In a recent uplifting development, women leaders from across the Middle East have come together to address concerns regarding the impact of conflict on women and girls in the region. The genesis of this initiative lies in the efforts of individual women’s rights activists, and the open letter they crafted has garnered widespread support from women in 11 Middle Eastern countries.
These signatories, hailing from Iran, Iraq, Israel, Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco, represent diverse religious communities, including Muslim (Shia and Sunni), Christian, Druze, and Jewish. Among the notable figures endorsing the letter are human rights activists Mariam Banihashemi and Lisa Daftari, former head of the Bahrain Journalists Association Ahdeya Ahmed Al Sayed, former Miss Iraq Sarah Idan, and former Israeli MKs Gadeer Mreeh and Ruth Wasserman Lande.
At its core, the letter underscores the spirit of unity among Middle Eastern women, highlighting their collective commitment to addressing the challenges faced by women and girls in the region. This unity gains significance, especially in the face of the disproportionate impact of terror threats. Emily Schrader, an Israeli journalist and one of the initiators of the letter, expressed, “The purpose of this letter is to showcase the unity of Middle Eastern women in addressing the challenges that disproportionately affect women and girls in this region. While the Islamic Republic of Iran has faced internal challenges for 44 years, we are now collectively voicing concerns about the potential export of these challenges.”
The full letter in four languages, English, Persian, Arabic and Hebrew, can be found HERE.
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