by Hazal Atay
MARA-Med is a movement that was created by ASFAMM — the Association for Women’s Health in Africa, the Maghreb and the Middle East — based in France. Initially, it was called RAWSA MENA, a network for abortion rights and access to safe abortion in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region (2019-2022) and was hosted in Tunisia by the Groupe Tawhida Ben Cheikh, which then later laid the foundations for MARA-Med.
Based in France, MARA-Med brings together feminist organizations from the Mediterranean to defend abortion rights, bodily autonomy, and gender equality. We raise awareness about the impact of unsafe abortions and promote a feminist approach based on human rights, advocating with decision-makers and communities. We strengthen the capacities of local actors, share knowledge at regional and global levels, and support solidarity in the face of anti-choice opposition. MARA-Med aims to defend bodily autonomy and health as fundamental rights.
I. Letter from the Vice-President – Dr Selma Hajri
In the Mediterranean region, the landscape of sexual and reproductive rights, and particularly access to abortion, continues to reflect profound contradictions. Whether progressive or restrictive, laws are not enough to dispel the controversy surrounding this fundamental right. Everywhere, from the northern to the southern shores, patriarchal structures and taboos surrounding women’s sexuality continue to deny women’s autonomy.
In 2026, we reaffirm with determination the pillars of our action:
· The right and access to abortion through a feminist approach. We place at the heart of our struggle the undeniable argument of bodily autonomy.
· Focus on youth to strengthen advocacy for bodily autonomy and abortion rights, as we see younger generations, connected and bold, breaking the silence and challenging taboos on social media. In 2026, we want to consolidate and amplify these voices that are transforming mentalities by addressing all aspects of sexuality.
· Consolidate our alliances and expand our partnerships on both shores of the Mediterranean, in order to equip those fighting on the ground and online against barriers and taboos.
· Make 2026 a year of convergence of struggles, by strengthening the international visibility of our network and exchanges with regional and global movements.
Together, we say let’s make 2026 a year when, from the Mediterranean to the world, the right to choose and decide over one’s body ceases to be an exception and becomes a shared certainty.
II. Activities during 2025
In 2025, MARA-Med strengthened its international engagement by actively participating in key feminist advocacy spaces, notably as a member of the Alliance Féministe Francophone (AFF), which it joined in February 2025. In this capacity, MARA-Med took part in the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York (March 10–21, 2025) and the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva (June 23–27, 2025), contributing to international efforts to advance women’s rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
MARA-Med also participated in numerous events organized by partner organizations across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. These included MARA-Med at the Heart of Feminist Resistance (Paris, March 1, 2025), the Abortion Network at the Sirene Festival (Palermo, May 23–25, 2025), and several strategic events focused on SRHR in Brussels with Médecins du Monde; Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, inaugurated in November 2012 at the American University of Beirut (AUB); and the SAIGE conference in Colombo, Tunis, and Istanbul. Through these engagements, MARA-Med strengthened regional and international alliances, shared analysis on abortion rights, and contributed to collective reflections on policy gaps and advocacy priorities in the MENA region and beyond. In November 2025, MARA-Med participated in the International Conference on Family Planning in Bogotá (ICFP, November 2–6, 2025), delivering two interventions: participation in the Global Safe Abortion Dialogue (GSAD) pre-conference and a presentation entitled “Why a North–South Dialogue and Solidarity are Key in Abortion Advocacy”, highlighting the importance of transregional dialogue and solidarity in advancing abortion rights.
Alongside these external engagements, MARA-Med organized and/or co-organized several key activities in 2025. These included an online feminist awareness-raising workshop on abortion (July 16), an SRHR training with a focus on abortion, co-organized with the Groupe Tawhida Ben Cheikh in Tunis, Kasserine and Siliana (August to October 2025), and a contribution to an SRHR training for Algerian activists in Paris (September 2025). In December 2025, MARA-Med organized a regional feminist strategic advocacy workshop on abortion rights in Paris. Between October and December 2025, the organization also conducted a series of online interviews with local organizations working on abortion rights and bodily autonomy, amplifying their work internationally through the MARA-Med interview series.
III. Projects for 2026
MARA-Med Feminist Advocacy Academy – Advocacy Academy 2026
MARA-Med has launched the Advocacy Academy in 2026, a nine-month regional program aimed at strengthening the capacities of activists and community leaders committed to sexual and reproductive rights, safe abortion rights, bodily autonomy, and gender equality in the Mediterranean region.
Scheduled from February to December 2026, the Advocacy Academy has strong regional roots and adopts a hybrid format, combining online learning sessions, personalized support, and continuous mentoring. The program brings together 27 participants from various Mediterranean countries, selected for their feminist commitment and their roots in local advocacy dynamics.
The Academy includes six online training sessions, covering human rights frameworks, feminist advocacy strategies, analysis of political and legal contexts, the fight against anti-rights backlash, and the development of collective actions rooted in local realities.
MARA-Med aims to consolidate a new generation of feminist actors capable of leading collective, intersectional, and cross-border strategies in the face of increasing attacks on sexual and reproductive rights.
IRIS Project
In 2026, MARA-Med is launching the IRIS project, a transnational European initiative aimed at combating disinformation, manipulated narratives, and gender stereotypes related to sexual and reproductive rights (SRR), particularly around abortion. The project is part of the continuity of European dynamics of citizen mobilization and aims to promote scientific, accessible, and unbiased information on SRR, while strengthening the capacity of civil society groups to face anti-rights discourses that undermine democratic participation and bodily autonomy.
The IRIS project has already been developed in cooperation with five partner organizations: Maghweb, ASFAMM, ALEG, Schedia Stin Poli, and the Associació dels Drets Sexuals i Reproductius, and several preparatory meetings have been organized. The consortium is now ready to launch the project, with a clear distribution of activities among the partner organizations. MARA-Med will participate in all planned actions, in line with its expertise in feminist advocacy, capacity building, and transnational cooperation.
Project activities will be deployed in several European countries and will include international festivals in Italy and Romania, and international training sessions for the teams of partner organizations in these same countries. Five local training and awareness-raising actions will be implemented in Italy, Romania, Spain, Greece, and France. The project also plans the co-creation of two practical guides entitled “Signs of Manipulation against SRHR” and “SRHR Myths Debunked.”
MARA-MED ADVOCACY ACADEMY
We are pleased to announce that we have officially opened applications for the Advocacy Academy 2026, a 9-month regional capacity-building program designed for activists, professionals, and community leaders across the Mediterranean.
The Advocacy Academy aims to strengthen knowledge and advocacy on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), with a special focus on abortion rights, bodily autonomy, and gender equality. The program combines thematic learning, regional analysis, and practical skills development.
Program Highlights:
• Six online sessions between February and July 2026
• Three main tracks: SRHR & feminist advocacy, Mediterranean SRHR context, and practical communication & digital security skills
• Local advocacy actions implemented by participants between September and November 2026
• Mentorship and technical support throughout the program
• Participants who complete the program will be eligible to serve as MARA-Med focal points in their countries
Program Duration: February – December 2026
Target Group: 25 participants from Mediterranean countries
Format: Hybrid (mainly online)
We kindly ask for your support in sharing the call for applications within your networks and communities. Application link is here
SOURCE: MARA-Med :
E-mail: coordination.mara@gmail.com
Facebook/Instagram: mara-med
Website: https//:mara-med.org