Considerations of Honor Crimes, FGM, Kidnapping/Rape, and Early Marriage in Selected Arab Nations

This paper addresses the issue of widespread gender-based violence in Arab countries. Honour crimes, FGM, rape, forced marriage, and domestic violence – with specific reference to Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq – are the main issues under discussion here. The author describes current legal reforms, and potentials for legislation, with regards to these manifestations of violence in each specific country. She outlines the religious (or lack thereof) and cultural arguments for such violence and recommends that more government mandates, and coordination with religious officials, are needed to combat what is perceived to be ‘religiously-sanctioned’ gender-based violence.