Study Guide

Committee: UNW
Topic: “The situation of women in the Middle East”
 Contents:

1. Introduction to the committee

2. Introduction of the topic
3. Background
4. Problem faced by women
 Gender Based Violence
 Women Participation in wars
 Women in Governance
 Nationality Rights
 Political Representation
5. Conflict and Displacement
 Health status of Women during war and conflict
 Psychological status of Women in the war and conflict
 Education status in the war and conflict
 Social status Crisis of Women in the war and conflict
6. UN initiatives
7. Stances of different countries
8. Conclusion
9. Reference
Introduction to the committee:

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of
women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate
progress in meeting their needs worldwide.
UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender
equality, and work with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programs, and
services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women
and girls worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals
a reality for women and girls and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life,
focusing on four strategic priorities:
● Women lead, participate in and benefit equally from governance systems
● Women have income security, decent work, and economic autonomy
● All women and girls live a life free from all forms of violence
● Women and girls contribute to and have greater influence in building sustainable peace and
resilience, and benefit equally from the prevention of natural disasters and conflicts and
humanitarian action
UN Women also coordinates and promotes the UN system’s work in advancing gender equality,
and in all deliberations and agreements linked to the 2030 Agenda. The entity works to position
gender equality as fundamental to the Sustainable Development Goals, and a more inclusive world.

Introduction to the topic:

The situation of women in the Middle East is a complex and multifaceted topic that encompasses
a wide range of social, cultural, political, and economic dynamics. The Middle East, a region that
includes countries in North Africa and Western Asia, has a diverse set of cultures, traditions, and
societal norms, which influence the status and rights of women in different ways.
Historically, the Middle East has been characterized by patriarchal systems and traditional gender
roles, where women's rights and opportunities have often been limited. However, it is important
to note that the experiences and conditions of women vary significantly across countries within
the region. While some Middle Eastern countries have made notable progress in promoting gender
equality and empowering women, others continue to face significant challenges in achieving
gender parity.
In many parts of the Middle East, women face obstacles and discrimination in various aspects of
their lives. These challenges can include limited access to education, healthcare, employment
opportunities, and political participation. Traditional cultural norms and practices, as well as legal
frameworks that are not always supportive of gender equality, can contribute to these disparities.
Background:
Women’s movements in the Middle East vary in terms of specific historical trajectories as well as
current ideas and practices. Yet, they are similar in that they share several historical and political
factors, such as their links to nationalist movements, their links to processes of modernization and
development, and tensions between secular and religious tendencies. Specificities and differences
can be found within overarching broad general themes
When considering the issue of human rights for women in the Middle East, one must first consider
that the difficulty in changing long established beliefs. It is important that this is considered, as it
will be imperative when considering opposing viewpoints. Women in the Middle East have often
faced many challenges in the pursuit of having the same rights as men. These challenges include
discrimination, both in the workplace and in public, domestic violence, and restricted freedom of
movement. Actions by terrorist groups, such as the Taliban and ISIS, have also contributed to the
situation. Often when a terrorist organization takes over an area, they will force women to adhere
to strict Islamic beliefs. This includes forced conversion to Islam and having their rights curtailed.
Women often have to stay at home and are only allowed to leave under the supervision of a male
guardian. They are also forbidden from working and are not allowed to receive education.

There have been efforts in recent times within the Middle East to give women more rights.
In Jordan, women have freedom of movement and can hold public posts without discrimination.
However, domestic violence against women is still commonplace. In Saudi Arabia, women have
been given the right to vote by King Abdullah in the 2015 elections. The King has also appointed
a 30-women top advisory body, however, it is often ignored in the male‐dominated chamber. In
addition to this, women are still not allowed to drive, and Saudi Arabia remains the only country
in the Middle East to still have this restriction. In the United Arab Emirates, women are allowed
to be appointed to high government roles, but traditional attitudes towards women still clash with
the nation’s modern image. In Kuwait, women earned the right to vote in 2005, and four women
won parliament seats in 2009. Women, however, cannot pass citizenship down to their children,
which makes it difficult for children born to foreign mothers to gain the same benefits as full
Kuwaiti citizens. These are examples of how there have been efforts to establish the same rights
for women as men in certain countries in the Middle East.

