Culture Lebanon’s first lady Nehmat Aoun takes center stage during Pope's visit Lebanon’s first lady, Nehmat Aoun, attended nearly all gatherings and visits of Pope Leo during his three-day trip to Beirut, highlighting her active involvement in social and humanitarian issues. Lebanon
Lebanon’s citizenship offer for FIFA head sparks debate over equal rights Lebanon’s president has announced he will grant citizenship to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, sparking a wave of outrage. Lebanon
Iran judicial chief orders crackdown on women defying hijab law: What to know Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei also called for legal action against the United States over the June strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran
Culture Rape case against movie star Pejman Jamshidi rocks Iran: What to know The accusations against Jamshidi, one of Iran’s most famous celebrities, come amid ongoing discussions about women’s lack of rights in the country. Iran
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. 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. Egypt
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. Lebanon
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. Egypt
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. Palestine
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. Saudi Arabia
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. Egypt
Inspired photographer spotlights Gaza's quiet heroines A self-taught photographer shares the stories of ordinary women in Gaza who have extraordinary stamina and drive. Palestine
Jordanian parliament rejects raising early marriage age to 16 Jordan’s parliament voted against raising the minimum age of marriage in exceptional cases from 15 to 16, disappointing many women and human rights activists. Jordan
Is Gaza set to break sexual harassment taboo? Activists from the conservative Gaza Strip recently launched the #MeTooGaza hashtag on social media to encourage sexual harassment victims to talk about their experiences and share their stories. Palestine
Has misogyny become official state policy in Turkey? With Turkish police canceling the International Women's Day march in Taksim at the last minute and the president using the drama as an electoral distraction, it's time to ask if misogyny has become an official state policy in Turkey. Turkey
Al-Azhar sheikh labels polygamy as unjust, stirs controversy Egypt’s grand imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, provoked controversy in Egypt by saying that polygamy can do “injustice to women and children.” Egypt
