women's rights

Mali: 'Crisis in Mali: fundamentalism, women's rights, and cultural resistance'

In conversation with Jessica Horn, a leading Malian women’s rights activist identifies the roots of the crisis in Mali, and the opportunistic use of the crisis by Malian and international Islamic fundamentalists to gain a popular foothold in the north of the country

Jessica Horn: Were there any early warnings that this crisis would emerge?

Pakistan: 'International Women's Day and Women's Rights in Pakistan: Interview with Farida Shaheed'

Farida Shaheed is a sociologist with over 25 years’ research experience on women’s issues (including rural development, women and labour and legal rights), especially in Pakistan and South Asia. She is a long-time UNRISD collaborator, and joins us with an interview on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Her article on politics, religion and gender in Pakistan has been published in a special issue of Cahier du Genre entitled “Religion et politique: Les femmes prises au piège”. In this interview, she speaks to UNRISD about International Women’s Day, laws on women’s rights in Pakistan and some of the challenges in implementing them.

Egypt: 'The Council of Women in Egypt: Can it really defend women's rights?'

A new council for women’s rights was established in Egypt a year after the Jan. 25 2011 revolution. Although it was harshly attacked by political activists for retaining the ideals of the wife of the former dictator, it is an important institution that works to protect the rights of women. It is perhaps the only official institution that attempts to give a voice to women, who are marginalized daily in the new Egypt, with many sectors attempting to sideline them from any vital role either socially or politically.

Maroc: « Sur la planche » : survivre à Tanger

Sorti en salles le 1er février, Sur la planche est un film qu’on se doit nécessairement de voir quand on est engagé dans la lutte pour les droits des femmes, pour la première raison que certains de nos combats, à côté des leurs, ressemblent à de gentilles réunions Tupperware.

Car les quatre jeunes filles qui habitent cette pellicule se débattent sans relâche, simplement pour démontrer leur droit d’exister par elles-mêmes dans un monde où les hommes dirigent tout. Dans le Tanger que filme Leïla Kilani, pour une jeune femme non mariée qui a quitté sa campagne pour travailler en ville, survivre constitue en soit une certaine audace.

UN: Joint declaration of the Special Rapporteurs on women's rights

Recalling that women’s rights are human rights, we, the Special Rapporteurs, reaffirm our commitment to international standards of women’s rights.