Gendering the Arab Spring? Rights and (in)security of Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan women

Abstract

During the anti-regime uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, women from all walks of life were as ready as men to take to the streets to protest against the ineptitude and transgressions of their countries’ governments. Their courage was particularly noteworthy given that they suffered not only the violence of the regimes’ attempts to suppress protests by force, as did their male counterparts, but also a systematic targeting by security forces who attempted to break the women’s spirits through attacks on their honour and bodily integrity. The female presence and agency in the Arab Spring encouraged activists in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya to expect an equitable role for women in the political transition processes that followed the fall of the authoritarian regimes in those countries. However, the female input in those political transitions has been scant. Moreover, in all three countries, established women’s rights are increasingly under attack and violence against women is on the rise. This article applies a gendered perspective to explore the upheavals of the Arab Spring and the political transitions in the three countries, and inquires into the insecurities that women have suffered since early 2011.

Hymen reconstruction as pragmatic empowerment? Results of a qualitative study from Tunisia

“…Tunisia, like many MENA region countries, is currently undergoing significant social and demographic changes -fuelled by globalization, urbanization, delayed marriage age, foreign travel and access to social media, as well as by population expansion and unemployment -which have also helped to coalesce diverse women's movements in the continued struggle for gender equality (Ehrhardt et al 2009, Johansson-Nogués 2013. On one hand, never before have so many Tunisian women demanded recognition of their rights and openly questioned social norms that demean and subjugate them, including virginity before marriage (Ehrhardt et al 2009).…”

“…On one hand, never before have so many Tunisian women demanded recognition of their rights and openly questioned social norms that demean and subjugate them, including virginity before marriage (Ehrhardt et al 2009). On the other hand, increasing rates of violence against women raise concerns that hard-won achievements may be in the process of being undone (Tchaicha and Arfoui 2012; Kelly & Breslin 2010;Johansson-Nogués 2013).…”

Transnational Politics, Women & the Egyptian Revolution: Examples from Paris

“…Johansson-Nogués explains that this has lead to a decided leadership vacuum in women's social movements developments Tunisia, Egypt & Libya. 50 Only future developments in the region will show how women's participation in Egyptian politics will turn out to be and how visions of femininity will shape their actions, especially after the elections in May 2014.…”

“…As protests grew, women from different generations and socioeconomical background became highly active in the on-going anti-regime protests claiming their agency to participate in changing the country. 7 Accounts on how women and men mixed in public places seemed to temporarily have suspended traditional gender roles leading to expectations how women would continue to shape their country's destiny after the upheavals. Especially cyber activism has been an important vehicle for women to participate politically in the revolutionary process in the Arab Transnational Politics, Women & The Egyptian Revolution 31 countries.…”

Gendered Politics of Alienation and Power Restoration: Arab Revolutions and Women's Sentiments of Loss and Despair

“…Feminist scholarship has examined the post-revolution processes and shifts that exposed women to various forms of violence and the marginalisation of their agendas (El-Mahdi, 2012;Al-Ali, 2012Kandyioti 2011Kandyioti , 2012Kandyioti & 2013Johansson-Nogués, 2013;Amar, 2012), I, however, take a relatively neglected point of departure, especially vis-à-vis the estrangement of women from politics for the purpose of restoring power by examining processes of alienating women through the objectification of women's acts and contribution to revolution-making, and strategies of state and its counter revolution's allies to galvanise the public and reproduce gender normativity. I particularly take the case of Egypt to examine processes of excluding women political activists through three modes of alienation.…”