Women’s rights

A woman walks past a wall painting in the colours of the Iranian flag in Tehran on February 25, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

How hijab dispute is opening new front in Iran-Azerbaijan tensions

Iran's longstanding unease over Azerbaijan's strategic ties with Israel is spilling into a dispute over religious freedoms and Baku's position in the Islamic world, testing already fragile relations between the two neighbors.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

A shop owner assists one of his customers at Malta bazaar in the Fatih district in Istanbul, on Dec. 6, 2024.

Iran mum as Azerbaijan’s school hijab ban, Israel ties test alliance with Turkey

Azerbaijan’s restrictions on Islamic dress in schools have sparked an unusual public spat with Turkey, exposing tensions beneath the allies’ close political and security ties.

Protesters hold banners calling for child protection and justice

Culture

Rape of teenage girl shocks Tunisia: What to know

Violence against children and women remains a problem in Tunisia, despite a 2017 law aimed at helping the situation.

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, Morocco's newly appointed head of government

Culture

Who is Fatima El Mansouri, Morocco’s first woman prime minister?

Her appointment marks the first time a woman has served as Morocco’s head of government and the second time a woman has held the position in the Arab world.

Latest News

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

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

Culture

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

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

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

MURAT KOCABAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

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

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

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Is Egypt ready to end underage marriage?

Egypt is seeking to curtail customary marriages of girls under the age of 18 after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for measures to combat this phenomenon amid opposition by some religious scholars.

A mother and her child walk in a street of "La Medina" in cental Tunis on January 21, 2011. Tunisia began national mourning Friday for the dozens killed in its revolution, a week after the ouster of veteran ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as new protests called for the old regime to be destroyed. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU (Photo credit should read MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)

Tunisian women break taboo saying no to children

A women's association in the Tunisian countryside works on breaking the societal taboo of women remaining childless by choice.

Brides and bridegrooms wait for the start of their mass wedding ceremony in Ankara August 18, 2007. 207 couples were wed in the annual ceremony organised by Ankara municipality. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) - GM1DVYNPJSAA

Turkish government revives its anti-divorce report

The Turkish government has relaunched a debate on its controversial investigative report that seeks to prevent divorce and strengthen family unity.

How Egyptian activists are trying to curb polygamy

A number of activists launched a Facebook campaign to add a new condition in marriage contracts, requiring the first wife’s permission for her husband’s second marriage.

Turkey's women step up protests against AKP, its supporters

Turkey has been a scene of female protests, from women protesting against the new law on marriage to actresses making statements on festivals.

Saudi driving decree first step in needed changes

The royal decree allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia comes at a time when the country is facing increasing international pressure, especially over its war in Yemen.

SYDNEY, NSW - JUNE 07: A pregnant woman holds her stomach June 7, 2006 in Sydney, Australia. Australia is currently enjoying a baby boom, with the Australian Bureau of Statistics registering a 2.4% increase in births from 2004 to 2005, which represents the highest number of births since 1992. The Australian Federal Government has been encouraging people to have more babies, with financial incentives and the slogan by treasurer Peter Costello to "have one for mum, one for dad, and one for the country". The

Turkey to toughen laws on surrogacy

Turkey’s Ministry of Health prepares a new draft law that would prevent Turks from having children through surrogate mothers, even if abroad.

Egypt’s Christian, Muslim institutions join efforts to advance women’s issues

With the objective of raising awareness about women's issues, the National Council for Women launched a campaign in which Muslim female preachers and Christian nuns reach out to women and families throughout Egypt.

Celebrity incest scandal yanks abuse out from under Turkish rug

A scandal over a celebrity’s incestuous relationship has forced Turkey to discuss its dark secrets about widespread abuse.

Controversy erupts over women's role in political life in Egypt

The head of Egypt's National Council for Women, a government body dedicated to addressing women's issues, has stirred controversy by requesting that party leaders resign from the group.

Iran-Syria soccer game surrounded by major controversy

Iranian authorities stir controversy by allowing Syrian women to attend a soccer World Cup qualifier while refusing to let in Iranian women.

Why Turkey's brides are doing disappearing act

In the process of increasing visibility of Islamization, wedding invitations become contested territory in Turkey.