Algerian women’s rights push revives secular-Islamist division

Algeria has formally dropped its state reservations concerning areas of the UN women’s rights convention, prompting division over the purpose of religion and women’s rights in the nation, as reported by Maghrebi Week on September 1st.

The Algerian government’s objections to two provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have officially been withdrawn.

The move has sparked reactions which have signified friction between Islamists and secular communities. Islamists believe that the move endangers tradition, while those who are secular believe it is a key milestone for progress.

Maghrebi Week