Outrage sweeps Turkey over double femicide as Erdogan pledges stricter measures Activists are highlighting the government's failure to enforce existing laws to protect women. Turkey
Iran hijab laws back in spotlight as police shooting leaves woman paralyzed In a case reminiscent of Mahsa Amini's, the mother of two struggles against permanent paralysis amid a state-imposed media blackout and pressure on her family to remain silent. Iran
Iraqis protest proposed 'anti-women' amendment to personal status law Temporarily prevented from being read in parliament, an amendment to the country’s personal status law is seen as the “latest salvo” in a lengthy battle. Iraq
Women activists face 'severe sentences' in Iran, as new president vows easing of restrictions A woman labor activist was sentenced to death in Iran for allegedly belonging to an outlawed Kurdish group, as authorities continue their crackdown against any type of dissent. Iran
Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta denounces fatwa on marital intimacy A fatwa by an unofficial body on the number of times a husband must have intercourse with his wife sparked controversy on social media, prompting Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta to denounce the fatwa as it belittles women’s rights. Egypt
Palestinian NGO to form network in Gaza for women affected by war The Center for Women's Affairs in the Gaza Strip announced that it will establish a national network to develop plans to support women in times of crisis and war. Palestine
Female volunteers in northwestern Syria raise awareness of breast cancer Volunteers raise breast cancer awareness among women in opposition areas in northwestern Syria, where access to health care is limited. Syria
Gazan women find haven at ladies-only pools More resorts in the Gaza Strip are offering ladies-only swimming pools, allowing women to relax and enjoy the sun away from public eyes. Palestine
Gaza's few beauty salons struggle to meet demand Demand for plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures is rising in the Gaza Strip despite a lack of clinics. Palestine
Egyptian rights advocates welcome fatwa forbidding short-term marriages Women's rights campaigners are hoping a recent fatwa forbidding tahleel marriages will pave the way for a law criminalizing the archaic practice. Egypt
Qatar says Taliban rights abuses 'very disappointing' Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani lamented the Taliban's "backward" steps. Qatar
'Hymen reconstruction fatwa' stirs controversy in Egypt A fatwa by a senior Muslim scholar permitting hymen repair in certain circumstances has sparked controversy on social media, with critics fearing it may encourage girls to engage in sex out of wedlock. Egypt
Qatar calls on Taliban to respect women's rights Qatar said that the gains women made under the previous Afghan government should not be undone by the Taliban, which is notorious for its treatment of women. Qatar
Senators call for release of 'unjustly imprisoned' women in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia Democratic lawmakers condemn four Middle Eastern states for the politically motivated imprisonment of a number of women and call for the prisoners' release. Washington Pulse
Turkish-backed rebels leave trail of abuse, criminality in Syria’s Afrin The serene topography of the Syrian enclave of Afrin belies the power vacuum and violence now afflicting many of the territories under the control of Turkish-backed forces in the war-torn country’s northeast. Syria
Who is Masih Alinejad, target of an alleged Iranian kidnapping plot? Prosecutors say the four Iranian defendants plotted to forcibly take the Brooklyn-based author and activist to Iran where her "fate would have been uncertain at best.” Iran