On 7 April, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa (SDI) conducted an online dialogue under the theme “Give to Gain: Building Alliances Across Faiths to Advance Women´s Rights”. Bringing together voices from across the MENA region and Europe, the discussion examined how meaningful engagement with religious leaders and faith-based actors can advance women’s rights in context‑sensitive, inclusive, and sustainable ways. The online session convened religious scholars; members of SDI’s Women, Peace and Security informal network; practitioners; representatives of civil society organisations and initiatives; international organizations; women’s rights advocates; and gender experts.
The dialogue featured insightful contributions from Dr. Amer Al Hafi (Academic Advisor for The Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies), Dr. Linda Vikdahl Gunséus, (Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, and Head of School at Södertörn University), Fr. Rifaat Bader (General Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media), Asma Kftaro (General Manager of Kftaro EST) and Anthony Keedi (Masculinities Technical Advisor at Abaad).
Participants reflected on key challenges and opportunities, including misinterpretations of religious text, discriminatory social norms and traditions, legal gaps, and persistent forms of men´s violence against women. At the same time, the discussion highlighted promising entry points for positive change, particularly through dialogue, collaboration, and the identification of common ground across faiths and sectors.
The discussion also highlighted promising initiatives, including engagement with religious leaders to support campaigns to end violence against women, as well as advocacy for legal reforms related to inheritance, custody, and family rights. The dialogue further underscored the role religious institutions can play in peacebuilding, including in contexts such as Syria and their potential to strengthen women´s political participation in peace processes.
This dialogue was initially planned to take place on the International Women´s Day on March 8, in-person, in Amman, during the month of Ramadan and the Christian Lent. But due to the conflict in the region, it had to be postponed and moved online. Despite the unpredictable and turbulent situation, participants concluded that dialogues like this one remain relevant to trust building and partnerships across faiths in the two regions.
