This special issue of Al-Raida journal is part of a broader, initially five-year Countering Backlash programme. The project was conceived in response to increasingly visible trends aimed at reversing the gains achieved in women’s rights, gender equality, and civic participation worldwide. The project works along three interlinked strands: Voice, Patriarchy, and Policy and Practice.
Through its work under each of the aforementioned strands, the Arab Institute for Women (AiW) at the Lebanese American University (LAU) has facilitated knowledge sharing, strengthened local and regional partnerships, and supported the design of interventions that are both context-sensitive and informed by real-time evidence. A range of key deliverables, including research papers, policy maps, a toolkit, and a documentary, have been produced to support research and knowledge-sharing on gender justice.
While Al-Raida journal traditionally focuses on issues within Lebanon and the Arab region, this special issue, given the partnership with IDS, expands its scope to include cross-regional perspectives. By juxtaposing experiences from different countries, it offers readers a unique comparative advantage in understanding the transnational and interconnected nature of Vol. 49 No 1 Special Issue (2025) anti-feminist movements, as well as some strategies for resisting them.