The issue of women’s empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) — and on the global level as well — has gained much momentum over the past few decades. The World Bank selected the topic of gender equality and development as the main theme for its annual flagship publication in 2012, followed by a special report focusing on the MENA region released in 2013, reflecting the growing importance and the exigency of the topic — especially amid rising political and social uncertainties in the region. These reports, as well as many other studies, come to the conclusion that despite mounting efforts toward achieving gender equality, the MENA region continues to rank the lowest worldwide when it comes to women’s economic participation and opportunity. Especially in the context of the Middle East, it is increasingly clear that focusing solely on women’s educational attainment may not be the most effective strategy for achieving women’s economic empowerment in the region. Several obstacles on the societal, structural, institutional and cultural levels still hold women back from full participation in the economic and political realms. These obstacles must be concurrently resolved to realize full gender parity in MENA.
On Feb. 25, 2014, the Women and Human Rights in the Middle East Program at Rice University’s Baker Institute, CARE and the City of Houston Office of International Communities are hosting a panel discussion to highlight the crucial role of women in promoting economic development and innovation worldwide, with a special focus on the Middle East. This panel discussion — featuring community leaders, policymakers and scholars — will shed light on the economic challenges facing women and propose concrete policy recommendations for empowering women to build safe, just and economically vibrant societies. The event also aims at informing the public about the importance of foreign aid in combating global poverty and promoting women’s rights.
Join us at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, for “Pathways to Empowerment: Women and the Economy in the Developing World.” The event is open to the public, but an RSVP is required.
Speakers at the event include:
The Honorable Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston
David Ray, Head of Policy and Advocacy, CARE USA; and Managing Director, CARE Action Now
Marwa Shalaby, Ph.D., Director, Women and Human Rights in the Middle East Program, Rice University’s Baker Institute
Cristal Montañéz Baylor, Executive Director, Hashoo Foundation USA
Rogelio Garcia-Contreras, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of St. Thomas
Terence O’Neill, Division Manager, City of Houston Office of International Communities
Marwa Shalaby, Ph.D., is the director of the Women and Human Rights in the Middle East Program at the Baker Institute. Her work focuses on comparative politics and research methodology, with a concentration on Middle Eastern politics, democratization, and gender and politics.