3 - Legislative and Constitutional Women’s Rights Reforms in Arab Countries

Summary

This chapter shows how the adoption of constitutional and legislative women’s rights reforms have converged in the Maghreb region, but also how the Maghreb has diverged from the Middle East in this regard. I discuss the adoption of unified legal systems, which set the stage for future women’s rights reforms. I then examine constitutional reforms followed by a discussion of key areas of legislative reform since 2000, particularly areas showing variation within the region and where we have seen legislative reforms improving women’s status. This allows us to identify the key differences between the Maghreb countries and the Middle East, but also where variance cuts across the entire region.