Women
SAT-7 wants to see women across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) confident in their God-given value and equipped to act as changemakers in the lives of their families and communities.
Our programs give women an opportunity to be transformed by the Gospel message, and a platform to share their stories of life and faith.
We challenge attitudes and inspire social change in a region where women face many restrictions and limitations.
Faith
SAT-7 broadcasts programs to engage women with the Gospel, and empower them to express their faith confidently.
Families
SAT-7 helps to build strong marriages and families, and supports women in their roles as wives, mothers, sisters, daughters and grandmothers.
Communities
SAT-7 encourages the full and equal participation of women in MENA society, and equips them to inspire positive social change.
Women in the MENA
- One in five girls is married before the age of 18. (UNICEF)
- At least 35% of women have experienced some form of violence from an intimate partner (UN women)
- One in four girls is out of secondary school (UNFPA)
- Only 18.36% of women participate in the labour force
- Almost 50 million girls and women have undergone FGM (UNICEF)
“Our wide range of programs for women encourage them to understand their value and identity in God’s eyes, and give them a platform to be heard. They help women to build strong marriages and families, encourage them to know they have choices, challenge harmful attitudes, and seek to inspire positive social change.”
Rita El-Mounayer, SAT-7 CEO
Latest stories: Women
Inspiring Arab parents to build healthy relationships with their children
Parenting is challenging at the best of times, but with large parts of the Arab World suffering the effects of war, economic turmoil, and social unrest, raising children can feel like an impossible task. For families living through dark times, SAT-7's online parenting workshops are a beacon of light, sharing wisdom, hope, and love.
Bedridden but “giving life”: an inspiring young woman’s story
Bernadette Sami has been bedridden for 15 years through disability and illness, but she has not allowed that to stop her from fulfilling her dreams. Now she is using her writing skills to help SAT-7’s Youth for an Enabling Society ( YES ) project to inspire a generation of change-makers across the Arab world.
SAT-7 TÜRK speaks up for women suffering violence
In October this year, Türkiye witnessed its highest number of femicides on record. As the Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is marked on 25 November, SAT-7 TÜRK wants women in Türkiye to know that they are not alone in their suffering. “We want to show that we see women and hear their voices,” says Şemsa Deniz Bakır, host of SAT-7 TÜRK’S women’s program Homemade. “We are doing, and will continue to do, whatever we can for women.”
A voice for silenced women in Afghanistan
As new Taliban rules ban Afghan women from making their voices heard in public, a Christian Afghan girl has shared a powerful song of protest and a prayer for freedom.
SAT-7’s first program for isolated Tajik Christian women
SAT-7’s first - ever program aimed at Tajik women is desperately needed among Tajikistan’s isolated Christian population, many of whom are unable to gather legally and face persecution if they confess their faith. But despite the dangers, people are coming to faith in Tajikistan , and SAT-7 programs are playing a key role .
Pioneering SAT-7 presenter honoured at Cannes Film Festival
From the dusty streets of rural Egypt to the red carpet of one of the world’s most famous film festivals, the journey of SAT-7 presenter Youstina Samir is one to be celebrated.
Women and children “suffer most” in region’s conflicts
As Mother’s Day is marked in some parts of the world this Sunday (12 May), we consider the struggles facing mothers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and pray for those bearing and raising children in conflict zones and other hard circumstances.
Project’s impact “beyond our expectation” in first two years
When SAT-7 launched its Gender Equality and Freedom of Religion or Belief (GE & FoRB) project two years ago, it hoped that a few hundred Arab women would engage with its activities. But a recent evaluation has highlighted much greater demand for the on and off-screen support the project is offering.
Expert guests help women address issues in Persian world
Violence against women is an all-too-common problem in the Persian world. SAT-7 program Insiders is keeping this “secret” abuse in the spotlight as the latest series highlight s how a lack of Freedom of Religion or Belief ( FoRB ) often underpins a range of social and emotional issues.
How the cross changed an Iranian woman’s life
There is a story that has matchless power to touch hearts and change lives. When Leyla, a woman from Iran, first encountered the cross of Christ at the age of 15, it was a deeply emotional experience that altered the trajectory of her whole life. She shared her powerful testimony on popular SAT-7 PARS program Signal.
Fresh start for Sudanese woman consumed by sadness
Hiba, a woman from South Sudan, felt as if she “lived with all the sadness that is in the world ” . B ut her deep desire for a fresh start is being fulfilled as answers to prayer and one-to-one discipleship from SAT-7 give her renewed hope for “a better tomorrow” .
“I forgave my father’s killer”
Calls for revenge can be deafening in the Middle East and North Africa, where lives are regularly torn apart by national conflicts, community tensions, and personal feuds. But SAT-7 is sharing a radically different message through the stories of Christians who choose to follow Christ’s call to forgive their enemies.
Iraqi women’s stories of faith and strength in adversity
Women from Iraq have shared powerful stories of faith and strength in the face of adversity as part of two special SAT-7 documentaries that highlighted the resilience of the Church in a country blighted by conflict and instability .
Together with women in the Middle East and North Africa
“I am grateful for your help and encouragement which really lifts my spirits. I believe the Lord is showing me, through you, that I am not alone and even in the most difficult circumstances there is help and guidance for me. I hope for healing for Iran in the name of the Lord Jesus”. Pariyah, SAT-7 viewer in Iran.
“Nothing less than a crime”: speaking out against FGM
“ Why did they do it to us? I will never do this to my daughter. ” A s the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) this week , SAT-7 viewers and programs are speaking out against this devastating practice , which affect s al most 50 million girls and women in the Middle East and North Africa ( MEN A) .
New podcast shares inspirational story of abused Syrian woman
Hawra’, from Syria, shared her harrowing but ultimately empowering story on SAT-7’s new podcast for women in the Middle East. Hosted by Sirene Semerdjian, the presenter of You Are Not Alone on SAT-7 ARABIC, Ana Podcast features interviews with extraordinary women who have overcome adversity.
Survey reveals views of Iranian and Afghan viewers
After many months of nationwide protests in Iran under the slogan “ Woman. Life. Freedom ” , SAT-7 surveyed viewers in the country about their views on women's rights and religious freedom. The survey , which also included responses from viewers in Afghanistan, will inform the new season of Insiders , a program that advocates for gender equality and Freedom of Religion or Belief ( FoRB ) .
Women prisoners in Lebanon share stories of struggle and faith
“In life it’s said that behind every door there is new hope and a new opportunity to love, find joy, and live life with all its ups and downs. But what happens when the door opens into a prison cell? What becomes of life then? And who do you turn into?”
Six months on: Persian women still call for freedom
Six months have passed since the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, at the hands of the Iranian authorities. Against a backdrop of government oppression and police brutality, passionate protesters in the country continue to call for freedom. As Iranian women and girls seek a brighter future, SAT-7 has been amplifying their stories and prayers to the nation.
Changing the story for Arab women
A new SAT-7 TV series is part of a major five-year project that aims to help women and girls in the Arab world enjoy the freedom and dignity they deserve as people made equally with men by God.