“From leaving the home to leaving the country, authorities in the Middle East and North Africa are imposing varying restrictions on women’s right to freedom of movement,” said Rothna Begum, senior women’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. While women’s rights activists in the region have made some gains, they continue to fight against discriminatory mobility restrictions. Authorities in Iran, Gaza (Palestine), Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen also allow male guardians to ban women’s travel abroad. “Even as women’s rights activists win some freedoms, the authorities seek to take others away, rolling back not just women’s rights, but harming children, families and society,” Begum said. “All authorities in the Middle East and North Africa should eliminate any and all discriminatory restrictions on women’s freedom of movement including all male guardianship rules.”

Source: The North Africa Journal July 18, 2023 11:07 UTC