Navigating women's activism in morocco and Türkiye: global and transnational engagement

The principal objective of this thesis is to comparatively examine women's activism, policy advocacy, and legal reform in Morocco and Türkiye from 1975 to 2004, a period deeply influenced by the United Nations (UN) Decade for Women and the increasing engagement of both countries with global feminist frameworks. The central research question explores how global and transnational feminist engagements, particularly those initiated by the United Nations Decade for Women, shaped strategies, outcomes, and challenges in women's movements and legal reforms in both countries. By drawing on the dual frameworks of legal pluralism and transnational feminism, the study analyzes how international norms were received, adapted, and negotiated within distinct national and local contexts. The analysis is based on both primary official reports and secondary academic sources and employs a comparative, qualitative methodology to trace similarities and differences in policy outcomes, advocacy strategies, and the ongoing challenges of legal implementation. The findings indicate that, while both countries achieved significant legal reforms through women's activism and global engagement, the full realization of women's rights remains hindered by persistent social, political, and legal obstacles, including the complexities of legal pluralism and the gap between statutory change and lived realities. The thesis concludes that future progress requires more inclusive and locally attuned advocacy, as well as further research that centers grassroots and marginalized voices.