Every year, workplaces in Israel distribute thousands of flowers to show their appreciation for their female employees on International Women’s Day. At the same time, these workplaces give women fewer opportunities to succeed compared to men.

Madeline Jabara, 20, is the latest Palestinian woman to be killed in a suspected case of femicide, allegedly beaten to death by her father after calling her mother to wish her a happy Eid holiday. “There is no free country without free women,” writes Asil Shatilla.

Defying racist and orientalist stereotypes, women in the Middle East and North African region are at the forefront of the struggle for building a fairer, more equal and just society. “As we write, women are occupying squares and marching through the streets of war-torn Iraq, determined to play an active role in shaping their future,” explain Hala Marshood and Riya Al’sanah, both activists with the feminist movement Tal’at.

The suspected “honor killing” of a 21-year-old Palestinian woman from a village outside of Bethlehem has sparked outrage across the West Bank, shining a light on gender-based violence in Palestine.