Time For Women To Lead....Join our Call to Action

[Emily Brown]

Women’s participation in national politics across the Middle East and North Africa is the LOWEST in the world. But there are women who want to make change happen and want to actively engage in political and civic life throughout the region. Where women have been involved as such – social, economic and political gender inequality has reduced. But more needs to be done – we need to give women a voice, especially those of the most vulnerable and marginalized. 

Across the region, Oxfam is working with partner organizations to empower thousands of women and help make their voices heard. We have already seen the impact of this work;

• Women in rural areas of Yemen have found solutions to the water supply problem in their village
• 5 women have become members of the Tunisia parliament

With your help, these amazing women, from all over the Arab world, can achieve much more.

What we're asking for......

Together we must call on authorities to:

• Drop prejudices against women, support their right to be leaders and participate in decisions at all levels
• Demand authorities to eliminate discrimination in policies and laws and provide spaces for women to participate.
• Demand authorities increase funding to support women’s participation especially at the local level, which is inclusive of poor and marginalized women.

Please join us in signing the call for action and sharing as widely as possible with your networks. And for further inspiration, watch the campaign launch video.

As Malala Yousafzai says “I raise up my voice-not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard...we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” So join us....and help raise women’s voices!

For more information about Oxfam's programme work to support women's political participation and leadership in the Middle East please see our AMAL programme or facebook page.