Prime Highlights:
- Arab women are gaining recognition in comedy across the Middle East and abroad, using humor to express themselves and challenge social norms.
- Social media and TV shows, like OSN’s Stand Up! Ya Arab!, you are helping female comedians reach wider audiences and connect directly with viewers.
Key Facts:
- At the 2025 Riyadh Comedy Festival, only 3 women performed compared to 47 men, showing both progress and ongoing challenges in gender representation.
- Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TV programs have amplified female comedians’ visibility, allowing them to inspire young girls and gradually influence cultural perceptions.
Background:
In recent years, more Arab women have been gaining recognition in comedy across the Middle East and beyond, using humor to share their perspectives and reflect on society. From stand-up shows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to comedy festivals in Riyadh and Amman, they are slowly establishing themselves in a field traditionally led by men.
A scene from Sara Hamdan’s first novel, What Will People Think? captures this humor: a character joking about being late because her family had to prepare food for many guests in case someone dropped by. Hamdan, a journalist and writer, has been following the growth of comedy in the region for the past 15 years.
Political expert Elham Manea says comedy has become an important way for women in the Arab world to express themselves and speak on social issues. Although most major festivals still feature mostly men, at the 2025 Riyadh Comedy Festival, for example, only three women performed out of 50. Smaller shows and social media are helping female comedians reach more people.
Hamdan notes that mobile phones make it easier for women to share their work and connect directly with viewers.
Moez Doraid from UN Women points out that although progress is being made, obstacles still exist. He says that while role models are appearing, the next generation needs more opportunities so that women’s success becomes normal rather than rare.
Arab women in comedy are entertaining audiences, inspiring girls, and gradually changing how women are seen.
