North Africa and Middle East

Women in Yemen are worse off now than a year ago, when they played a significant part in the country's revolution that promised political and economic change, an international aid agency has concluded.

In a report released Monday, Oxfam International said four out of five Yemeni women claim their lives have worsened over the past 12 months. Faced with an intensifying humanitarian crisis, which has left a quarter of women between the ages of 15 and 49 acutely malnourished, they say they're struggling to feed their families and are unable to participate in the country's transition.

It is clear that this election could become a tipping point. Either the opponents of equality will win or those who believe in women’s rights will prevail. Fighting back piecemeal is no longer a viable option. We have made great progress as more and more grassroots movements and advocacy campaigns have taken hold.

Women political activists say they feel proud of Kuwaiti women entering judicial circles following a decision to appoint them in position of Public Prosecutors and judges.
They consider this a victory for women who until lately had been marginalized in a male dominated society, something which contradicted the reality when the Kuwaiti women had reached leadership levels after holding the office of ministers and being elected Members of Parliament in addition to other positions.

Leftist and liberal party groups voice ‘deep concern’ after draft constitution article promises gender equality ‘without contradicting precepts of Islamic Law’. Constitutional issues was one area of concern when women from around the world recently met for the Christiansborg Seminar 2012 on “Women in Politics”, where the role of women in transition countries was on the agenda.

Maysoun Qawasmi does a TV interview in her Hebron office. She leads the first list of all women candidates for city council elections. (Photo: Matthew Bell)

Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron are gearing up for a municipal election in October. The last time residents of Hebron were able to choose city officials directly was back in 1976. And this time around, voters will have also have a novel choice. One of the candidate lists on the ballot is made up entirely of women.