Women in the Middle East often face a multitude of challenges. Due to long‐held traditions and
religious beliefs, women are often the subject of many problems in contemporary Arab society. In
politics, women are under‐represented in most Arabic governments. This mainly stems from so‐
called “ideological differences”, which conservatives and Islamic extremists publically discourage
women from running for office. Education is also another issue among the sexes. In all Arab
countries, girls, and boys all receive a high school level education, however, in many Arabic
countries, women do not get the same opportunities as men. In Arabic society, women have gained
varying degrees of moving freely. Some nations prohibit women from traveling without
supervision, and women who travel face a greater risk of sexual assault and violence than those
who travel in Western societies.
Problems faced by Women:
1. Women in Middle Eastern backgrounds may encounter barriers in accessing quality health
care due to cultural norms, limited resources, and inadequate facilities. This can result in
inadequate maternal care, limited reproductive health services, and difficulties in
addressing specific health needs.
2. Women in Middle Eastern backgrounds who are displaced by conflicts often face harsh
conditions in refugee camps, including overcrowding, lack of privacy, and limited access
to basic necessities. These conditions can disproportionately affect women's safety,
hygiene, and overall well-being.
3. Women face sexual harassment and gender-based violence within their communities and
in public spaces. Cultural norms and social stigmas can discourage reporting incidents or
seeking justice, leaving women vulnerable and without adequate support.
4. Stateless women in the Middle East may struggle to access essential services and legal
protections. Statelessness deprives individuals of citizenship rights, including access to
education, health care, employment, and legal recognition. This issue can particularly
affect women and their children, creating long-term socio-economic challenges.
5. In some Middle Eastern countries, women may face restrictions on their ability to pass on
nationality to their children or non-national spouses. This can lead to complex family
situations, limited access to education and healthcare, and overall discrimination against
women and their families.
6. Women face barriers to meaningful political participation, such as limited representation
in decision-making processes and restrictive cultural norms. These challenges can hinder
their ability to advocate for their rights, influence policies, and participate in public life.

i. Gender-based violence:

Women and girls in the Middle East are among the most vulnerable populations in the world. The
region ranks lowest on the Global Gender Index (GGI) scoring minimally on indicators on health,
education, economic, and political participation. The context is precarious for young women and
impedes girls’ full enjoyment of their rights and freedoms. With one in three women in middle
east having experienced or at risk of experiencing physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime,
Gender-based violence (GBV) is the most common rights violation experienced by women and
girls in the region.

Women in the Middle East face violence on multiple levels and from different institutions: family
members, abusive marriages, academic institutions, and workplaces among others. But the system
that has failed women in terms of protections and prevention has also made certain groups of
women invisible to the system, such as non-citizens, blue-collar migrant workers, domestic staff,
and stateless women. Abuse of women in these groups is not even recognized by the state and they
often have nowhere to report. This does not mean that other groups of women can easily report
GBV, it just shows that the issue is multi-faceted and multi-layered.Protection measures are also
almost non-existent; there is a lack of protection and rehabilitation centers to provide women in
violent households with safe housing and treatment. The mechanisms for reporting such cases are
weak and ill equipped. Women are discouraged from reporting GBV to police, which is a
patriarchal institution. Women are told by policemen to go home, and some cases are sent back to
their perpetuators against their will. The system is set up to favor the patriarchy and to silence
women. Of course, this is not to say that progress hasn’t been made, but one cannot overestimate
the little progress in comparison to the enormity of the issue.

