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Dear John:
This International Women’s Day, we are bringing attention to discriminatory laws that put women and girls at risk and prevent women from participating fully in the economy. Many of these laws pertain to the family, for example property and inheritance rights and the right to a fair share of wealth accrued during marriage.
By preventing women’s economic independence, countries not only put women, but families, communities, and society as a whole, at risk. We need your help to make gender equality a reality.
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The Problem:
76 countries currently restrict women’s property rights, and in most countries in the Middle East and North Africa, family law fails to protect women financially in the case of divorce or the death of the husband.
Imagine a Moroccan woman – we’ll call her Aleah– who recently separated from her spouse Omar. Over the course of their relationship, Omar worked at his accounting job while Aleah took care of their four children, ailing parents, and house. Upon their divorce, the judge determined how their joint property would be divided. However, domestic and care work were excluded from the judge’s considerations because they didn’t bring in income, essentially deeming Aleah’s contributions to the household worthless. She walked away from the marriage with almost nothing. This lack of financial independence and agency can bring women to the brink of poverty, making them more likely to stay in abusive relationships and more vulnerable to exploitation and violence.
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The Solution:
Equality Now identifies gaps in countries’ laws and works with our partners to reform and advance laws that will better protect women and girls against poverty, dependency, and exploitation.
In collaboration with 15 women’s rights partners across 10 countries, Equality Now helped establish the Hurra Coalition in the Middle East and North Africa. One of the Coalition’s main priorities is the financial rights of women, especially in the context of divorce or the death of the husband, and ensuring that the law, policies, and practices comply with international standards.
The Hurra Coalition has created a safe space for women to come together to learn, strategize, and support one another. Some of the Coalition’s activists have launched campaigns on the fair distribution of matrimonial wealth in divorce, custody of children by divorced mothers, and child marriage – all of which would have been unthinkable ten years ago due to the challenges and risks involved with challenging religious law. The Coalition’s work was recognized in the UN Women's Generation Equality Accountability Report in 2022.
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Members of the Hurra Coalition
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Outside of the Hurra Coalition, Equality Now…
- Is a founding member and the secretariat for the Global Campaign for Equality in Family Law. Since its launch in 2020, the Campaign has helped make family law reform a top priority at the United Nations.
- Was involved in the creation and distribution of the book ‘The Distribution of Marital Property after the End of a Marriage under International and Islamic Law’ by Nasser El-Rayes.
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Though we’re proud of our accomplishments thus far, we know there is a lot more to do to achieve legal and economic equality worldwide. However, we’re determined to see our work through – the stakes are too high!
By investing in legal equality, you unlock the potential of women, and the potential of the world. Achieving women’s and girls’ equality will be critical in addressing other global issues, such as climate change and poverty, and tackling discriminatory family laws is an important first step. We hope you’ll join us on this journey.
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Sincerely,
Dima Dabbous
Equality Now Regional Representative, MENA
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