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)

The female body on display in Haifa

At the tiny Mane-Katz Museum in Haifa an exhibition embraces feminine sculptures by Chana Orloff and her artist colleagues.

Iranian painter's mouthless women speak volumes at Istanbul exhibition

Maryam Salahi, an Iranian artist living in Turkey, taps into her "foreignness" for an exhibition in Istanbul exploring identity and freedom in the Middle East.

Israeli Air Force F-15 planes fly during an aerial demonstration at a graduation ceremony for Israeli air force pilots at the Hatzerim air base in southern Israel, December 27, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC157FBE1E80

Israeli female pilot raises rabbis’ ire

Efforts by extremist rabbis to undermine the historic achievement of Major T., the first woman appointed squadron commander in the Israeli air force, is evidence of the panic they feel.

Women's campaigns flourish beyond Iran protests

The spread of several social campaigns for women's empowerment in Iran are challenging the perception that their role in the Iranian protests was only about standing up against compulsory hijab.

Women start filling up tanks at Gaza gas station

Marking a first in the Gaza Strip, a gas station manager is employing women despite the criticism.

Ultra-Orthodox women fuel change in traditional communities

Ultra-Orthodox demographics are changing, with less children per family and more educated and employed women.

Palestinian artist draws vivid picture of women's suffering, rage

Palestinian artist Hanaa Hamash pays homage through her artworks to the Palestinian women living under occupation.

Women’s organizations in northern Syria have come a long way

Although women’s organizations are successfully raising awareness about women’s rights and the need to fight sexual violence and crimes in north Syria, challenges represented by a patriarchal society remain.

Turks up in arms over religious green light for 9-year-old brides

Huge public outrage forces Turkey’s top Islamic authority to step back from its endorsement of marriage for girls as young as age 9.

In rural Egypt, women seek fertility help from the dead

Desperate women in Upper Egypt turn to ancient superstitions to boost their fertility with practices that can be both grisly and dangerous.

Was 2017 really the 'year of Egyptian women'?

Despite the issuance of several laws related to improving the status of women in Egypt, there is still a long way to go.

Iranian women no longer face jail for dress code violations

Iranian police will no longer round up poorly veiled women and take them to detention centers.