Women & The Politics of Change in the Middle East October 27, 2009

Women in the Middle East are working to change public opinion, laws, and policies in order to build democratic and inclusive societies. Join us as a panel of activists from campaigns for justice in Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Bahrain share their challenges and successes in demanding equal rights as citizens – in the family and in society.

Their campaigns grew from local experience and spread across national and regional divisions. They include Iran’s One Million Signatures for reform of family laws; the Arab regional CEDAW campaign, Equality without Reservation; and the Claiming Equal Citizenship campaign for reform of nationality laws in the Middle East.

The event will also launch the book, Iranian Women’s One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality: The Inside Story, written by campaign co-founder Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani. The book details the history, strategies, and values of a movement that brought world attention to the injustice of gender apartheid in Iran.
Through door-to-door visits, impromptu street theatre, and use of alternative media, the campaign’s coordinated efforts, fraught with great risks and sacrifice, contributed to the solidarity that resulted in public protests against the contested presidential elections of June 2009.

Speakers: Lina Abou-Habib: Lebanon, Wajeeha Al-Baharna: Bahrain, Mahnaz Afkhami: Iran/USA, Asma Khader: Jordan, Rabea Naciri: Morocco, Azar Nafisi: Iran/USA

Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP online or by email at: wlp@learningpartnership.org

Official Website: http://www.learningpartnership.org/en/news/events/2009/politics