Sirri, a Palestinian from Israel, studied social sciences at Tel Aviv University and worked as a coordinator at a women's empowerment project in Jaffa. There she organized programmes for both emancipation and cooperation between different communities. The need to delve further into gender issues brought her to Berlin, where she noticed how wide the gap is between Western feminists and feminists from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.  

'Women everywhere globally are being oppressed or marginalised by the patriarchal system. But instead of Muslim women being seen as active participants in these struggles, they are often portrayed as victims in need of rescue.'  

Researching Islamic feminism  

Since completing her master's, Sirri has been exploring what it means to be a Muslim woman in different contexts: both in the Muslim majority world (such as in the Middle East and North Africa) and in Western society, where Muslims are a minority. Her doctoral research at HU Berlin led to the book Introduction to Islamic Feminism. In her doctoral dissertation she compares discourses in MENA region and US.  

To effectively address gender inequality, Sirri is now looking beyond academia. Outside Europe, she sees more intertwining academics, activists and artists than in Europe. 'In the MENA region it is normal for feminist academics to also be active in the media and have their own television shows or podcasts, for example. In the Arab world, art is often used as a political tool, for example during the Arab Spring. There, artists often experience more freedom than academics, who depend on government funding. That gives their message more power. 

A new platform: collaboration between science, art and activism  

To bridge the gap between Islamic feminism and Western feminism, Sirri is launching a new platform in which scientists, artists and activists address gender issues together. This initiative is funded by both NWO and AUF. ‘It is a platform that highlights the intersection between feminist scholarship, art and activism' she stresses. 'We will not only share research in sessions, but also talk about the obstacles women face in practice.'  

Sirri hopes the platform will not remain a one-time initiative. 'We are also looking at funding opportunities and strategies to address structural inequality. There should be a follow-up to that. Driven by a shared commitment to strengthen the network, we will be seeking funding to organize subsequent gatherings and ensure its continued development. 

The future of feminism  

For Sirri, feminism is not an end goal, but a means to break down power structures. ‘I hope inequality  and injustice disappears, so that one day feminism will no longer be necessary. That way, we make society stronger’.