A soul outcry for solidarity. . .
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“From outside the US looking in, those of us who have experienced the tumultuous years since the Arab revolutions feel a familiarity as we witness the chaos created by the Trump-Musk administration: the attacks on minority groups, the elevation to cabinet positions of men accused of violence against women.
To the women in the US who feel under attack like never before, who sense their rights, their bodily autonomy, slipping through their fingers, I bid a weary but warm welcome to the club.
You do not need to look far for solidarity. There are women in the US who have had to fight every step of the way to have their humanity recognised by a bigoted and over-mighty state. African American women, Indigenous American women, Latin American women – their civil rights struggles have been extraordinary and hugely influential.
But if I may, there are many examples to be shared of Arab women who have taken on the laws, institutions and cultures of oppression that mired their lives – and won.
With some US politicians now trying to bar women from seeking an abortion beyond state lines, you can take inspiration from the women of Libya. Twice now, the Libyan authorities have declared their intention to ban women from independent travel without a male “guardian”. Female activists met these proposals with campaigns that raised global attention and condemnation, exerting political and diplomatic pressure that resulted in the plans being rescinded.
That this is possible in Libya, where decades of dictatorship and conflict have prevented the establishment of a democratic culture, shows the power of women organising together in grassroots advocacy.
When women in Jordan and Lebanon started addressing colonial-era laws that meant convicted rapists could escape punishment by agreeing to marry their victim, there were not many female parliamentarians they could find to champion their cause. So they found other means.
They developed creative social-media campaigns, they built coalitions that put the issue on the political agenda, and the laws were abolished in both countries within a few days of each other.
The triumphs I’ve witnessed have taken years of hard work, of determination, of people being prepared to take risks. The time for playing it safe is long gone. This is a time to make noise, to find strength in solidarity and being part of a movement.
Women across the world are with our US sisters. Our cause is one – it has always been. To stand up against the injustice and inequality you see is an awesome challenge, but it is not one you are facing alone.”
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