As a result of a fruitful partnership between the Graduate Institute and the the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue, this Applied Research Project aims to examine the issue of women’s economic empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Given the region’s vastness and diversity, the Research Project focussed on the analysis of three case studies – Iraq, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia – to better grasp diversity within the MENA region.
The Research Project aims to understand the factors that prevent women’s economic empowerment in Iraq, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia. It further aims to provide an in-depth analysis of legal and policy developments from 2017 onward, in line with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and country reviews carried out by the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee). This allows for the review to remain timely and relevant, while considering previous publications for valuable insights.
Key findings and recommendations addressed to Iraq, Morocco and Saudi Arabia
The final reseach report adopts the UN Women’s definition of women’s economic empowerment, emphasizing structural change in societies as necessary for advancing women’s economic empowerment. However, the reliance on quantitative metrics and the prevalence of women’s labor force participation raises questions about how this framework is operationalized and invites broader consideration of women’s economic empowerment as a system of context-specific, interacting, and interlocking factors.
The research also identified areas more accessible and resistant to change based on international reporting mechanisms’ ability to influence measures taken by countries in the MENA region. Financial inclusion appears to be the most accessible area to change, suggesting additional scrutiny and recommendations for financial inclusion at CEDAW and UPR sessions. Inheritance is one of the more resistant areas to change due to Sharia law and longstanding norms around women’s economic empowerment.
This finding ties women’s economic empowerment in the MENA region to broader feminist campaigns to dismantle legal and sociocultural barriers and ensure women’s meaningful participation in economies around the world. Women’s Economic Empowerment in the MENA Region is an extensive analytical work that will allow you to better grasp the specificities of each country and leverage women’s potential through targeted recommendations addressed to Iraq, Morrocco and Saudi Arabia.
Year of publication: 2025