Deconstructing Biases for Lasting Change

Welcome to Love Mondays More the weekly LinkedIn newsletter that delves deeper into the ideas and concepts driving my Love Mondays email newsletter series.

Why ‘Love Mondays’? Mondays are often the low part of the week, earning the title of “worst day of the week” by the Guinness World Records. So I aim to provide a 4-minute caffeine hit of content to fire up the other 10,076 minutes of your week and stave off the Monday malaise. Don’t just live Mondays, love Mondays!

Last week marked International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March, and the UN Women's theme, 'Count Her In: Invest in women. Accelerate progress,' resonates deeply with our ongoing conversations about gender pay gaps. Additionally, as someone who spent a good part of my 20s working in and around microfinance and developing structures to support female entrepreneurs, I’m a passionate believer in the change that transpires when we invest in women.?

However, as with most inequities, there's a much larger story to unravel beneath the surface of the headline statistics. To truly comprehend and effectively address the matter, it's crucial to peel back the layers and explore the complexities that lie beneath the surface, as well as look for role models who’ve successfully achieved outcomes in these complex environments.

When I wrote my book ‘The Leading Edge’, one of the contributions I wanted to make to thought leadership was to diversify the voices featured and the case studies held up as examples. ‘The Leading Edge’ features more than 60 case studies, and importantly they comprise equal gender representation, leaders from 12 different nationalities and ages spanning from leaders in their 20s to leaders in their 80s.?

One particular story serves as a powerful reminder that understanding and solving multifaceted problems require us to go beyond the surface and dig into the deeper aspects that feed into the larger issue at hand.?

In honour of IWD, I wanted to share it with you:?

Spotlight on Reem Abu Hassan: Advocate for Women’s Rights

Meet Reem Abu Hassan, a prominent Jordanian lawyer and human rights activist dedicated to family protection and women’s rights. Through her impassioned advocacy, she has played a pivotal role in addressing critical issues like domestic violence and honour crimes or acts of violence against women that involve male relatives committing severe actions, including murder, driven by a perceived tarnish on the family's honour. What sets Reem apart is her ability to navigate these challenges while respecting the rich cultural fabric and beliefs of Jordan.

Reem’s journey into women’s rights began when she was studying law in Jordan - where studying law means learning about religious principles and cultural traditions, along with formal legal rules and acts of parliament.?

While at university, Reem came across the writings of Moroccan psychologist Fatima Mernissi, author of "Beyond the Veil." Mernissi argued that the problem for women stemmed from the male interpretation of the Quran rather than the principles of Islam itself.

It was this perspective that shaped Reem's approach to legal reform, particularly concerning honour killings. She believed that Islam could be the way to promote women’s empowerment, they just needed to find the right interpretation. Instead of opposing the text and culture, she chose to work within them, stating, "I would always look to bring the conversation back to foundational principles. Instead of fighting against text and culture, I chose to fight with them."

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jordan came under intense global scrutiny due to the widespread occurrence of honour crimes, acts that were not only inherently shocking but also notorious for the remarkably lenient sentences imposed by the Jordanian legal system—some as brief as six months of imprisonment.

Pivotal Strategies: How Reem Tackled the Honour Killing Crisis

In 1995, as Jordan prepared to participate in the 4th World Women's Conference, there was pressure to review the Jordanian criminal law and it was Reem who was entrusted with the task.

Reem approached her mission in three pivotal steps:

1. Get everyone working from the same facts: Reem uncovered a significant detail in Jordan's Penal Code, Article 340. This article exempted a man who discovered his wife or a female relative committing adultery, and who killed or injured one or both of them, from any penalty. However, the revelation was that this provision did not originate from the Quran but rather from the Syrian penal code, which, in turn, had been adopted from the French penal code during colonial times. This law was French, not Islamic or Arabic and while France had long since abolished this law, Jordan hadn't, marking a crucial realisation for Reem.
2. Get to the root of the actual problem: To understand why honour killers were getting such lenient sentences, Reem met with the head of the courts to inquire about the sentencing process. It boiled down to a lenient sentence being given if a person commits the crime in a ‘fit of fury’. She also found that the initial public prosecutor's investigation failed to establish the necessary evidence for harsher sentences, setting a precedent that continued to be followed. By spotlighting the initial leniency, Reem successfully challenged the precedent, sparking a shift in the outcomes of such cases.
3. Deal with things in a way that doesn’t trigger sensitivity: Reem sought the Justice Minister's permission for a review of investigations, proposing the appointment of three dedicated homicide public prosecutors. Reem says it was important the prosecutors were given a broader brief than just ‘honour killings’ because the term is highly emotive and inflames part of the political spectrum. She used the broader prosecutor remit as the indirect strategy to lift investigation standards and demand more evidence.

Prosecutors began escalating stronger cases, and a new narrative emerged—one that demanded accountability for heinous acts against women.

While the occurrence of honour killings is unfortunately still far too common— the UN still estimates it costs 5000 women and girls their lives every year—Reem for me is an amazing example of a trailblazer trying to be the change she wants to see.?

Few would give a reformer intent on advancing women’s rights much hope of moving the needle in Jordan, but Reem’s done it in two major ways and she’s not finished yet.

Reem is a testament to the unwavering strength of those daring to be the change they seek.

1. Be more aware of the status quo: Awareness is the first step towards recognising the need for change and actively contributing to a more equitable and just society. Ask yourself: How can I challenge assumptions and biases in my thinking and actions?
2. Be more of an ally: Each of us has a role to play in addressing societal issues, even if they might not directly impact you, and anyone can make a significant impact by advocating for change within their spheres of influence. What actions can you take to promote gender equality and empower women in your personal and professional circles?
3. Be more informed: The more informed and engaged we are, the greater the collective impact in fostering positive change.
4. Be more strategic:?The thing I marvelled at while listening to Reem talk is her ability to not just pursue the long game but to chart non-linear strategies for how to make the dominoes tip. Even small, strategic actions can lead to a cascade of larger, interconnected changes, ultimately shifting the overall landscape.

P.S. Ready to unleash your potential and lead with purpose? Dive into "The Leading Edge" – your guide to ignite meaningful change. Grab a hard copy, ebook, or audiobook, and unlock the mindset, method, and mastery that will propel you into impactful leadership for a better world. ????