MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES WINTER 2012 MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM WINTER OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES 2012 Introduction 1 Are Women Losers in the Arab Spring? 5 Enhancing the Primacy of the Constitution, the Rule of Law, and Equality before the Law in the Arab Region 6 Spring Blossoms 8 Toward Women Working for Community 11 Women after the Arab Awakening Syrian Women’s Role in the Post-Assad Phase – An Introduction harassment in the streets, and previously-resolved Unpredictable Future 13 issues affecting women and their rights are being Are Women Mona Youssef and Kendra Heideman, revisited by the new regimes. Marginalized after the Arab Program Assistants, Middle East Program The present marginalization of women in the Awakening? 17 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is now well documented in the mainstream and My Body vs. His Beard 21 Amidst the ongoing revolutionary fervor in the social media. The Middle East Program convened Middle East, an undercurrent of frustration and a series of meetings to examine the post-revolu- Women after the Arab fear runs deep among women. Across the region, tionary status of women in the region. The first Awakening 24 women actively participated alongside their male one, held in May 2012, brought together expe- counterparts in protests and demonstrations, No Spring without Flowers, and, eventually, years of dictatorial rule began to rienced women leaders from around the region No Arab Spring without crumble from Tunisia to Yemen and in between. to discuss the implications for women’s rights Women: The Essential Their participation was encouraged and wel- under the emerging Islamist regimes. The second Role of Women in Egypt’s comed, and women felt, often for the first time, meeting in the series, held in October 2012 and Democratization 27 that they may actually have an equal say in the on which this publication is based, sought the Yemeni Women after the future of their countries. Unfortunately, it would views of the younger, up-and-coming generation Arab Awakening: Are not be so for most women. of activists, journalists, and politicians in the women marginalized after As one of many such examples, in Egypt, MENA region to describe the current situation the Arab Awakening? 31 the women’s quota in parliament was scrapped on the ground for women and the strategies they altogether, sidelining women’s decision-making can use to organize themselves and move forward Egyptian Women: Two potential in that country’s transition to democra- in the post-revolutionary phase. The third in the Years after the January 25 cy. In addition, women are experiencing increased series intends to bring these two groups together Revolution1 35 MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES WINTER 2012 About the Middle East Program Director The Middle East Program was launched in February 1998 in light of increased Dr. Haleh Esfandiari U.S. engagement in the region and the profound changes sweeping across many Middle Eastern states. In addition to spotlighting day-to-day issues, the Program Assistants concentrates on long-term economic, social, and political developments, as well as Kendra Heideman relations with the United States. Mona Youssef The Middle East Program draws on domestic and foreign regional experts for its meetings, conferences, and occasional papers. Conferences and meetings assess Special thanks the policy implications of all aspects of developments within the region and indi- Special thanks to vidual states; the Middle East’s role in the international arena; American interests Kendra Heideman and in the region; the threat of terrorism; arms proliferation; and strategic threats to and Mona Youssef for coordinating from the regional states. this publication; Daniel Boger The Program pays special attention to the role of women, youth, civil society and Laura Rostad of the institutions, Islam, and democratic and autocratic tendencies. In addition, the Middle East Program hosts meetings on cultural issues, including contemporary art Middle East Program for their and literature in the region. editing assistance; . the Design staff for designing the Occasional Paper Series; • Current Affairs: The Middle East Program emphasizes analysis of current issues and Mona Youssef for taking and their implications for long-term developments in the region, including: the events the photographs. surrounding the uprisings of 2011 in the Middle East and its effect on economic, political and social life in countries in the region, the increased use of social media, the role of youth, Palestinian-Israeli diplomacy, Iran’s political and nuclear ambitions, the drawdown of American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and their effect on the region, human rights violations, globalization, economic and political partnerships, and U.S. foreign policy in the region. • Gender Issues The Middle East Program devotes considerable attention to the role of women in advancing civil society and to the attitudes of governments and the clerical community toward women’s rights in the family and society at large. The Program examines employment patterns, education, legal rights, and political participation of women in the region. The Program also has a keen interest in explor- ing women’s increasing roles in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction activities. • Islam, Democracy and Civil Society: The Middle East Program monitors the growing demand of people in the region for the transition to democratization, political participation, accountable government, the rule of law, and adherence by their governments to international conventions, human rights, and women’s rights. It continues to examine the role of Islamic movements and the role of Islamic parties in shaping political and social developments and the variety of factors that favor or obstruct the expansion of civil society. The following papers are based on the authors’ presentations at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on October 2, 2012. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors 2 and do not reflect those of the Woodrow Wilson Center. to exchange lessons learned and formulate best ing on societal issues, not just women’s issues or practices for women in the region. how issues relate to gender; increasing opportuni- Haleh Esfandiari, the director of the Wilson ties for women to work in mixed-gender environ- Center’s Middle East Program, moderated the ments; encourag- first of two panels. She describes women as the ing competition real “losers” in this struggle, drawing parallels among women; between the experiences of women in Iran dur- and focusing on ing the 1978-9 revolution then and in the Arab training young Spring countries now. In both cases, Islamist par- women leaders. ties came into power, thereby eroding the gains Al-Mutawakel women had made in their social, economic, and cites the politi- political lives. Esfandiari is optimistic, however, cization of both because the MENA region has undergone an irre- Islam and wom- versible change that will only serve to empower en’s issues as the women to fight for their equal place in society. two challenges Rangita de Silva de Alwis, the director of facing Yemeni the Wilson Center’s Global Women’s Leadership women today. Initiative, moderated the second panel of this Honey Al Sayed, a Syrian journalist and meeting. As a lawyer by training, she addresses expatriate, reviews how women in Syria have the legal dimensions of the Arab Spring revolu- been affected by the country’s violence and chaos tions and how they affect women. Of particular and how they have contributed to the revolution- concern is the issue of new constitutions, as she ary cause. While Syria is unstable and the future says it is not enough for women’s rights to be uncertain, Al Sayed says Syrian women must enshrined in them, but for women to actually define their role now rather than let it be defined participate in the drafting process. With Arab by others. She highlights the need for men and women’s economic and political participation women to work together to secure the goals of ranking at the bottom of the world, she sees the Syrian revolution: “democracy, dignity, and the role of women as decision-makers as critical freedom for all Syrians.” for the advancement of women in the MENA Rihab Elhaj of Libya writes about how region. women have become increasingly marginalized Hala Al Dosari of Saudi Arabia discusses despite their involvement in the country’s revo- a society that is living vicariously through the lution and civil society. She reviews how such protest movements of its neighbors. Because marginalization has affected women with regard Saudi women have low economic and political to Libya’s security situation, sexual harassment participation, they turn to social media to initiate problems, and segregation. While women rep- campaigns such as the campaign to lift the ban on resent approximately 16 percent of parliament, women driving. She emphasizes the vital role that Elhaj indicates that their leadership throughout online activism has played in empowering Saudi the country remains low. She argues that women women. Al Dosari notes that while the country has implemented new restrictions on freedom must remain engaged, continue to make con- of expression for fear of public uprising, women tributions, and support other women as Libya continue to work through various networks and progresses. media outlets. Representing one of the MENA countries Based on years of experience with her Sana’a- not experiencing regime change during the Arab based NGO, Gabool Al-Mutawakel outlines a Spring, Hanin Ghaddar of Lebanon describes four-part strategy for Yemeni women to move for- the country’s sectarian system whose laws govern ward and advance their position in the post-rev- family life in the absence of civil law. This system, olutionary period that saw the overthrow of that divided into 18 religious sects, forms one part of country’s president.