December 16: Arab Spring and Gender: Opportunities and Obstacles

Organised by ANVK

On Friday December 16, the ANVK (the Arab - Dutch Women's Circle) will organise the conference: Arab Spring and Gender: Opportunities and Obstacles.The conference aims to pay attention to the political, social and economical situation of women in different Arab countries after the Arab spring. It also aims at analyzing the role which Western countries and especially the European Union can play to enhance the position of Arab women.

What: Arab Spring and Gender: Opportunities and Obstacles
Where: Christus Triumfatorkerk, Juliana van Stolberglaan 154, The Hague
When: Friday, December 16, 2011 - from 09.30 till 17h

From Tunisia, Egypt and Libya to Yemen and Bahrain, women have been right in the middle of the so-called "Arab Spring". Teachers, doctors, students, lawyers, bloggers and mothers, with or without Hijab, have taken to the streets to challenge the authorities asking for freedom, karama (dignity), work and bread.

However these women will encounter many obstacles before reaching their goal. In Egypt, the post-uprising era is definitely male-dominated. Women who were at the forefront of the Tahrir-square uprising met sympathy as well as counter-protesters chanting: “The people want to get rid of women”, a play on the main uprising slogan “The people want to get rid of the regime.”

The situation is not different in Libya or Tunisia where the status of women in society was the most enviable of the Arab world. The transition period is still dominated by men and women who have to fight for keeping the rights they already had under the old regime.

 

For further information and registration please contact Tomador  Meihuizen – Hassoun: t.hassoun@casema.nl