Gender+Equality+in+the+Middle+East

(1) TOPIC GUIDES
//Below you will find links to the topics that will be discussed in UN Women// [|Gender Equality in the Middle East.pdf]

(2) VIDEO GUIDES
Click [|here] to see the video "A Day Into the Life of a Muslim Wife in Saudi Arabia". For the video "Yemeni Women Continue Protests Against President Saleh", click [|here]. To see a debate over France's ban on face veils, click [|here]. To view the UN WOMEN's Executive Director speak on the International Women's Day Centennial, click [|here]. To see Shakira speak on the work of UN Women, click [|here]. To see the first part of a five part series entitled "Beneath the Veil-Women in Islam" shedding light on the horrific conditions experienced by women under the Taliban, click [|here]. Click [|here]for a video detailing how the lives of women in Afghanistan have changed since the fall of the Taliban. To see the video "What do Muslim Women Want in the Muslim World?", click [|here]. To see a video detailing how the Third Millennium Development Goal has affected life in Liberia, click [|here]. Although Liberia is not a Middle Eastern country and is, in fact, in Africa, it is interesting to see how trends of gender inequality affect the world in its entirety and how some countries are effectively dealing with it.

(3) LINKS TO NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)
Below are a list of organizations that provide information on the status of gender equality in the Middle East and work being done to sponsor/promote women empowerment in this region of the world. Read up on the work being done by different organizations, the progress that has been made thus far in regards to gender equality, and the nations who support the work of CEDAW. Prepare for committee by brainstorming ways your own country can address the issue of gender equality by pinpointing what causes it and allows it to persist.

[|UN Women: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women] [|Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)] [|The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)] [|International Women's Day (IWD) 2011] [|United Nations Development Programme: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)] [|United Nations Development Programme: Arab States' Stance on Women's Empowerment] [|International Congress on Islamic Feminism] [|UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)] [|Human Rights Watch] [|Amnesty International] [|World Economic Forum] [|International Women's Development Agency, Inc.]

(4) PRIMARY SOURCES
A study by Michael L. Ross claiming that oil rather than Islam is at fault for gender inequality in the Middle East, here: [|Oil Islam and Women - apsr final.pdf]. The Public Broadcasting Station's answers to the question "What factors determine the changing role of women in the Middle East and Islamic societies, [|here]. The Economist's article "Headgear in Muslim Lands: Beyond the Burqa", [|here]. Various international female viewpoints on "Fighting for Muslim Women's Rights", [|here]. "A Modern Narrative for Muslim Women in the Middle East: Forging a New Future" by the American Islamic Congress, here: [|Womens Narrative.pdf]. The Pew Research Center's study "Gender Equality Universally Embraced, but Inequalities Acknowledged", [|here].

(5) TAKE ACTION
The "Progress of the World's Women for 2011-2012: In Pursuit of Justice" sponsored by UN Women, click the following document: [|Progress of the Worlds Women.pdf]. To access a wide variety of webpages explaining the role UN Women has played in women, poverty & economics, violence against women, HIV & AIDS, democratic governance, women, war & peace, human rights, and the Millennium Development Goals, click [|here]. The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women's "Overview of the Working Methods of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women", click the following document: [|CEDAW.pdf].

Afghanistan
To access the Parliament of Canada's study "Afghanistan: The Status of Women", click [|here]. To access Amnesty International's report "Afghanistan: Women Still Under Attack-A Systematic Failure to Protect", click the following document: [|Women Under Attack.pdf]. To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Afghanistan", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Afghanistan.pdf].

Albania
To read on the status of the Millennium Development Goals in Albania and efforts the country is making to meet these goals, click [|here]. To access the OSCE's "National Strategy on Gender Equality and Domestic Violence From 2007-2010" for Albania, click the following document: [|Strategy.pdf]. For the Social Research Centre's report "Women and Children in Albania: Double Dividend of Gender Equality", click the following document: [|Albania Women.pdf].

Argentina
For the IPS News Article "Argentina: Inequality for Women Begins at Home", click [|here]. To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Argentina", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Argentina.pdf]. For the study "Argentina: International Migrants and Gender Inequality in the Labour Market", click the following document: [|Argentina.pdf].

Bosnia and Herzegovina
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina.pdf]. For access to CEDAW's compiled information from the meeting "Bosnia and Herzegovina Making Progress Towards Gender Equality", click [|here]. For "Law on Gender Equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina", click the following document: [|Parliamentary Assembly.pdf].

Brazil
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Brazil, click the following document: [|Gender Equality Brazil.pdf]. To access the article "Gender Inequality Reduced but Still Persists in Brazil" published by the China Daily, click [|here].

China
To read the United Nations in China's article "Gender Inequality Persists in China: Launch of the Asia-Pacific Regional Human Development Report on Gender", click [|here]. To access the Public Broadcasting Station's inside look into the lives of Chinese women, click [|here]. For the article "Gender Equality in Urban China: Education and Employment" featured in //Modern China//, click the following document: [|Gender Inequality China.pdf].

Costa Rica
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Costa Rica", click the following document: [|Gender Equality Costa Rica.pdf]. To access information from CEDAW's meeting on "Costa Rica Hails Election of Female President, Adoption of Gender-Equality Policy as Women's Anti-Discrimination Committee Considers its Report", click [|here].

Cuba
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Cuba", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Cuba.pdf]. To access the article "Party and State in Cuba: Gender Equality in Political Decision Making" sponsored by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, click the following document: [|Luciak.pdf]. To read the IPS article "Gender Inequality Persists Behind Closed Doors in Cuba", click [|here].

