Rights, Democracy, and Islamist Women's Activism in Tunisia and Egypt

Abstract

In the early days after the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, Islamist movements and parties appeared to be the winners of the political transformation. This opened new opportunities for activism and political participation for Islamist men and women. The political organizing of the Egyptian Muslim Sisterhood and Ennahda women in Tunisia before, during, and after the Arab Spring provides a significant case for addressing the gap in the literature on Islamist women's political organizing and agency. Moreover, it addresses the lack of scholarly attention to the Muslim Sisterhood and Ennahda women and the agency they manifest in their sociopolitical activism. Relying on primary and secondary interviews with these activists, this article traces the framing strategies, activism, and roles of Islamist women in Egypt and Tunisia. In both cases, we argue that government repression and backlash against Islamist movements is a shared experience and a central topic of identification for Islamist women. Islamist women in Tunisia and Egypt became more visible in the aftermath of the uprisings and reached into decision-making bodies such as a parliament when their countries were on the path toward democracy. Women from the two groups highlight democracy, freedom, human rights, and women's rights to frame their activism.

Strategic Choices: How Conservative Women Activists Remained Active throughout Tunisia's Democratic Transition

“…Their punishment included harassment, expulsion from school, rape, the threat of rape, etc. (Gray and Coonan 2013, Mhajne and Brandt 2020, Wolf 2017, Zaki 2018. Islamists' mobilization skills and narrative as a marginalized majority helped them re-emerge on the political scene after the fall of the secular regime in January of 2011.…”

Peran Perempuan Tunisia dalam Politik Pasca-Arab Spring Melalui Telaah State Feminism

“…Hal ini terlihat dari kebijakan mereka yang merepresi aktivitas kelompok Islamis. Aktivis perempuan dari kalangan Islamis di Tunisia memprotes kebijakan yang melarang jilbab dan kebebasan beragama, serta sikap represif rezim terhadap mereka (Mhajne & Brandt, 2020). Bargouiba memberlakukan the Code of Personal Status (CPS) sejak tahun 1956, dimana kaum perempuan Tunisia mendapatkan hak-hak dalam kehidupan privat dan memfasilitasi partisipasi mereka dalam kehidupan publik.…”

“…CPS juga dilanjutkan pada era Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Namun demikian, kaum Islamis berkeberatan dengan kebijakan sekuler ini, terutama terkait dengan pelarangan hijab bagi perempuan (Mhajne & Brandt, 2020) dan aksi-aksi sekuler lainnya, seperti melakukan pembongkaran atas masjid dan Universitas Ez-Zeitona dan menggantinya dengan lembaga-lembaga sekuler milik negara (Tnani, 2020:36).…”

“…Partai Ennahda sebagai pemenang pemilu pasca-Arab Spring berupaya menampilkan citra Islam moderat. Menurut Mhajne & Brandt (2020) aktivis perempuan Ennahda mengangkat isu kebebasan politik, hak asasi manusia, dan demokrasi. Konsep-konsep ini menjadi kerangka acuan aktivis perempuan Ennahda untuk menepis kekhawatiran masyarakat sekuler dan dunia internasional, yang sering menyebut mereka sedang "membangun negara Islam."…”