Promoting Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in the Middle East and North Africa

This book, published with Solidar and local partners, aims to define the main challenges in promoting women’s rights and gender equality in times of transition within MENA region. The contributions written by local experts offer a detailed overview of the achievements, challenges and future prospects of progressive women’s organisations and movements in the region since the Arab Spring. Together, we will need to remain persistent in our fight for a more equal society, in which women and men can rely on their economic, social and cultural rights.

Strategic Interests and Feminist Foreign Policy

Beyond values – How feminist foreign policy serves strategic interests. Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) is often championed for its normative promise — advancing gender equality. It was first presented during a fact-finding mission to the European Institutions, bringing together women’s movements from the region with Members of the European Parliament as well as the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the European Endowment for Democracy, the International Labour Organisation and United Nations representatives.

Across Europe, ‘anti-gender’ movements are on the rise, increasingly targeting the rights of trans, non-binary people. At a time when LGBTIQ+ rights are under attack across Europe, staying silent is complicity. A credible future beyond growth has to be feminist, especially as public spending—such as on public transport—remains a core focus for social equity.

Key Initiatives and Institutional Progress

Progress is tracked through several institutional milestones and research projects:

• The Roadmap on Women’s Rights: On Friday 7 March, the European Commission presented its Roadmap for Women’s Rights.
• The EU Care Atlas: On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2024, we have updated our EU Care Atlas.
• Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68): The 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) is the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender issues.
• Barbara Prammer Symposium: Focusing on advancing feminist cooperation in justice, peace and security and the EU budget framework (2028–2034).

Feminist Struggles in the Digital Age

Silenced, censored, resisting: Feminist struggles in the digital age highlight how as International Women’s Day 2025 approaches, feminist movements are imagining a new gender contract for the climate. 2024 was announced as a ‘super election’ year. In fact, about half of the world’s population is navigating these transitions while defending democracy and empowering women.

Advancing Equality through Government-Civil Society Collaboration

Exploring best practices in government-civil society collaboration remains a priority, specifically through the Feminist Foreign Policy Progressive Voices Collective (FFPPVC). This includes dedicated research into how the lack of care impacts the climate and why Ursula von der Leyen cracks the whip on gender parity within the European context.