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Gender inequality remains one of the most pressing development challenge in the Arab region and a significant barrier to achieving and 2030 agenda. While progress has been made in some areas such as policy adoption to advance gender equality, education, women’s economic empowerment, conflicts, displacement economic instability and deeply rooted social norms disproportionally affect women and girls and continue to undermine progress. Yet amidst these challenges women in the Arab region are breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes and leading transformative change in their communities.
As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, there is time for us to reflect how far we have come to realizing more equal societies and what actions must be implemented to empower women economically and ensure their full participation in all spheres of society.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”
Here are the stories of Awada, Bdour, Halima, Hayat, Israa, Mona, Najat, Sahra, Sara Wehdah and Rawdah that illustrate the immense power and potential of women and girls in the Arab region. By investing in women’s education, skills training, safe spaces for women to develop their capacities and leadership, UNDP is contributing to create an environment where women can thrive and contribute to more peaceful and inclusive future in their communities.
Enhancing women’s leadership skills in Iraq
Enhancing leadership skills and building resilience can transform individual lives, and strengthen communities, paving the way for sustainable development. In Iraq, the Strengthening the Role of Women Leaders in Community Development project is helping women like Israa Kareem.
She is a nurse, mother of two, and a cancer survivor who received a training from “Strengthening the Role of Women Leaders in Community Development” project.
This initiative, part of the Building Resilience Through Employment Promotion programme supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Development Bank KfW, provided women like Israa with the leadership skills needed to make a difference in their communities.
Another success story is Sarah, an entrepreneur who received a grant and training through the United Nations Development Programme’s Building Resilience through Employment Promotion (BREP) programme that allowed her to buy basic equipment, including a large mixer, pastry-making supplies, an oven, and a refrigerator to display cakes and food products. These resources helped her to stand on her feet once again. The grant supported young Iraqis to rebuild their lives and start fresh.
Providing a safe place for women in Libya to empower them
UNDP Libya collaborated with the Ministry of Local Government under UNDP’s Local Peacebuilding and Resilience, funded by the European Union to rehabilitate and supply equipment to Women’s Training Centre in Derj. This place is a dedicated space for women to engage in sewing and knitting to equip women, including housewives, with the skills and knowledge to actively participate in society. The Centre has successfully trained 15 women who are now ready to enter the market with their products.
Faiza Sassi, a trainee at the Centre, shares her experience: “I have learned to operate the sewing machine effectively and gained skills in cutting, tailoring, and sewing. I now understand how to select fabrics, assess their quality, and coordinate colours to create beautiful garments. These skills were new to many of us, but we've made great progress.”
Furthermore, in 2023, UNDP’s funding facility for stabilization (FFS) programme rehabilitated the Anah sewing factory. The factory has created up to 100 job opportunities, primarily for women who were the main breadwinners for their families, in mostly female-headed households.
The rehabilitation of both centers helped to advance the country’s economy and encourage work, especially for women who are committed to traditions and who are often ignored for job opportunities.
Challenging stereotypes in Jordan
The story of Bdour is one of true dedication and empowerment, not just for herself but for all women in Jordan. She confirms that the power of women in environmental work is unique, and she envisions a bright future in which more women confidently pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Bdour Abu Bader from Jordan paved the way as the first-ever female ranger in the Aqaba Marine Reserve. She succeeded to break the barriers for women in this men-dominated field, driven by a deep connection to the sea from an early age, though unaware how this passion would later manifest in her career. With a background in chemical engineering, Bdour entered a new field where she challenged the gender stereotypes and societal expectations to show other women and girls that they can follow unconventional paths as well.
Empowering women in Justice in Somalia
A young mother of two, Sahra Ali Aden, is a rising star in Puntland. She is leading the Puntland Bar Association as its vice president. She was elected earlier in 2024 and she is one of 75 women lawyers who have completed the UNDP supported the Law scholarship programme at the
When she started her legal career in 2018, she was one of the very few women in the predominantly male legal circles in Puntland.
Sahra Ali Aden, completed her law degree from the Puntland State University in 2018, with full funding from UNDP's law scholarship programme.
She mentioned “before the UNDP law scholarship programme, which started in 2008, there was only one female lawyer in all of Puntland. Today, we have about 75 female lawyers working across various legal institutions; from government offices to community policing, prosecutor offices, women lawyers are at the forefront of court initiatives. We’re still far from equality, but we’re seeing encouraging progress.”
A young mother of two, Sahra Ali Aden, is a rising star in Puntland. She is leading the Puntland Bar Association as its vice president. She was elected earlier in 2024 and she is one of 75 women lawyers who have completed the UNDP supported the Law scholarship programme at the
When she started her legal career in 2018, she was one of the very few women in the predominantly male legal circles in Puntland.
Leaving no on behind in Syria
In the heart of Deir EzZor, eastern Syria, 22-year-old, Mona joined the Al-Rayan youth group, a UNDP initiative that empowers 20 young men and women with disabilities. She received training focused on social inclusion, economic empowerment, and psychosocial support. Through her engagement in the group led project in the community, Mona regained her self-confidence and challenged the biases she faced in her village. The Inclusive Junior Groups project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Syria with support from the Government of Finland, has empowered 240 individuals across three governorates: Raqqa, Deir EzZor, and Homs, with a particular emphasis on persons with disabilities and their caregivers. The project encourages collective saving of small amounts of money- agreed upon collectively- in a social fund for six months. The project provided training, financial grants, and necessary mobility and hearing aids, enabling participants to establish their own businesses. So far, Mona’s group members have launched 26 community initiatives across Deir EzZor.
Another success story from Syria is Fatima who was selected from more than 700 women to be part of the Path to Empowerment project. With funding from the Government of Japan, UNDP Syria focused on enhancing economic empowerment through improved access to financial resources and markets and securing decent working conditions for women entrepreneurs in Qunitera. Fatima underwent entrepreneurship skills training with 70 other selected women, which enabled them to develop their business plans. Fatima submitted her business plan and estimated budget, and she was selected with 50 other women to receive seed funding for their projects. Fatima is currently in the process of renting a small shop where she will sell her products, and she will also use the space to train girls who are interested in learning crochet. “
Developing women’s skills in Sudan
Amid conflict, a group of young women from Kassala town participated in a two-week training workshop on in food processing and bakery and start up kits to launch their enterprises and transfer the new skills to other women Although, these women represented an array of tribal backgrounds, they all committed to training other women in their home communities on the skills they acquired. When they completed their training, they were provided with startup kits that include ovens, utensils, flour and oil—tools that can help them start their own enterprises at the same time they disseminate what they learned.
The training workshop is a product of the Strengthening Capacities for Peace and Social Cohesion project—a joint initiative implemented in collaboration with UNICEF and funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund—which aims to reduce violent conflict as well as enhance peace and social cohesion, thereby contributing to both social stability and sustainable development. The project aims to de-escalate mounting tensions to prevent and reduce violent conflict within five localities in two states.
Another great example is Halima Yasin, 19-year-old secondary school student displaced from Khartoum to River Nile State and is one of the roughly 770,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) hosted in the state. She benefited from the series of skills building trainings, implemented through the partnership with GIZ to strengthen the resilience of women in agriculture—from individual farmers to those leading micro and small enterprises (MSMEs)—who were affected by the conflict. These trainings aim to enhance women’s local economic recovery around Sudan.
Empowering women in Yemen through upskilling towards sustainable livelihoods and community resiliency
In Yemen, 82.7 percent of people are living multidimensional poverty, or more than 8 in every 10 people based on regions recently surveyed. Families in Yemen are facing rising food and commodity prices, loss of livelihoods, declining purchasing power, persistent unemployment, and increasing reliance on humanitarian aid. In the face of these challenges, women are stepping up to support their families and communities.
Awada, participated in tuna canning and business management trainings supported by our Strengthening Institutional and Economic Resilience in Yemen (SIERY) Project funded by the European Union.
"Through the SIERY Project, we received training on tuna canning and preservation and production of fish spice blends. We also learned how to manage sales, generate income and revenue, budget, maintain quality standards, and market our products. This has helped us on both personal and professional levels," says Awada.
Looking north-west, in Al Maafer District, Taiz Governorate, the community suffered from a lack of access to clean water. Women, who bear the burden of water-related challenges, walked long distances daily to fetch water for their families, leaving little time for education, work, or family.
Four remarkable women leaders—Hayat, Najat, Wehdah, and Rawdah—took on a challenge that no one thought possible. Supported by the European Union and Sweden as part of the ERRY III Joint Programme implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organization (ILO), and the World Food Programme (WFP), the four women led a solar-powered water project that changed how their community accesses water.
The four women stepped forward and took on leadership roles as members of the local Sub-District Community Committee (SDC) on a community-driven project to provide support to over 3,500 households to have reliable access to clean water through implementation of a solar power system.
The solar-powered system eliminate the need for expensive diesel pumps, saving the community an estimated 80 million Yemeni Rials per month in fuel costs. The cost of water for families has dropped by 45%, making it affordable for even the most vulnerable households.
Another successful example from the same district is Rawda, a local leader in conflict resolution and community development. With support from the ERRY III Joint Programme, Rawda is working to improve living conditions for community members, focusing on restoring infrastructure and social cohesion, and ensuring resource distribution for those who have been displaced.
The way forward for an inclusive future
Gender equality remains the greatest human rights challenge of our time. Expanding women’s economic opportunities is central to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It’s crucial to support women by offering trainings and safe spaces to develop their skills and capacities. To realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there is a pressing need to step up actions to close gender gaps and ensure the full economic empowerment of women by 2030. Partnership is at the heart of everything UNDP does. We must continue working with our partners across the Arab region to address the challenges confronting women to leave no one behind and build an inclusive future for all.
We call on everyone to stand up for rights, empowerment, and equality for all women and girlsW
