A Review of the Status of Women and Gender Equality in the ...

Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Against Wind and Tides: A Review of the Status of Women and Gender Equality in the Arab Region

(Beijing +20)

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Distr. GENERAL E/ESCWA/ECW/2015/3 7 January 2016 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR WESTERN ASIA (ESCWA)

AGAINST WIND AND TIDES:

A Review of the Status of Women and Gender Equality in the Arab Region 20 Years after the Adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

United Nations New York, 2016 _____________________ Note: This document has been reproduced in the form in which it was received, without formal editing. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ESCWA.

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Acknowledgements

This study was undertaken by the Center for Women (ECW) at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in the context of a regional programme to review progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action in the Arab region. The study was authored by Ms. Stephanie Jung, Social Affairs Officer at ESCWA. Chapter three, section A of the study (`Women and girls' access to health care') benefitted from a research brief prepared by Ms. Julianne Deitch, Associate Social Affairs Officer at ESCWA. Chapter four (`Women's access to formal work') draws in part from a background paper prepared by Ms. Nadereh Chamlou, independent consultant, and also reflects substantive inputs from Ms. Lamia Bulbul, independent consultant. Ms. Jade Lansing, Research Assistant, provided research inputs. Mr. Jesse Rester reviewed and edited the manuscript. The study has also benefited from the substantive contributions and comments from other ECW and ESCWA staff members.

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements Contents List of figures and tables Acronyms

Page

ii iii v vi

I. Introduction

1

A. Objectives and rationale of the study

2

B. Methodological and contextual framework of the study

3

C. Outline of the study

7

II. The political and institutional dimensions: gender strategies and women's participation

in decision-making

9

A. Review of State mechanisms and tools for women's advancement

9

National women's machineries: Nature, functions and areas of work

Engagement with civil society organisations

B. Measures to enhance women's participation in political decision-making

14

Recent developments in support of women's participation in politics

Public perceptions of women and other remaining challenges to women's

meaningful representation

III. The social dimension: Progress and shortcomings in the fields of health and education 24

A. Women and girls' access to health care and health information

24

Progress in life expectancy and in maternal and child health Barriers to women and girls' access to health care The impact of armed conflict on women's access to health care Challenges in the fields of sexual and reproductive health and women's autonomy

B. The education of women and girls

32

Milestones in improving equal access to education and combating female illiteracy

The challenges of education provision in conditions of conflict and displacement

Gender-sensitive education

Intersecting inequalities in women and girls' education

IV. The economic dimension: Women's access to formal work

40

A. Patterns of female economic participation in the Arab region

40

The share of women participating in the labour force Economic sectors of employment and occupational segregation The gender gap in unemployment

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B. Legislative and institutional frameworks and their impact on women's economic

participation

45

Provisions on maternity leave Gender discrimination in the workplace Women's access to economic resources and finance

V. The safety, security and protection of women in times of war and peace

52

A. Progress and challenges in combating violence against women in times of peace

52

Estimates of the prevalence of violence against women in the Arab region

Political commitments and legal reforms

Social and institutional barriers faced by women and girls when reporting acts of

violence

Challenges in the protection of female victims of violence

B. Women as either weapons of war or `collateral damage' during armed conflict

58

VI. Concluding remarks and future directions

61

Annex I. List of the Beijing Platform for Action's Strategic Objectives Annex II. Gender equality indices: A brief outlook Bibliography

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