Conservative political regimes and contradictory legal and policy systems at national and regional
levels are an obstacle to the protection of women and girls in middle east. While national
constitutions provide for equality of all citizens, four out of five countries analyzed have loopholes
that hinder young women and adolescent girls from fully accessing and enjoying their rights.
Furthermore, predominantly sectarian systems of governance that are captured by elites and
religious leaders, alongside civil wars and regional conflicts that affect and impact several
countries in middle east represent obstacles to enhancing legal and policy measures to protect
women and girls in the region. Furthermore, the lack of local and national policies to prevent and
address rights violations, and cultural and religious barriers, have contributed to increased
challenges to addressing gender rights violation.

ii. Women Participation in wars:

Women and War in the Middle East provides a critical examination of the relationship between
gender and transnationalism in the context of war, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction
in the Middle East. Critically examining the ways in which the actions of various local and
transnational groups - including women's movements, diaspora communities, national
governments, non-governmental actors and multilateral bodies - interact to both intentionally and
inadvertently shape the experiences of women in conflict situations, and determine the possibilities
for women's participation in peace-building and (post)-conflict reconstruction, as well as the
longer-term prospects for peace and security. The volume pays particular attention to the ways in
which gender roles, relations and identities are constructed, negotiated and employed within
transnational social and political fields in the conflict and post-conflict situations, and their
particular consequences for women. Contributions focus on the two countries with the longest
experiences of war and conflict in the Middle East, and which have been subject to the most
prominent international interventions of recent years - that is, Iraq and the Occupied Palestinian
Territories. Issues addressed by contributors include the impact of gender mainstreaming measures
by international agencies and NGOs upon the ability of women to participate in peace-building
and post-conflict resolution; the consequences for gender relations and identities of the US-led
invasion and occupation of Iraq; and how transnational feminist movements can most effectively
support peace building and women's rights in the region. Based entirely on original empirical
research. Women and War in the Middle East brings together some of the foremost scholars in the
areas of feminist international relations, feminist international political economy, anthropology,
sociology, history and Middle East studies.
iii. Women in governance:

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Western image of Middle Eastern women’s role in politics
is contradictory. Individual women may be accepted in political roles but Middle Eastern women
collectively are usually perceived as silenced and passive. On the other, male politicians from Islamist
groups in Algeria speak of women as subordinates who should not be allowed to work outside the home,
let alone participate in politics. How do women come to be seen as political? by states and rulers, by social
movements and by women themselves? In the nineteenth century the Egyptian state identified women as
political. argues that in pre-war Palestine both British authorities and the Zionist movement considered
Palestinian women as agents and targets of political action. On the other hand, in the Algerian war of
liberation and in the early part of the 1975 Lebanese civil war, women were able to carry out underground
political activity because the authorities did not see them as political. Women were immune from harm in
the Iranian villages because the authorities assumed that men were responsible for their women’s political
acts. Uncovering the context of women’s politicization may reveal possibilities and limitations. In Iraq, for
instance, official mobilization of women is less about liberating them and more about strengthening the
state. Women’s questions are muted in the Palestinian national struggle. The agenda of the Sudanese
Communist Party was to transform the polity but not the social arrangements subordinating women.
Empowering women (at least in the Western meaning) does not appear to have been on the minds of the
Iranian clergy. When do women make women the issue of their political activism? Do they have to be
detached as individuals from family and kin and community? Do they have to take up their own cause
politically before there is substantive change in their position? The roles of Aliabad women did not change
as a result of their political participation. Women’s political activism also did not bring about structural
change in their lives. A potential for feminist consciousness but not feminist action in the Palestinian
movement.

iv. Nationality Rights:

The situation of women's nationality rights in the Middle East varies across countries in the region.
While there have been significant advancements in women's rights in some countries, others still
have significant challenges and restrictions in place. It's important to note that the Middle East is
a diverse region with a range of political, social, and cultural contexts, so there isn't a single
overarching situation that applies to all countries.
In recent years, several Middle Eastern countries have taken steps to improve women's nationality
rights. For example, in 2019, Saudi Arabia introduced reforms that allow Saudi women to travel
abroad, obtain passports, and apply for citizenship without the permission of a male guardian.
Similarly, in 2020, the United Arab Emirates passed a law that grants citizenship to eligible
individuals, including foreign nationals, based on specific criteria, regardless of gender.Many
countries in the Middle East and North Africa have nationality laws that discriminate against
women, limiting their ability to transfer their nationality to their children and spouses or acquire,
retain or change it on an equal basis with men. For example:
  Under Jordanian Law No.6 of 1954 on Nationality, last amended in 1987, with few
exceptions, Jordanian women cannot transmit their nationality to their children nor, if
married, to their spouses.
 The Kuwait Nationality Law of 1959 does not recognize the right of Kuwaiti women to
transmit their nationality to non-Kuwaiti spouses and children on equal terms with Kuwaiti
men.
 Lebanese nationality laws discriminate against women, preventing them from passing on
their nationality to their children and spouses on an equal basis with men.

