INVITING INTERESTED RESEARCHERS - Women Claiming Public Spaces: Confronting Rising Sexual Harassment and Violence

Women's presence in public spaces  can be an indicator of the degree of democratization, openness, 'tolerance' and recognition of their full citizenship in a given society. In many societies including Muslim contexts, public spaces continue to be assumed and asserted as male, and are thus sometimes intentionally made hostile and unsafe for women. In response women have devised strategies and actions to enhance  their  ability to use public transport, to drive or bicycle on public roads, to participate in and watch sports and games, to join political rallies, run in elections  and  be present in actual and virtual public arenas, in order to assert and establish their rights to access public space and enjoy full citizenship.

WLUML is launching a program to research and document these initiatives and strategies, and their successes and setbacks, in order to facilitate sharing of experiences in support of women claiming their rights to public arenas and full citizenship.  WLUML invites interested potential contributors to this research project to contact Professor Homa Hoodfar, at hhoodfar.publicspace@gmail.com for further information.