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"North African Women at Forefront of Legal Reform"

By Fatima Sadiqi, Common Ground News Service

The political, social and economic environments of Morocco and Tunisia provide a progressive example for women’s rights within the Islamic world. With these governments’ realization of the importance of gender equality, they have been able to combine Islamic jurisprudence with individual rights to secure a safer and freer life for Arab women there. These countries have imposed family laws which ensure property rights; the ability for women to pass citizenship to their children when married to foreign nationals; create equal opportunities in education; look to end violence against women and sexual harassment; as well as bring awareness of reproductive choices. The role of non-government organizations in advocacy as well as dialogue between national and grassroots associations allows for the effective campaigning of women’s rights and is a major contributing factor to their success in the region.