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Women Mayors on the Frontlines: Gender-Based Hate, Harassment and Democratic Resilience in the Middle East and North Africa 

Publication Date:

13/10/2026

Content Type:

Event Reports

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Empowering Women LeadersGender-based harassmentGender-Based ViolenceInclusive Citiesonline harassmentWomen in Local GovernmentWomen’s Caucus

— 11 minutes reading time

This report provides a summary of discussions during the webinar and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Strong Cities Network Management Unit, Strong Cities members, event sponsors or participants.

Summary

On 13 October 2026, as part of its Women’s Caucus initiative, the Strong Cities Network convened a regional consultation on gender-based hate, harassment and intimidation targeting women local leaders across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

The consultation brought together women local leaders, municipal officials and civil society representatives from Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya and Morocco to examine the challenges facing women mayors, councillors and other local leaders, both online and offline, and explore practical measures to strengthen their protection and support.

Participants explored the social and institutional conditions that enable abuse alongside practical measures to improve protection and support in local public life. Their discussions will inform a Strong Cities toolkit for women local leaders, municipalities and communities, due to be released at the Strong Cities Seventh Global Summit in Rabat (Morocco), in late January 2027. 

A central theme was that harassment targeting women leaders cannot be separated from wider expectations about women’s roles in society. Participants described how women can face assumptions about their competence, authority and legitimacy even before entering leadership positions. Once in office, criticism of their work can become explicitly gendered, focusing on appearance, clothing, age, family life, morality or whether women should occupy positions of authority at all. 

Examples shared by Lara Zara, Head of Alqosh Subdistrict in Iraq, and Dr Nadia Chadi of Tetouan (Morocco) illustrated these challenges to women’s authority and competence. 

Participants linked digital attacks to psychological harm and, in some cases, physical intimidation, underscoring the connection between online and offline risks. They explained that fear of reputational damage, blame or further exposure can deter reporting and called for trusted, confidential and accessible municipal reporting mechanisms with clear procedures and follow-up. 

Beyond responding to incidents, participants called for coordinated prevention through legal protection, rights awareness, digital literacy, psychosocial support and community education. 

Speakers

• Dr Hakima Al-Hatri, Deputy Mayor of Fez (Morocco) 
• Lara Zara, Head, Alqosh Subdistrict (Iraq) 
• Dr Nadia Chadi, Deputy President of Tetouan Municipal Council and Councillor, Tangier–Tetouan–Al Hoceima Regional Council (Morocco) 

The discussion also included contributions from municipal officials, councillors and practitioners from Iraq, Morocco and Libya.

Key Takeaways

• Gendered harassment is closely connected to wider social expectations about women and leadership Participants described how assumptions about women’s roles, authority and competence can begin long before women enter public office and continue to shape how their leadership is received.
• Women leaders are often judged personally and morally, rather than solely on their performance Participants said appearance, clothing, age, marital status, family circumstances, speech, and perceived respectability can become subjects of scrutiny in ways that are not applied equally to men. 
• Online and offline harms are interconnected
  Participants described digital campaigns aimed at ridiculing or discrediting women leaders, including through the spread of fabricated information, alongside demonstrations, intimidation and, in some cases, serious physical threats. 
• Reporting must be safe, confidential, clear and accessible
  Fear of reputational damage, complex reporting procedures and uncertainty about what happens after a complaint is submitted can discourage women from reporting. Participants called for trusted channels, sensitive handling, institutional follow-up and proportionate consequences for perpetrators. 
• The response must move from individual cases towards stronger systems of prevention and protection Participants called for municipal protocols, legal protection, awareness of rights, education, digital literacy, psychosocial support and community-level mechanisms that make it easier for women to seek help before harms escalate. 

Key Themes 

1. Women’s Leadership Under Scrutiny: Gender Norms, Double Standards and Challenges to Legitimacy

Participants repeatedly linked the treatment of women local leaders to wider assumptions about gender roles, authority and public life. Dr Hakima Al-Hatri distinguished between harassment women may face simply because they are women and the additional forms of hostility they can encounter when they become officials or leaders. She described patriarchal attitudes that can place women in a secondary position and assumptions that women are suited primarily to roles associated with the home and family. 

Lara Zara argued that these dynamics can begin much earlier in life. She reflected on how expectations placed on girls within families and communities can influence their confidence and freedom to act. In her own experience, becoming the first woman to head a subdistrict within the Iraqi government brought strong social and political resistance. Some questioned why a woman had been appointed when men were available, while others argued that her age and gender meant she could not be trusted to withstand pressure or make firm decisions. 

