Machreq/Maghreb Gender Linking & Information Project

GLIP Regional Update
January 2000

Dear Friends and Readers,

Welcome to the first public release of the MACMAG Gender Linking & Information Project. You must have received by now the general description of the Gender Linking and Information Project, its activities and what it tries to achieve in the Middle East and Maghreb region. A main component of the project lies in its communication activities through which it tries to facilitate a continuous flow of information within and across the region. This flow of information is expected in turn to facilitate regional exchanges and to inform the various processes of programmes and projects development.
Thus far, we are trying to establish at least three regular channels of communication which now look as follows:
The GLIP Regional Newsletter will come out three times a year. The main aim of this newsletter is to facilitate linkages and contacts between organisations, gender and development activities, academics and researchers in the region. The newsletter will draw on the contribution of its readers. Its purpose is to inform and link.

The GLIP Monthly Regional Update serves as a brief monitor of current events related to women, gender and development in the region. It aims to put readers abreast of the most relevant news as they affect women and gender relations as well as the various development and other initiatives aiming to create a balance in the existing social relations of gender or otherwise posing challenges to existing initiatives.

The GLIP Special Highlights are ad hoc communication bulletins revolving around a specific current issue of importance for the region. The special highlights are issued on an irregular basis depending on the topic in question. As the name indicates, this publication aims to put the spotlight on one important high profile issue and to present to the readers with a brief update and with directions for accessing further detailed information. The first GLIP special highlights is forthcoming in February with a special round-up of events and activities related to Bejing plus Five.

The GLIP January 2000 Regional Update

This is the first pilot issue of GLIP's monthly regional update. As a monthly update, it will normally cover news over a one month period. However, this first issue will attempt to cover news over the second half of 1999. As of February 2000, news will be compiled promptly and on a monthly basis. We would welcome from our readers feedback on this publication, its usefulness and ways in which it can be improved. The GLIP Monthly Regional Update will be available in 4 languages (Arabic, English, French, and Kurdish) and in both hard and electronic copies.
In compiling this update, we have collected and compiled news from local and regional newspapers as well as information from electronic links. We would be grateful if you could help enrich this monthly regional update with information and newscuttings from your respective countries. The information selected mainly cover the highlights of the region in what concerns women, gender and development.

The period under review witnessed considerable activity in relation to the legal status of women in various Arab countries of the region. Most of this activity revolved around attempts to bring in various forms of reforms to the family code or to legal frameworks affecting women's lives in an attempt to bring in some balances in the existing social relations of gender.

In Egypt, a proposed bill for the reform of the family laws was partially passed on by the Egyptian parliament during the month of January 2000. The law which mostly focused on women's right to divorce their husbands and women's right to travel without the approval of their spouses was endorsed and submitted by President Mubarak who had ensured that it did not pose any contradiction vis-à-vis the existing religious family laws. The bill was met with fierce resistance within the parliament and earlier on within the Egyptian consultative council. Heated debates preceded the passing of this bill which gives the right for women to file for divorce in case they waive their rights for financial support and if they are ready to testify in court that they "cannot tolerate living with their husband". Other clauses in the bill relate to the women's mobility and freedom to travel which was to be fiercly rejected on the ground that it contadicted the basic principles of the Sharia namely that men are primarily responsible for women (kawwamoun). Proponents to the bill indicated that none of its proposed clauses is in contradiction with the existing religious family laws whilst opponents warned of the negative impacts on "the family".
 

Previous - Next