Women’s rights

Play challenges deadly Egyptian wedding night tradition

A daring new play called "Wedding Night" casts a critical eye on Egypt's archaic traditions that make some young couples' wedding nights a nightmare.

Egypt

Will Tunis' first female mayor advocate for women’s rights?

Tunis' city council has elected its first female mayor from the Ennahda movement, yet some critics are wary of whether the new mayor will be a strong advocate for women.

Tunisia

Iranian women's movement pushes for more rights, at its own pace

Faced with calls for radical change from abroad, Iran's activists for women’s rights keep pushing their own agenda at home at their own pace.

Iran

Instant verbal divorce rips families apart in Iran's Kurdish region

An uncommon Sunni practice granting immediate verbal divorce has wreaked havoc on the lives of many Kurdish-Iranian families, and some legal and religious parties argue it should be abolished.

Iran

Women's center opens its doors to formerly displaced in Iraq's Qaraqosh

In the predominantly Christian city of Qaraqosh, where almost one-third of the previous population returned after the liberation from the Islamic State, Women's House has been founded to assist and support displaced and vulnerable women.

Iraq

Egyptian women look to boost presence in police force

Although women have made increasing progress in entering Egypt’s police force, they still face many obstacles.

Egypt

Film about Egyptian superstar a hit everywhere but Egypt

In Europe, Iranian director Shirin Neshat’s "Looking for Oum Kulthum" is seen as a landmark artistic collaboration across the Middle East, but Egyptian critics are unimpressed with its historical inaccuracies.

Egypt

Iranian women win big in fight over right to watch soccer games

Iranian women were allowed into Azadi stadium to watch a soccer game alongside men for the first time since the 1979 revolution.

Iran

Gaza women fight for fairer, faster divorces

A women's association in Gaza is fighting to address the glacial legal process to obtain a divorce and the lack of support for women during those interminable periods.

Palestine

New online platform helps Turkish immigrant women abroad

The "Immigrant Women’s Solidarity Platform" connects Turkish women who are planning to move or have moved abroad, assisting them in settling down in their host countries.

Turkey

How much freedom do Egypt's female preachers really have?

The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments recently decided to permit female preachers to give lessons and meet with women across the country as part of its reforms to renew religious discourse.

Egypt

Tunisian women win at polls but long road remains

Although a significant number of women won in the May 6 municipal elections in Tunisia, female politicians still have a long way to go to make it to the presidency.

Tunisia