POMED Notes: “Women and the Arab Spring”

On Wednesday, the subcommittee on international operations and organizations and the human rights, democracy, and global women’s issues subcommittee on near Eastern and South and central Asian affairs held a panel discussion titled “Women and the Arab Spring.” The first panel included Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues at the United States Department of State, and Dr. Tamara Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs and Deputy Special Coordinator for Middle East Transitions at the United States Department of State. The second panel included Ms. Manal Omar, Director of Iraq, Iran, and North Africa Programs at the United States Institute of Peace, Ms. Mahnaz Afkhami, President at the Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP), and Sandra Bunn-Livingstone, President and CEO of Freedom³. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert P. Casey (D-PA) presided over the panel.

For full event notes, continue reading. Or, click here for the PDF. 

Boxer provided a brief opening statement where she noted the profound change sweeping the Middle East and the implications for women of the region. She posed the question of what will this change mean for the women of the Middle East and North Africa. The first panel began with Verveer discussing women’s role in participating in the Arab Spring and the transition process as well as efforts by the U.S. government to empower them. She noted “The empowerment of women is inextricably linked to the potential of nations to generate economic growth and sustainable democracy.” After describing how women “woke up” in the Arab Spring and the status of the participation of women in the transition so far, she also noted the road ahead is filled with challenges, especially in Libya. Verveer stated the democracies and economies without women are counterproductive, and women are instrumental to free countries. Therefore, dictators and authoritarian governments suppress women in the region. She stated that by ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the U.S. government would be sending an unequivocal message of support to women around the world in and the region. She concluded by saying the U.S. has a responsibility to support the new democracies in the region and women’s participation in civil society and the government are essential to building democracy.

Wittes outlined three reasons why the democratic transitions underway in the region present a strategic opportunity for the U.S. These reasons are stability, promoting democracy, and supporting the young men and women of the Arab world who were at the forefront of the Arab Spring. While these events in the region are exciting, she noted that this transition period carries some anxiety as the fate of democratic movements are uncertain and people are still facing brutal repression. After describing the State Department’s efforts in supporting these democratic transitions, Wittes stated that the events unfolding in the region are the “foreign policy challenge of our time.”

In the first question and answer section, Verveer noted that the U.S. has levers in the region to put pressure of these transitional governments to respect women’s rights such as financial levers, and that the U.S. has to constantly remind these governments that human rights are fundamental to democracy. A question was raised about what would happen if a repressive Islamist party were to take power, and how the U.S. has to play a delicate balance in supporting religious freedom without interfering in religion. Wittes stated that democracy isn’t just about elections, but also in non-violence and a commitment to equality under the law and that the U.S. should reiterate the core values of human rights. Verveer also commented on the role of Islam in women’s rights by noting that women can still have rights and freedom with an Islamist government, like in Morocco, as human rights is stressed and legitimized in an Islamist context.

In the second panel, Omar noted that in Libya, they are not starting out on a clean slate as the women have had some rights before the Arab Spring. She also noted that many women are arguing that Islamic law can protect their rights. Omar also noted that the role of women in the Arab Spring was great, but the real challenge ahead is if it is sustainable. She then discussed women’s rights in Libya and the problems ahead in Libya. Since Libyan women have enjoyed some rights, they see these rights as a guarantee and see an opportunity for advancement under the TNC. While there are many educated and talented women in Libya, they are still missing from the labor market, which presents a great challenge and is something the U.S. and the Libyan government needs to address. Omar concluded by proposing several recommendations for the Libyan government should take to further women’s rights such as implementing a quota to bolster representation by women, expand economic opportunities for women in the country, and abide by international norms on human and women rights.

Afkhami stated that to ensure that the democracy movements result societies with equal rights for all, political authorities need to guarantee that all opportunities are at the disposal of all citizens. This means that they need to guarantee equal rights for everyone under the law, open access to jobs and education, and that the U.S. should fully support and embrace the democracy movements. However, women who are struggling to advance human rights and create a democratic state face many challenges ahead that are rooted in history and tradition. It is important that women’s equality in these countries undergoing radical transformation that the United States give its explicit support for women’s full and equal participation in national reform processes. Afkhami noted that the U.S. should also invest in training young women in democracy building, funding institutions that empower women, engage media outlets in the region to promote voices for equality and democracy, and support the ratification of CEDAW.

Livingstone discussed the recent violence in Egypt on October 9^th and the abuse women suffered in Egypt when the demonstrated on International Women’s Day, and how they are concerned about the Islamist majority taking power and the implications for women’s rights. Livingstone noted that the greatest challenge today in Egypt is the lawlessness and the incapacity to bring criminal offenders to justice. She also discussed Tunisia and how the recent elections represent a step in the right direction for a more democratic state. However, the recent legalization of polygamy and the enforcement of wearing the veil represent mild steps against women’s rights and are small hints of what Tunisia could be like under Islamist rule. In Libya, the TNC declared polygamy legal and implemented Shariah law, however, women played a big role in Libya’s revolution and out of this several women’s advocacy groups have sprung up. In conclusion, Livingstone reiterated previous panelists recommendations these governments should take, and laid out steps each country could take to promote women’s rights.

In the second question and answer section, a question was raised about the role of religious and human rights in solving sectarian divisions. It was unanimous that it is extremely important to promote religious and human rights to solve sectarian divisions, especially in Egypt where the divisions are strong. Another question was raised about how Congress could support the democratic transitions. Afkhami note that Congress should keep in mind that majority of the people in these movements are young, and concerned about education, jobs, and culture and that they youth across the region share many of the same concerns. The three panelists all agreed that the Arab Spring is an exciting time for women, but that if political transition is sped up, like what could occur in Egypt, women will not be included in the process. The focus should be on a free and open political process and rule of law.