WUNRN
This publication represents a research mapping
of key resources, publications and materials on transitions to democracy and
women’s rights in different countries of the world that have undergone such
processes, such as: Indonesia, Chile, South Africa, Nepal, Mexico, Argentina,
Poland, Ukraine, as well as within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It
provides bibliographic information and short summaries of resources which
succinctly identify the contextual changes and challenges facing women in those
particular transitional moments, as well as clearly delineates the ways in
which women’s rights activists sought to confront those challenges and what
lessons were learned.
We hope that this
collection of ideas, research, analysis and experiences provides the kind of
rich ingredients needed to create new recipes for confronting old and new
challenges. By sharing these texts, our goal is to make links across borders,
expand possibilities and knowledge, and invite debate, reflection, and
inspiration for women’s rights organizations and activists in the MENA region.
While every moment and space has its own unique flavor and history, highlighting
connections to similar challenges and aspirations allows us all to bring things
in conversation with one another, imagine a new vantage point into a problem,
and increase our sense of belonging and purpose and thus our capacity to stay
strong in the face of the seemingly impossible. It is the collective strength
of a movement that gives it the power to create change. The goal with this
publication is not that one specific text will necessarily help illuminate new
solutions, but that the combined knowledge and analysis from a variety of
sources will provide readers with an opportunity to expand their horizons and
foster connections. In our small way, we hope to contribute to furthering the
democratization of knowledge, and supporting women’s rights movements in the
MENA to continue building an inclusive transition process that will result in
advancements of social justice and gender equality.