Minority Rights, Feminism and International Law: Voices of Amazigh Women in Morocco

This book explores the human rights regime within international law, specifically focusing on minority and indigenous women's rights in Muslim-majority states. It challenges the notion of emancipatory power vested in the human rights project and argues that rights-based discourses are sites of contestation for different groups. It proposes that feminism should be interpreted and contextualized locally to be effective and inclusive, and for the human rights project to fully realize its potential to empower the marginalized and make space for their voices to be heard.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the critical examination of minority and indigenous women's rights in Muslim-majority states, shedding light on the complex human rights regime within international law. Through extensive and diverse ethnographic research on Amazigh women in Morocco, the author challenges prevailing notions of rights and equality, unveiling their intricate complexities. Notably, the book takes a controversial stance, questioning the purported emancipatory power attributed to the human rights project. It argues that rights-based discourses serve as contested spaces where different groups utilize them to assert their agency and influence in society.

In particular, the book highlights how the very conditions that make minority and indigenous women crucial in preserving their culture can inadvertently lead to their subordination. In response, the author engages with the concept and meaning of Islamic feminism, proposing that feminism should be interpreted and contextualized locally to achieve effectiveness and inclusivity. This local interpretation is essential for the human rights project to fully realize its potential in empowering marginalized groups and creating space for their voices to be heard.

The book offers a detailed and empirically grounded analysis of rights in action, making it invaluable to scholars, students, and practitioners in the fields of human rights policy and practice, international law, minorities and indigenous peoples rights, gender studies, and Middle Eastern and North African Studies. It provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the challenges and complexities faced by minority and indigenous women in Muslim-majority states and offers insightful recommendations for promoting their rights and well-being.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367499877