Shari¿a and the Promotion of Nationality Rights and Gender Equity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region

In the MENA region, nationality serves as a gateway right, acting as the foundation for the enjoyment of the broader body of social, economic, and cultural rights provided for under the law. Although most critical discourse on the nationality and human rights frameworks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) focuses on secular elements of the law, these regimes are actually hybrid legal systems, drawing norms also from religious traditions. This hybridity has become more salient in the context of the current refugee crisis in which Shari'a has established critical norms of protection-such as the right to asylum ("aman") and the obligation to conduct hostilities in accordance with the principles of distinction and proportionality. The role of Shari'a in this context raises a host of questions in relation to other key challenges emerging in the region, including the need to resolve statelessness, ensure access to nationality, and thereby protect associated rights.

Panelists include:

Amit Sen, UNHCR's Regional Protection Officer on Statelessness for the Middle East and North Africa
Azizah al-Hibri, Professor Emerita of Law (University of Richmond Law School)