This study aims to understand and analyse the processes of drafting constitutions from a gender sensitive perspective. The reason for choosing this perspective is two-fold. First, it is impossible to speak of any democratisation process without taking into account the gender power dimension. This also involves the consideration that women should be entitled with equal rights, without any kind of discrimination. Second, the work required on constitutional texts - be it the editing of existing ones, or elaborating new - provides historic opportunities that can correct the path related to the position of women in society. This may be the positon of women within the family or in the public sphere. They are opportunities in which a society can move away from a patriarchal system, and the customs and traditions that have strangled the rights of women.

For the purpose of this study, nine countries from the Arab-speaking region are considered: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia.