.

Small business lending on the rise for Egyptian women

Small business lending for Egyptian women has increased significantly in 2018, allowing more women, especially in rural areas, to start their own enterprises.