Deputy Director of the Women's Rights Division, Human Rights Watch
Deputy Director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, focusing on Asia and the Middle East
PROFILE
Nisha Varia
Guest
FROM Nisha Varia
To the Point
Obama Speaks Up about Women in the Muslim World In Pakistan, schools for girls are being burned down by the Taliban. In Afghanistan, a new law was just passed which makes marital rape legal. While in Iran, a presidential candidate's wife hits the campaign trail, and in Kuwait and Iraq, women are winning elections. In Cairo yesterday, president Obama talked about equality and education for Muslim girls and women. Before he spoke, no one was sure if he was even going to talk about women's rights. Did he go far enough? What can a new US administration and a new First Lady do to help forward the cause of women's rights in the Muslim world? How are Muslim women forging their own gains in male-dominated societies?
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