Muslim Women: Past and Present

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Throughout the ages, from the earliest days of Islam to contemporary times today, Muslim women have been and continue to be active leaders in their communities and countries across the world. This directory is a growing archive of leading Muslim women scholars, activists, writers, politicians, artists, religious and spiritual leaders, civil society leaders and more. Please contribute to this archive by suggesting Muslim women to be featured through our recommendation form.

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Leila Ben Ali

photo of Leila Ben Ali Photo Credit: Hassene Dridi/AP Images

Known For: Chairwoman of the Arab Women Organisation and First Lady of Tunisia
Country: Tunisia

About

First Lady of Tunisia, Leila Ben Ali is also an active humanitarian who chairs Arab Women Organisation and is the head of the Basma Association for the Promotion of the Disabled Employment. 

Ben Ali was not born into a position of privilege. She grew up among ten brothers and sisters in an impoverished neighborhood in Tunis and worked as a hairdresser before meeting Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Ben Ali seeks to reinforce the status of women in Tunisia and actively campaigned for her husband’s 5th reelection to a 5 year term to the Tunisian presidency.

During her tenure as chairwoman of the Arab Women Organisation,Tunisia boosted Arab joint action in the legislative and political areas, to further enhance women’s status by grounding its action in a forward-looking and modernist vision that heeds the specifics of the Arab-Islamic identity and be open onto Humanity’s universal gains.

Although Ben Ali believes great strides have been made in improving the status of Tunisian women, she still believes that “More efforts are still needed to change attitudes and behaviours but the political will to promote them does exist.”

The Arab Women’s Organization, which Ben Ali chairs, brings together fifteen first ladies under the aegis of the Arab League and is now undergoing the prepator processes for a meeting in Tunis on “Promoting Arab Women in the Sustainable Development Process” in October 2010.

The AWO, according to Ben Ali, has also called for an observatory of social and political legislation on women’s condition and a convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against them, in association with the Arab League and the United Nations.

Sources

Mrs. Leila Ben Ali and causes of Arab women in Madame Figaro article.

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This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women by their Country. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women leaders by entering the keyword(s) of your choice. If you cannot find a particular woman that you are looking for, please let us know by completing our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.