Dr Nadia Chadi similarly described women political leaders as being judged against different standards. She recalled attacks connected not only to municipal or political decisions, but also to women’s appearance, clothing, private lives and morality. She argued that women’s competence is often questioned in circumstances where men’s ability to manage public affairs is assumed. 

Naima Al-Fathawi provided a recent example from Morocco, describing social media coverage of women parliamentarians that focused heavily on their clothing, hair and movements rather than on their responsibilities, positions or qualifications. 

Participants also highlighted that women do not face identical risks. One Iraqi participant noted that divorced and widowed women, women with disabilities and women without strong family or tribal backing may face additional exposure to bullying, harassment or social pressure. These contributions pointed to the need to understand harassment against women local leaders not only as a reaction to individual political decisions, but as part of a wider environment that can question women’s authority and legitimacy in public life. 

2. When Online Abuse Becomes Offline Risk: Reputation, Psychological Harm and Physical Safety 

The relationship between online and offline harms was a recurring theme. Participants described social media as a space where women leaders can be mocked, belittled, targeted by rumours or accused of inappropriate behaviour. Ghada Ali Abdullah, who works on women and countering violent extremism in Iraq, described campaigns aimed at damaging women’s reputations and spreading fabricated information. She noted that women may be especially reluctant to discuss or report such attacks because they fear that publicity itself could damage their reputation or result in blame being directed back at them. 

Dr Nadia Chadi described digital violence as another means of attacking women’s dignity and private lives. She also spoke openly about the psychological impact of the hostility she had experienced in political life, noting that she sought professional psychological support and relied heavily on her husband and family. Family support also emerged strongly in Lara Zara’s contribution. She described her husband as an important source of advice and emotional support during her early years in office, particularly when facing opposition and hostile commentary. 

The discussion also illustrated that threats can become extremely serious. Lara described surviving an assassination attempt five years earlier, when an explosive device was detonated near her home, along her route to work. She said that the attack strengthened rather than diminished her determination to continue in leadership. 

Participants described online abuse, reputational harm, psychological wellbeing, family impacts and physical safety as interconnected issues that require a coordinated response. The discussion also raised the emerging challenge of fabricated or manipulated digital content, including AI-generated voices and images. 

3. Why Women May Not Report: Stigma, Confidentiality and the Need for Trusted Institutional Pathways

One of the clearest practical priorities to emerge was the need for reporting mechanisms that women can understand, trust and use safely. Ghada Ali Abdullah emphasised that women may be afraid to complain because they fear that reporting will expose them to further judgement or reputational harm. She called for mechanisms that enable women to report incidents confidentially without exposing them to further harm. Naima Al-Fathawi similarly argued that complicated reporting requirements can discourage women from pursuing complaints. She highlighted the need for stronger legal frameworks that would ensure protection, enforcement and follow-up.

Rehab Abdul Hamid, adviser on women’s affairs to the district administrator of Muqdadiyah (Iraq), called explicitly for a shift away from waiting for individual violations to occur towards an integrated institutional system. She identified several practical requirements: women need to understand their legal and constitutional rights; know where and how to report; know who will receive their complaint; trust that confidentiality will be maintained; and know that administrative support and appropriate action will follow. She also raised the particular difficulty of reporting blackmail, coercion or threats when the perpetrator is influential or holds a senior institutional position. 

Khawla Ezzedine, an elected municipal councillor in Sabratha (Libya), offered one practical model. Noting that some women are reluctant to enter a police station, she proposed dedicated complaint offices linked to the police but located within municipal buildings and staffed by women. She also suggested using trusted local community representatives and elders to help women access these mechanisms. 

4. Beyond Individual Resilience: Municipal Protection, Community Support and Prevention

Participants stressed that addressing individual incidents is not enough. Prevention requires action by institutions, communities, families and wider society. Naima Al-Fathawi called for digital literacy, awareness of women’s rights and equality to be incorporated into education, arguing that schools and youth institutions have an important role in addressing harmful attitudes before they become entrenched. She also called for continuing psychological and social support for women and girls affected by digital violence. 

Beyond the family support described earlier, Dr Nadia Chadi highlighted the importance of solidarity among women through conferences, roundtables and other opportunities to connect. 

Lara also described an important effect of women holding visible leadership positions: once local women began to trust her, they increasingly approached her with experiences of violence, bullying and other problems. Although many of these issues fell outside her formal administrative mandate, she described her role as helping women understand and access the institutions with the legal or administrative authority to act. 

