A Study On The Perceptions Of Women And Media In Jordan, Lebanon And Egypt
Developed By:
Beyond Group
In Partnership With:
NISAA Regional Network
The Womanity Foundation
2016
A Study On The Perceptions Of Women And Media
In Jordan, Lebanon And Egypt
Women in the Arab world have been and are still considered one of the most vulnerable groups in Arab society given the challenges they face on a daily basis and that these challenges occur on a number of different levels. In Arab countries, legal frameworks include provisions that contradict the concept of equality and often tend to make a distinction between men and women, leaving men the upper hand in familial, social, political and economic matters.
Although most of the Arab countries are signatories on almost all the women's rights conventions and treaties, women in these countries are still faced by discrimination on many levels, including, political, social, cultural, economic and security (protection).
The mass uprisings in many of the Arab countries post-2011 demanded inclusion and democratization and were expected to promote more equitable treatment of women. That expectation has dwindled as the reality of historical patterns of exclusion and marginalization has prevailed.
Women in the Arab world are still struggling for equal rights and to make their voices heard. Whether trying to ban female genital mutilation in Egypt, lobbying to pass a bill to allow women to pass on their nationality in Lebanon, or calling to criminalize honor crimes in Jordan, women continue to play a pivotal role in pushing forward gender issues across the region.
Structural barriers such as legal frameworks or historically inherited practices as well as cultural biases continue to keep women’s issues on the margins. Despite efforts by activists and civil society groups, these issues are not a priority for the agendas of Arab governments across the region.