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7 ARAB WOMEN THAT DEFY STEREOTYPE
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When people think of Arab women it often comes with a preconceived image regarding her role within society. So here’s a list that shutters stereotypes.
1. Aisha Almana – @aalmana
Nominated by Forbes as one of ‘Most influential Arab Woman in Family Business’ in 2013, Dr Almana brings a lot more to the table than business. She has been fighting for women right in Saudi Arabia since the early 70s and was appointed as was appointed the representative for women’s affairs in the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in 1973. In 1990, she – amongst other women – fought against the ban on women to drive. She basically defeated the ban by driving. Her campaign encouraged other women to join in and drive. Although they all got reprimanded she never regretted her actions.
2. Yara Sallam – @YaraSallam
A human rights lawyer and researcher with a focus on women’s rights. In 2013 she was granted the North African Shield Human Rights Defenders Award for her work supporting women in Egypt. As a program manager at Nazra for Feminist Studies she reported the violations against women during the revolution and fought against many statements from officials blaming women for the sexual assault.
3. Manal Al Sharif – @manal_alsharif
“Children are not free until their mothers are free” the feminist Manal startedwomen’s right to drive campaign in 2011. She also writes about controversial topics in Saudi and has received worldwide recognition for her efforts. In 2012, Manal was named in the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME Magazine, Top 150 Fearless Women of the World in Newsweek, Global Leadership Awards in Vital Voices, Top 100 Global Thinkers Who Shaped the World Conversation, Foreign Policy, Top 100 Powerful Arab Women, Arabian Business, 2012 – 2013 – 2014, and 10 Women Who Rocked the World, Forbes, 2011.
4. Fatema Mernissi
Fatema is an Islamic feminist writer and sociologist who focuses on reconciling traditional Islam with progressive feminism in Morocco. She worked as a director of the sociological research for UNESCO, ILO and the UN Population Funds. Fatema is known of her fearless expression of the gender issues in the Arab World through her different publications such as: Beyond the Veil, Morocco Described by its Women, In The Veil and the Male Elite and Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems.
5. Zainab Salbi – @ZainabSalbi
The daughter of Saddam Hussein’s personal pilot, Zainab is an Iraqi international figure who is dedicated to give a voice to the marginalized communities. She is an author, filmmaker, humanitarian and social entrepreneur. At the age of 23, she founded Women for Women International, a popular humanitarian and development organization dedicated to serving women survivors of war.
6. Rania Anderson – @TheWayWomenWork
Growing up in the Middle East was hard for Rania as she always thrived for education. As she moved to the US at the age of 16, she was able to get the education she wanted without social restriction and therefore founded The Way Women Work which is an online career guidance
to support women who can’t afford to get training. She is also the co-founder to the Women’s Capital Connection, the 8th women’s angel network in the US.
7. Muna AbuSulayman – @MunaAbuSulayman
Muna is known as the Saudi Arabian version of ‘Oprah’ for her most popular social programs Kalam Nawaem on MBC. Muna is an Advisory board member of theMuslim Women’s Fund (MWF) which aims to strengthen Muslim women, benefit families and communities. In 2006, the United Nations awarded her as a “Goodwill Ambassador” which makes her the first Saudi woman to obtain such a title.