Women’s Empowerment

“This Report… calls for the temporary adoption of the principle of affirmative action or positive discrimination in expanding the participation of women to all fields of human activity in every Arab society according to the particular circumstances of each.” 

Arab Human Development Report 2005

The fourth AHDR presents a compelling argument as to why realising the full potential of Arab women is an indispensable pre-requisite for development in all Arab states.

Towards this goal, UNDP has launched a regional initiative to advance women’s empowerment in the Arab States in partnership with UN WOMEN, UNFPA and ESCWA. The Regional Gender Justice Study with its analytical framework provides a baseline assessment of whether certain laws in penal codes, family law and labor law are equal for men and for women, and protect women from violence, in line with CEDAW recommendations and international human rights law. Find out more

The regional analysis conducted in 2019 highlights themes emerging from the country assessments, examples of progress and common challenges, including an analysis of gender justice in conflict affected settings.