This can leave them unable to access state services such as health and education, and gender
discrimination in nationality laws is one of the primary causes of statelessness in the region, in
addition to causing several other human rights violations.

v. Political Representation

Women’s empowerment as political leaders is correlated with greater government responsiveness

to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, decreased levels of
corruption, lower levels of civil conflict, and a reduced risk of civil war relapse. Women are
underrepresented in political positions and institutions in the middle east region to a greater extent
when compared to other regions globally. For example, middle east countries perform below the
world average when it comes to the percentage of seats held by women in legislative bodies: 10.4%
of seats are held by women compared to 24.3% globally and 23.6% in the United States. Moreover,
the region performs poorly on measures of political rights and civil liberties.
Monarchies and authoritarian or hybrid political systems may create some opportunities for
women to participate in legislative bodies, but ultimately may not be responsive to elected
representatives. Some observers argue that authoritarian leaders rhetorically uphold initiatives on
women’s rights to appear more inclusive and divert attention away from repressive behavior or to
bolster their legitimacy abroad. For example, the Saudi monarchy recognized women’s right to
vote in 2011 and expanded women’s participation in the advisory, appointed Shura Council. Saudi
Arabia has recognized some additional women’s rights (such as the right to drive) since 2017, but
the government has detained and tried women activists and maintains some “guardianship” limits
on women’s behavior. In Tunisia, President Kaïs Saïed’s appointment in 2021 of Najla Bouden
Ramadhane—the first woman to hold the post of prime minister in Tunisia or elsewhere in the
Arab world—came after Saïed suspended much of the constitution, asserted the authority to govern
by decree, and curtailed the independence and powers of the position.

Some governments and political parties have attempted to improve women’s representation in
legislative bodies by implementing gender quotas. Eight countries in the region have some form
of quota to ensure women’s representation, and those countries have more women seated in lower
houses of the legislature than the middle east average. Arab Barometer findings indicate that more
than two-thirds of those surveyed support women’s quotas. In 2020, Egypt became the most recent
country in the region to implement gender quotas for parliamentary seats: 25% of the lower
chamber seats and 10% of the upper chamber seats are now reserved for women.
Recent elections in some parts of the region have seen women winning fewer seats than in previous
elections. In Tunisia, women lost 25 seats in the 2019 parliamentary elections compared to 2014.
In Israel, where some political parties have voluntarily instituted gender quotas, women held 35
seats in the 120-seat 20th Knesset (elected in 2015), compared to 29 elected in April 2019, 28 in
the September 2019 re-run of elections, and 30 in the third and fourth electoral re-runs, in March
2020 and March 2021. Parliamentary elections in Algeria (2021), Jordan (2020), and Kuwait
(2020) resulted in women holding fewer seats, while elections in Morocco (2021) and Egypt
(2020) resulted in slight increases in the number of women representatives.

Conflict and Displacement

Wars in the past two decades have heightened awareness of the vulnerability of non-Combatants
in civil strife. Civilians in every major conflict – Iraq, Syria and others – have been regularly
Targeted as a tactic of war. Women have not escaped this targeting – in fact, in many conflicts,
Women have been particular targets, as armed forces attempt to demoralize their opponents. At
the same time, women have not participated in political negotiations to end their conflicts. Neither
have they been included in many UN-sponsored mediations. As a result, a special concern for
women’s issues is often missing from peace settlements, hampering reconstruction and
reconciliation processes.

Compared with most of the rest of the world, the middle east experienced a disproportionate share
of conflict and population displacement from 2011 to 2020. Prolonged situations of conflict and
displacement have specific implications for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), girls’
access to education, rates of child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM), maternal and child health,
and the region’s economic growth.
The countries suffering from conflict and humanitarian crises (Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen) also
have some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the region. Additionally, in some
cases, SGBV has been used as a weapon of war. For example, conflict-related sexual violence has
been documented in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen:
 At the height of its power, the Islamic State (which controlled areas of Iraq and Syria
between 2014 and 2019) “discriminated against women, girls, and sexual minorities as a
matter of policy.” The group was notably implicated in genocide, crimes against humanity,
and war crimes against the Yazidis, an ethnic group indigenous to Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Yazidi women and girls as young as nine were sold into sexual slavery by IS fighters.
Abuses against women attributed to IS combatants also included stoning, executions,
forced marriages, restrictions on movement, and strict dress codes enforced by lashings.
 Parties to the Syrian conflict have allegedly used sexual violence as a tool to “instill fear,
humiliate and punish or, in the case of terrorist groups, as part of their enforced social
order.” The United Nations has alleged that rapes and other acts of sexual violence carried
out by government forces have “formed part of a widespread and systematic attack directed
against a civilian population, and amount to crimes against humanity.” Syrian refugee
women have also noted that intimate partner violence has intensified as the lack of
employment opportunities for men have increased frustration, tension, and violence in the
 home. Recourse to harmful coping mechanisms, such as child marriage for girls as young
as 10 years old, has reportedly increased in light of physical and financial insecurity faced
particularly by those internally displaced.
 In Yemen, the United Nations recorded increased reporting of sexual violence in 2018,
including cases of physical or sexual assault, rape, and sexual slavery, noting that “while a
few cases are directly attributable to parties to the conflict, most are the result of increased
risks that women and children face, against a backdrop of pre-existing gender inequality,
exacerbated by the chronic incapacity of Government institutions to protect civilians. In
2019 and 2020, the U.N. noted further reports of conflict-related sexual violence,
particularly in displacement and detention settings.

“The majority of the Middle East countries lack proper social policy for the protection of youth,
children and women, and it shows a lack of planning for the social, educational, and economic
services. Despite the lack of such services, the NGOs have played an important role for years in
providing social services for women, children and youth through youth centers and provision of
anti-unemployment, awareness and organization programs. Therefore, it is necessary to draw a
social policy designed to protect them by offering social services, organized in cooperation
between civil domestic and international institutions operating within the Middle East, in the
absence of the role of the state or government institutions that marginalized the women, children
and youth”.

i. Health status of Women during war and conflict

In general, wars and armed conflicts are consider the basic causes of ill health and increase the
number of deaths among women. Since the collapse of facilities and health centers and the
difficulty of delivering service and health care for the population, especially of women led to the
aggravation and worsening health status significantly. In times of war and conflicts woman faces
many problems and health risks that negatively affect the mental and physical well being and
health of her child pregnancy child birth and post natal stage and in the various stages of life. The
armed conflicts and wars cause displacement of families and locals from places of conflict to
neighboring countries as refugees or displaced persons to their places believed to be safer. During
the displacement period women faced many risks which is psychological and physical harmful to
their health, including direct injuries leading to disabilities resulting from repeated attacks, shoot
and mines as well as physical and sexual abuse, also sometimes flee trip be accompanied by the
risk of death. In addition to the walk long distances and for along time with lack of food, water
and lack of access to care along with malnutrition and disease. The resulting lack of hygiene leads
to deterioration of the general health situations of women and children. War is the main reason for
the difficulty of delivering health services especially to women and children, Pregnancy, prenatal
and childbirth women are in dire need of medical follow-up, medical examination, awareness of
health and health care such as immunization for the prevention of diseases. The loss of basic needs
leads to abortion, low birth weight and loss of the ability to generate milk to breastfeed her child,
the spread of disease and increase number of deaths.
During displacement or after access to refuge camps or places believed to be safer, many women
and children especially girls vulnerable to assaults and sexual exploitation by rival groups or by
working in some women peacekeeping missions have sex exchange for food or aids.
Attacks and unwanted sexual activities leave the psychological and social effects on the negative
(shock, confusion, depression, anxiety and isolation) on women as well as to the child who has
witnessed cases of rape and sexual violence for any member of his family, also from health side
leads to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy.

“It has to be known that women who are living in war and conflict environment experience both
psycho-social and serious health problems as a result of being witness to acts of violence. Some
of these problems are listed as; disability as a result of serious injury, the loss of children's lives
during surgical operation as a result of not being able to provide the drugs to injured children or
prevention from accessing the drugs by the children and the lack of medical supplies. These
children, who are living in unusual situations of war, experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) especially when the safe places such as schools, mosques, churches that they took refuge
are attacked and transformed into dangerous places. Also, some health problems expected such as
death, injury, disability, illness from lack of food and beverages, can occur frequently for children
living in war and conflict environment”.

ii. Psychological status of Women in the war and conflict

“War and conflict situations need to be addressed as crises situations as a result of devastation
caused by it in the psycho-social and environmental conditions. In these violent environments,
people , are faced with lose are compelled to confront a sense of losing that extends from their
material goods they have, as well as their loved ones”. Women are highly vulnerable to the effects
of war, for multiple reasons. For instance, children are in many ways dependent on adults for their
survival needs, such as food and water, and child-parent separation is a real danger during
situations of armed conflict and are still developing physically and psychologically. Implications
of war and conflict, such as trauma and physical injury, can thus have a very long-term effect on
their development and growth into adulthood.

“In war and conflict situation children have psychological reactions as a natural response to shock
include; Nightmares, Sleep difficulties, Physical symptoms (headaches, stomach aches, bed
wetting), Withdrawal, Elective autism, Difficulty concentrating, Exaggerated fears/worries,
Hypervigilance. With support from family, friends etc., most children will overcome most of these
distressing reactions through the "natural" healing process of time. However, the more adversities
children experience, the more likely it is that they will have difficulty overcoming these distressing
reactions. A small percentage are likely to remain in difficulty in the longer term and may need
more focused help”.

But the continuation of the war and lack of safe environment and the continuous exposure to
violence both direct and indirectly prevent full recovery of these psychological symptoms. In times
of crisis the family which is the main supporter is disorganized that leads to disappearance of
psychosocial support services. In many cases women also are living in a state of tiredness and
psychological fatigue which the child suffers as a primary source for it. In addition, exposure to
trauma associated with the separation from family and children is one of the things that lead to
psychological problems among women in the Middle East. Others are the arrest and subjected to
displacement and rape, beside to the loss of a family member.

iii. Education status in the war and conflict

The ongoing wars and conflicts in the Middle East have exacerbated the problem and the
destruction of educational institutions targeted by artillery fire in many countries this led to
depriving millions of children and young people of their right to education.

In addition, to the severe shortage of schools and educational facilities depriving many children of
their right to education had generally increased violence among children in school, which led to a
lot of psychological and social problems for children. The increase in violence in schools can be
traced back to indirect violence via television or exposure to violence through attacks of armed
militias on schools and educational facilities. This is accompanied by lack of concentration
inwardness and straying of the child or the tendency for hooliganism and aggressive.

In short, you can outline the effects of war and armed conflict on women and children on
educational status in many Middle Eastern countries on several things including:
• increased school dropout status.
• dropout due to forced migration.
• situation of aggression and violence among children in schools.
• using students to participate in the speed of direct aggression and dropping out of school
because of disability or
• imprisonment.
• Demolition of educational facilities by parties to the conflict or used as a place of safe the
for families during conflict led to
• decrease in schools.
• Non-availability of awareness centers and educational programs for women increase
maternity death.

iv. Social status Crisis of Women in the war and conflict

The continuity of conflicts in many countries of the Middle East had play an adverse affect to the
individual, the community and society as a whole. Among the negative effects of war is subjecting
children and women to a challenging roles in the family, such as hard labor for low wages as in
Palestine. Drug abuse among youth, rising of school violence, compulsory recourse family to
destitution disruption. The ongoing wars and conflicts in the Middle East had a negative impact
on cultural value, it eradicate culture and traditions in the society.
In a study of children who were arrested after participating in the ongoing conflicts have found
that they feel that society perceives them as heroes and freedom fighters because they have
experienced and survived detention. Women have been exposed to several abuse and insult like
the children, such as arrests, imprisonment and ill treatment. Many women are arbitrary arrested
and sentenced to prison for many years. These are all the result of war and conflicts in the middle
east.

