HANAN HARET

Morocco- At a time of deepening conflict and war and an intensifying rollback of women's rights, women’s movements in the Middle East and North Africa discuss whether an international alliance of women is capable of influencing and collectively defending women's rights.

Moroccan human rights activist Zahra Alwardi, a member of the Union of Women's Action (French: Union de l'Action Feminine, UAF) offers a perspective from the Moroccan feminist experience. This period requires not only a new regional alliance but also solidarity, according to Zahra Alwardi.

A rooted, effective women's movement

The women's movement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is neither new nor marginal, but rather rooted and has played a crucial role in bringing significant legal and social transformations, Zahra Alwardi emphasized. “The women's movement in the Middle East and North Africa is a resurgent movement and has played a fundamental role in the transformations they have experienced, and in the transformations women's rights have experienced in this region."

Zahra Alwardi stated that women’s organizations and networks have made great efforts for reforms and amendments in the Family Code (also known as “Mudawana”) and the Moroccan nationality law to defend women’s rights. “Today, the women's movement has become a partner in policy formation and in truly influencing the balance of power in society.”

Zahra Alwardi believes that the rights for which women's movements have fought for decades are threatened. She also criticized the United Nations for failing in implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security especially in light of what she described as a “war of extermination against the Palestinian people.”

“Building a regional women's coalition is no longer a luxury, but an urgent necessity. Releasing statements is not sufficient. Through women’s networks, we send memoranda to the United Nations to address the countries involved in the aggression, to ask them to dedicate sessions on the status of Palestinian women.”

Zahra Alwardi did not hide her concern about the funding challenges faced by women’s organizations and networks. “Women’s organizations supporting the Palestinian cause are facing financial blockades and the threat of aid cuts, even from donors in Europe and the region. This not only threatens our activities but also prevents us from developing partnerships and strengthening the capacities of networks. But our belief in the Palestinian cause allows us to keep struggling despite all the challenges.”

Speaking about the women's movement in Morocco, she said, “It represents a model of an independent feminist vision. Transnational feminist solidarity is a must to defend women against systems of oppression, colonialism, and war.”