Overview
Women and girls across the Middle East and North Africa, as elsewhere, face discrimination in the law and across society, including widespread violence.
Huge inequalities in the law leave women and girls treated as second-class citizens, with little to no protection from violence. Conflict, the resurgence of extremist religious groups, and political turmoil in the region are significantly reducing space for constructive civil society engagement with governments.
Existing inequalities across the region have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and in many cases, attempts at passing long-term legal change are stalled as people focus on survival.
Equality Now in the Middle East and North Africa at a glance
Ending impunity for rapists. We supported movements across the region successfully campaigning for the repeal of ‘marry your rapist’ laws in Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.
Reforming discriminatory family laws. Unafraid of difficult issues, we’re working with activists committed to tackling inequalities in family law, including distribution of marital wealth, child marriage, divorce, and custody.
In it for the long haul. Despite the lack of political will, we continue to campaign for equality in nationality laws across the MENA region.
Achieving Legal Equality
Countries across the region have laws that treat people differently on the basis of sex, including in family and nationality laws
Ending Sexual Exploitation
Online sexual exploitation and abuse is a growing issue for women and girls across the region
Ending Sexual Violence
Despite victories in countries like Morocco and Jordan, ‘marry your rapist’ clauses remain in others, including Iraq and Kuwait, providing impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence
Ending Harmful Practices
Girls remain at risk of child marriage across the region, including in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon
Equality Now works with partners in the region to address inequalities in the law, particularly in family laws, supports activists working to end harmful practices including child marriage and female genital mutilation, as well as campaigning for stronger laws and practices around sexual violence to ensure that women and girls are fully protected from violence and have access to justice when their rights are violated.
Our work
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Key resources
Iran – Submission to the Human Rights Council at the 48th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, January 2025
Equality Now and our partners The Centre for Supporters of Human Rights and Femena made this submission to the Working Group of the Human Rights …
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Kuwait – Information on Kuwait for Consideration by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women at its 88th Session, May 2024
We respectfully submit this letter to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against …
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Iran- Information on the Islamic Republic of Iran for its review by the Human Rights Committee at the 139th Session September 2023
Equality Now, the Centre for Supporters of Human Rights (CSHR), and Femena present the following submission in advance of the …
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Countries
Equality Now works with partners across the region to hold governments accountable for protecting the rights of women and girls. Explore progress towards gender equality across the region.
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Stories
Hear from some of the incredible survivors and activists committed to raising their voices to make equality reality across the Middle East and North Africa, and around the world.
Women’s Rights & Climate Change: Laila Amili – Morocco
At the United Nations 2022 Climate Change Conference in Egypt, there are mounting calls for women to be guaranteed a principal role in setting the agenda and decision-making. One such woman attending COP27 is …
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Thuraya – Jordan
A Jordanian woman married to an Egyptian man is unable to pass on her nationality to her husband or children, and finds her children are unable to leave the country or access educational and other benefits. Under Jordanian Law No.6 of 1954 on Nationality, with very few …
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Alia – Lebanon
A Lebanese woman married to a Palestinian man is unable to pass her citizenship to her children or to her husband. She suffers in the children’s absence, as two of them were forced to move abroad for work due to discriminatory attitudes and being denied access to jobs …
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Habiba – Oman
Habiba al Hinai is an Omani women’s rights activist, and Founder and Executive Director of the Omani Association for Human Rights (OAHR). She is based in Germany. I was approached by some people in Germany from Stop FGM Middle East who wanted …
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None of us can afford to sit back and wait for equality to arrive – we need to act now. Only by working together will we achieve the legal and systemic change needed to address violence and discrimination against women and girls.
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Social change begins with legal change and people like you — raising your voice against injustice — play a vital role in our collective success.