UN initiatives:

UN support for the rights of women began with the Organization's founding Charter. Among the purposes
of the UN declared in Article 1 of its Charter is “To achieve international co-operation … in promoting
and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to
race,sex,language,religion.”
The UN-specific objective states the following:

● Implement existing and adopt new employment policies and measures in order to achieve
overall gender equality, particularly at the Professional level and above, by the year 2000,
with due regard to the importance of recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as
possible, in conformity with Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations;
● Develop mechanisms to nominate women candidates for appointment to senior posts in the
United Nations, the specialized agencies and other organizations and bodies of the United
Nations system;
● Continue to collect and disseminate quantitative and qualitative data on women and men
in decision-making and analyse their differential impact on decision-making and monitor
progress towards achieving the Secretary-General's target of having women hold 50 per
cent of managerial and decision-making positions by the year 2000.
● The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – UN Women
● UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/289 (on System wide Coherence created a
new UN entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN
Women. It states:
● · Strengthening the institutional arrangements for support of gender equality and the
empowerment of women.
● International Women's Day and other observances
● Eliminating Violence Against Women
● Women and the Sustainable Development Goals
● Equality and empowerment
● An Organization for Women
● In 1985, the World Conference to Review and Appraise the Achievements of the United
Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, was held in Nairobi.
Stance of different countries:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

Saudi Arabia’s Personal Status Law (PSL), passed one year ago today on 8 March 2022 and touted
as a major reform by the authorities, perpetuates the male guardianship system and codifies
discrimination against women in most aspects of family life. In March, Saudi lawmakers passed
the country’s first codified personal status law. However, despite Saudi authorities’ promises for
a “comprehensive” and “progressive” personal status law, the law entrenches discriminatory
provisions on women in marriage, divorce, inheritance, and decisions relating to children. Rather
than dismantling it, the law instead codifies male guardianship and sets out provisions that can
facilitate and excuse domestic violence including sexual abuse in marriage.
Women are required to have their male guardian’s permission in order to marry. Once married,
women are required to then obey their husbands in a “reasonable manner.” Articles 42 and 55
together state a husband’s financial support is specifically made contingent on a wife’s
“obedience” to the husband, and she can lose her right to such support if she refuses without a
“legitimate excuse” to have sex with him, move to or live in the marital home, or travel with him.
Article 42(3) states that neither spouse may abstain from sexual relations or cohabitation with the
other without the other spouse’s consent, implying a marital right to intercourse.

United Kingdom:

It is vital that women, in Iraq, Syria and worldwide, see all barriers removed so that they can
participate fully in political processes, conflict resolution and mediation, and to secure justice and
accountability against perpetrators of sexual violence. That is the only way we can build a more
sustainable, peaceful world. Whilst in Turkey, the Minister met with female Syrian politicians and
activists, to discuss protecting women’s rights in conflict. Women and girls in Syria are
disproportionately affected by the war, facing sexual and gender-based violence, forced
prostitution and early marriage. The UK supports organisations working with survivors of sexual
and gender-based violence, providing education to girls and ensuring a stronger role for women in
political negotiations. The Minister announced £1.5 million of UK funding to empower women in
Syria’s political processes.The Minister also met with female Turkish human rights advocates,
politicians and business figures at the NAP launch, expressing the UK’s support for women’s
political participation and empowerment around the world. He also hosted an inter-faith roundtable
with Turkish faith leaders.

US:
On November 17, 2001, then First Lady Laura Bush gave a radio address to the nation that
lamented Afghan women as victims of an oppressive terrorist regime. She famously painted the
picture for the American people that women in Afghanistan were helpless, brutalized individuals
who were unable to take part in the small joys of life and were in dire need of saving from a more
“civilized” society. She went on to state that “Fighting brutality against women and children is not
the expression of a specific culture; it is the acceptance of our common humanity … Because of
our recent military gains in much of Afghanistan, women are no longer imprisoned in their
homes.”This speech succinctly captured the quintessence of Middle Eastern and North African
(MENA) women’s position in American foreign policy toward the region. The components of
American foreign policy that focus on gender often use MENA women as the rationale for war
and militarization. The claim is that the United States, being a western power, is responsible for
the liberation of Middle Eastern women from oppressive patriarchal and authoritarian regimes.
Gender, in this instance, is used as a guise to further American military control in the region and
presents these conquests through a more palatable lens to the rest of the western world.

