In our new blog series, Key Voices, we shine a spotlight on the movements and leaders driving the fight for justice, equality, and human rights around the world. These are the voices of our allies—individuals and organizations using bold strategies and collaborative approaches to tackle the root causes of inequality. To inaugurate the series, we spoke with Shereen Talaat, co-founder of MENAFEM, a feminist network reimagining economic and ecological justice in Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA), a region often referred to as MENA (Middle East and North Africa).
In the fight for a world where dignity is a right, not a privilege, some voices rise with a resonance that cannot be ignored. Shereen Talaat, co-founder of MENAFEM, is one such voice. MENAFEM, a feminist network working at the intersection of economic and ecological justice in MENA, is reimagining what global solidarity and feminist advocacy can look like.
In partnership with MENAFEM, CESR has co-organized side events and parallel spaces for cross-movement solidarity at events such as the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the Annual and Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. We have also actively engaged in the Financing for Development (FfD) process, ensuring that feminist and rights-based perspectives are at the forefront of global economic policy discussions.
These collaborative efforts have helped ensure that feminist perspectives from the MENA region are represented and positioned to influence critical global economic justice and human rights discussions.
Shereen shared with us her journey, insights, and hopes in our inaugural “Key Voices” series, highlighting the incredible work of CESR’s allies worldwide.
Filling a void: Why MENAFEM was born
For Shereen, MENAFEM emerged to fill a critical gap. “There are a lot of respectable feminist organizations in the MENA region,” she explains. “But not working at the intersections of economic and ecological justice.” MENAFEM has stepped into this void, addressing debt, austerity, fiscal policy, and ecological justice while anchoring its work in feminist values.
With an ambitious and necessary mission, MENAFEM seeks to challenge the global economic architecture through a feminist lens and amplify the perspectives of feminists in the Global South. As Shereen describes it, this isn’t just about local impact but about reshaping global narratives, bringing the voices of MENA feminists into international spaces where their perspectives have long been missing.
Its presence in international forums has been influential. Shereen recalls moments of recognition and validation—such as when academics began using MENAFEM’s feminist reflections on Bretton Woods institutions and climate justice in classrooms. “They said that they are thrilled and happy to have MENAFEM as a feminist voice in this space where the feminist perspective is sometimes absent,” she says.
MENAFEM’s impact is not confined to global stages. Regionally, its work has inspired partners to embrace feminist perspectives and address the systemic inequalities embedded in economic and environmental policies. “Apparently, our existence was inspiring to other partners, encouraging them to start speaking about feminism,” Shereen notes, “to include at least women’s rights as aspects of feminism in their agendas, as well as considerations for vulnerable and marginalized groups.”
Decolonizing global spaces in collaboration
For MENAFEM, advocacy isn’t just about visibility but decolonization. Shereen emphasizes that their work operates within an anti-colonial, anti-imperial framework, challenging narratives and systems perpetuating inequality. “Even our narratives have been captured by the global system,” she reflects. “Part of our fight, through an anti-colonial and anti-imperial framework, is reclaiming our stories, our perspectives, and our futures.”
This commitment to decolonization is central to MENAFEM’s vision of a feminist global economy—one where care, justice, and equality are at the forefront. While Shereen acknowledges the enormity of the task, she remains steadfast in her belief that systemic transformation is not only possible but imperative.
Collaboration is at the heart of MENAFEM’s strategy. Over the past year, the network has worked to forge connections with feminist movements across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. This May, MENAFEM will host its inaugural Global South Feminist Gathering in Rabat, Morocco. Originally envisioned as a space for Southern feminists, the gathering has expanded to include Northern allies who share MENAFEM’s economic and ecological justice vision.
“Our goal is to build a collective spirit and collaborative work,” Shereen explains. This commitment to cross-regional solidarity exemplifies the transformative connections that CESR and MENAFEM aim to foster through their partnership.
Feminism as a political imperative
Shereen’s reflections on the challenges facing the MENA region—looming famine, ecological crises, and economic inequality—are sobering. Yet her message is clear: feminist perspectives are not optional in addressing these crises—they are essential. “Feminism is an ideology, and it’s deeply political,” she asserts. “Without a feminist framework, we cannot hope to achieve even the minimum conditions for a life of well-being.”
MENAFEM’s work on a forthcoming research paper, which critiques the role of international financial institutions in perpetuating inequality, aims to center feminist alternatives to the current economic paradigm. “There is no single alternative, but the idea that we must follow neoliberal frameworks is simply false,” she says. MENAFEM’s work challenges these assumptions and offers pathways toward an economy rooted in care and justice.
Shereen’s journey into feminist advocacy began with the Egyptian Revolution, a moment of immense hope and profound struggle. “I became addicted to hope,” she shares. “The revolution pushed me to imagine a different world, and I want that world for my daughter—not just surviving but truly living.”
For Shereen, motherhood has deepened her resolve. “My daughter deserves more than just surviving. She deserves a life,” she says. This is the driving force behind MENAFEM’s work and a testament to the resilience and determination of feminist movements worldwide.
Looking ahead
MENAFEM’s upcoming projects include a podcast in Arabic to make feminist economic and ecological issues accessible to a broader audience and a campaign on just transition in the region, starting with policy papers on green hydrogen investments in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco.
Through its bold vision, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to justice, MENAFEM is not only imagining but building a feminist future. As Shereen puts it: “This world is doomed without us [feminists]. But together, we can create something better—a world where dignity and justice are for everyone.”
At CESR, we are proud to amplify the voices of those leading the charge for just and feminist systems change. Shereen’s story is not just a reminder of what’s possible—it’s a call to action for all of us.