Aymane Amalik from the Municipality of Kenitra (Morocco) highlighted open governance as another possible route. He described municipal initiatives aimed at both encouraging women to participate in public decision-making and at building a supportive safety network to address online harassment targeting women in local communities. 

The closing discussion framed safe participation in public life as a shared responsibility of municipal institutions, families, legal and security actors, schools, civil society and community structures, rather than placing the responsibility on women alone.

Implications for the Toolkit

1. Accessible, Confidential Reporting and Escalation Pathways 
   The toolkit should translate the reporting requirements identified above into clear guidance covering complaint recipients, confidentiality, follow-up and escalation when an alleged perpetrator is influential or senior. The toolkit could include practical reporting pathway maps, confidential contact mechanisms and guidance for municipalities on receiving and referring complaints sensitively. 
2. Municipal Protocols and Trusted Points of Support 
   Municipal guidance could define responsibilities for trusted focal points and referral pathways with police, legal and social services. Sabratha’s proposal for women-staffed municipal complaint offices offers a possible approach to accessibility and trust. 
3. Digital Harms, Documentation and Reputation 
   The toolkit should cover the forms of digital abuse discussed above and their possible offline consequences. Practical guidance could help women leaders and municipal teams recognise harmful online behaviour, document incidents, preserve evidence, understand reporting options and consider how digital attacks may affect personal safety, family members and psychological wellbeing. 
4. Wellbeing, Family and Support Networks 
   Guidance should integrate psychological and social support with security and legal responses, including access to support from family members, peers and professionals, and recognise the impact of harassment on those supporting a leader.
5. Prevention, Rights Awareness and Community Engagement 
   Prevention guidance could combine legal and constitutional rights awareness, information on support institutions, digital literacy and equality education with stronger legal protections and enforcement, open-government initiatives and community awareness. It should clarify the complementary roles of men, families, municipalities, police and justice institutions, schools, youth institutions, civil society and community actors. 

Next Steps

The findings and practical recommendations from the MENA consultation will inform the development of the toolkit, ensuring it takes into account differences across local contexts in the region.

The toolkit will address three interconnected levels: 

1. Individual/local leadership level – supporting women leaders to understand their rights, access support, navigate reporting mechanisms, manage digital harms and protect their wellbeing. 
2. Municipal/local government level – strengthening institutional procedures, trusted reporting pathways, referral mechanisms, administrative support and coordination with relevant authorities. 
3. Community/societal level – strengthening awareness, education, supportive networks and wider responsibility for creating environments in which women can participate in public life safely. 

As the session closed, participants were invited to continue sharing experiences and practical recommendations with Strong Cities. 

Contact Information 

For more information about the Strong Cities Women’s Caucus and this initiative, please contact Strong Cities at [email protected].

Additional Resources 

• Women Mayors on the Frontlines: Closing the Gaps in Responses to Gender-Based Hate, Harassment and Intimidation, Strong Cities Network (July 2026) 
• Women Mayors on the Frontlines: Gender-Based Hate, Harassment and Democratic Resilience in European Cities, Strong Cities Network (June 2026) 
• North America Regional Hub: Safeguarding and Elevating Women Local Leaders in Building and Maintaining Strong Cities, Strong Cities Network (April 2026)
• Strong Cities Network Launches Global Initiative to Address Hate and Harassment Targeting Women Local Officials 
• How to Prevent and Respond to Swattings & Threats, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (February 2026) 
• ‘Tick tock traitor:’ The rise of violent rhetoric targeting US public officials, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (February 2026) 
• Sixth Global Summit: Spotlight on the Strong Cities Network Women’s Caucus, Strong Cities Network (January 2026) 
• Sixth Global Summit: Hate and Harassment Against Elected Local Officials, Strong Cities Network (January 2026) 
• Squaring the circle on men’s health, online harms and gender-based violence, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (December 2025)
• North America Regional Hub: Enhancing Local Efforts to Address Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) and Misogyny as Drivers of Social Polarisation and Violence, Strong Cities Network (December 2025)
• Fostering Healthy Masculinities: Building Resilience Against Online Misogyny, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (December 2025) 
• A Toolkit for Manitoba Municipalities: Addressing Anti-Government Hate and Harassment, Strong Cities Network (December 2025) 
• Project Catalyst toolkit on misogyny and violent extremism, Christchurch Call (2023) 

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