Kuwait:

Women and minorities within Kuwait are often the victims of local discrimination, as the
government has only made limited attempts to address the issue. Currently, there are no laws place
that forbid domestic violence, marital rape, or sexual harassment. Migrant workers, in particular
domestic workers, are often victims of abuse from their employers, and there is
Currently, no legislation is in place that grants them protection.

United Arab Emirates:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made important women’s rights reforms in recent years,
such as passing new domestic violence protections, but significant discrimination against women
and girls remains, Human Rights Watch said today. Laws still provide male guardian authority
over women and loopholes allow reduced sentences for men for killing a female relative.

Syria
In Syria, women have been granted rights that have not been granted in other Middle East nations.
For example, women are allowed to voluntarily serve in the military. Minorities in Syria are often
victims of discrimination, and due to the current civil unrest, minorities are often caught in the
middle of the fighting and are targeted by militant groups.

Pakistan:
The Government of Pakistan remains committed to the cause of women empowerment. This is
reflected in the medium and long term strategic vision documents, the pro-women laws enacted,
and the policies of various institutions and ministries to mainstream gender into their planning and
service delivery. The Pakistan Vision 2025, which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable
Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027 for Pakistan, also prioritizes basic
rights and gender equality as central tenants of the country’s development agenda, focusing on the
need for gender responsive planning, engagement of vulnerable and marginalized groups, and
increased reporting of violence against women (VAW) and related cases. In its first National
Security Policy (2022-2026), the Government of Pakistan recognizes ‘gender security’ as a key
pillar and aims to “ensure integration of gender equity into national security narratives through full
and meaningful participation of women in decision-making, law enforcement, the justice sector,
and peacekeeping.”

France:

France is a vocal advocate for women’s rights internationally, and the “feminist diplomacy”
adopted by the French government in 2018 affirms that gender equality is a priority for France.
The International Gender Equality Strategy was adopted to improve the situation of women around
the world and ensure a gender perspective in all aspects of France’s foreign policy. Among other
areas, the strategy calls for combating sexual violence, protecting women’s sexual and
reproductive health and rights, financing gender equality projects, promoting gender equality in
employment, and supporting civil society. The government also prioritizes respect for the
fundamental rights of women as set out in the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Iran:

In Iran, since the recent popular protests in 2019, mobilization has become impossible but I do
think that because different groups of people in Iran are struggling with everything from economic
fragility to the coronavirus crisis, it’s creating a foundation for common ground among all Iranians.
We have a strong female presence in Iranian civil society at the moment fighting for everything,
not just women’s rights, but all human rights. In addition to the ongoing struggle for gender
equality, such as against gender-based discriminatory laws, women’s presence in football
stadiums, wearing the compulsory Islamic veil or the Iranian #MeToo movement, are also
examples of women involved in the country’s struggle for minority rights, children’s rights and
labor rights among other areas of social justice.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the situation of women in the Middle East is complex and diverse, varying across
different countries and regions. While progress has been made in some areas, challenges and
inequalities persist, rooted in cultural, religious, and socio-political factors. It is crucial to
recognize the agency and resilience of women in the Middle East who are working towards
positive change. Women's rights movements and feminist activism are growing in strength,
demanding equal rights and opportunities. Social media and digital platforms have provided new
avenues for women's voices to be heard, connecting activists and raising awareness about gender
issues. It is essential to support and amplify the voices of women in the region and work towards
creating inclusive societies that value and respect the rights and contributions of all individuals.

References:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2012/4/women-s-empowerment-in-the-middle-east-
and-worldwide
https://www.unwomen.org/en
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2023/country-chapters/saudi-arabia
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/06/26/unveiling-resistance-struggle-womens-rights-
iran#:~:text=Iran%20has%20a%20decades%2Dlong,promoting%20international%20human%20
rights%20instruments.