According to Amnesty International’s 2018 review of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa, this is not a great time for human rights activists and defenders in the Middle East. That year saw an increased crackdown on civil society in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. In 2019, massive protests took place in Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran.

Against this backdrop, SIS professor Shadi Mokhtari joins Big World to discuss human rights in the Middle East. She shares the current state of human rights in the region (1:35) and dives into the relationship between human rights and political change (5:38). Professor Mokhtari also hones in on the rights of Middle Eastern women and their involvement in protest movements (7:41).

How do US actions toward the Middle East affect protest movements in some Middle Eastern countries (13:51)? Professor Mokhtari answers this question and challenges the perception that people in the Middle East have a resistance to the human rights framework (18:50). Lastly, she discusses the impact of Middle Eastern protest movements on the rest of the world (23:41).

During our “Take Five” segment, Professor Mokhtari shares the five policies she would institute to help Middle East protest movements achieve their aspirations (10:24).