Finland
For access to the article "Striving for Gender Equality in Finland" by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, click the following document: [|Gender Equality.pdf]. To read an article explaining the status of "Gender Equality in Finnish Academia", click the following document: [|Finnish.pdf].

France
To access the article "The Workplace-A Bastion of Gender Inequality" by the European Association for the Education of Adults, click [|here]. For the New York Times Article "Where Having it All Doesn't Mean Having Equality", click [|here].

Germany
To read the European Sociological Review's comparative analysis of Britain and Germany entitled "Education, Employment, and Gender Inequality Amongst Couples", click [|here]. For the article "Germany: Gender Inequality in Top Jobs Unconstitutional", click [|here]. For access to the study "Gender Inequality Germany-Quantitative Analyses from a Capability Perspective", click the following document: [|Volkert.pdf].

Guatemala
For a range of gender statistical information on Guatemala, click the following document: [|Guatemala2007.pdf]. To access USAID's Gender Assessment on Guatemala, click the following document: [|Assessment.pdf].

Hungary
To access "Country Report: Hungary" including gender equality information, click the following document: [|gender equality national report.pdf]. For "Family Policy Debates in Post-State Socialist Hungary: From Maternalism to Gender Equality", click the following document: [|Family Policies.doc].

India
To read "Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in India" sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India, click the following document: [|India.pdf]. For access to the Times of India's article "India is Worse Than Pakistan on Gender Equality", click [|here].

Iraq
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Iraq", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Iraq.pdf]. To access Amnesty International's report "Iraq: Decades of Suffering, Now Women Deserve Better", click the following document: [|Iraq Decades of Suffering.pdf]. To access CEDAW's Country Report on Iraq from 2000, click the following document: [|Country Report.pdf].

Israel
To access CEDAW's Fourth Periodic Report on Israel, click the following document: [|Israel Country Report.pdf]. The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs stance on "Gender Equality in a Jewish State", click [|here]. To read the article "Theories of Gender Equality: Lessons from the Israeli Kibbutz" by Judith Buber Agassi that was published in //Gender and Society//, click the following document: [|Judith Agassi.pdf].

Jordan
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Jordan", click [|here]. For the article "Meeting Gender Equality" by Asma Khader of the Jordan Times, click [|here]. For a range of gender-based statistical information, click the following document: [|Jordan2007.pdf].

Lebanon
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Lebanon", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Lebanon.pdf]. To read on the United Nations Development Programme's work in Lebanon, click [|here]. For the article "Lebanon: Gender Inequality Brought into Focus at Beirut Human-Rights Film Festival", click [|here].

Liberia
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Liberia", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Liberia.pdf]. To access UN Liberia's fact sheet "Empowering Women in Liberia", click the following document: [|gender.pdf].

Libya
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Libya", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Libya.pdf]. To access the article "Libya: Misrata Nurses Battle for Gender Equality Amid the Fighting", click [|here]. For CEDAW'S Second Periodic Report on Libya, click the following document: [|Libya Country Report.pdf].

Morocco
For CEDAW'S Country Report on Morocco from 2008, click the following document: [|Morocco Country Report.pdf]. To access the study "Trade and Gender Inequality in Morocco" conducted by the University of Florida, click the following document: [|Baliamoune-Lutz.pdf].

Mozambique
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Mozambique", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Mozambique.pdf]. To access the "Focus on Land Rights and Gender Equality in Mozambique", click [|here].

Netherlands
To access the article "Women's Rights: Baby Steps Forward in Mideast" by the Radio Netherlands Worldwide, click [|here]. To access "Gender Equality in Sector Wide Approaches" sponsored by the Netherlands, click the following document: [|Reference Guide.pdf].

New Zealand
For access to "Achieving Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment" sponsored by New Zealand's International Aid & Development Agency, click the following document: [|Achieving Gender.pdf]. To access the site UN Women in New Zealand, click [|here].

Nigeria
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Nigeria", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Nigeria.pdf]. For the Institute of Development Studies' "Gender and Development: Facts and Figures" including information on gender inequality in Nigeria, click the following document: [|Bridge.pdf].

Pakistan
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Pakistan", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Pakistan.pdf]. For UNESCO's study "Why Gender Equality in Basic Education in Pakistan?", click the following document: [|Why Gender Equality.pdf].

Panama
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Panama", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Panama.pdf]. For the USAID's "Gender Assessment on Panama", click the following document: [|Gender Assessment.pdf].

Republic of Korea
For information from the UN General Assembly's CEDAW meeting on "Women in the Republic of Korea", click [|here]. To read on progress the Republic of Korea has made with regards to gender issues from the Minister of Gender Equality, click the following document: [|RepublicOfKoreaStat.pdf].

Russian Federation
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Russia", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Russia.pdf]. To access "Russia: Gender Equality Issues and Resources in Brief", click [|here]. To read on the work of the UN Gender Theme Group in Russia, click [|here].

Saudi Arabia
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Saudi Arabia", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Saudi Arabia.pdf]. For access to the article "Saudi Women Inspired by Fall of Mubarak Step Up Equality Demand", click [|here]. For CEDAW'S Country Report on Saudi Arabia from 2008, click the following document: [|Saudi Arabia Report.pdf].

Serbia
To access the United Nations Development Programme's Serbian website on gender and other developments the country has experienced with regards to the Millennium Development Goals, click [|here]. For CEDAW'S Country Report on Serbia from 2007, click the following document: [|Serbia Report.pdf]. To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Serbia", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Serbia.pdf].

Somalia
To read details on the program "Gender and Human Rights" sponsored by the UNDP in Somalia, click [|here]. To access the UNICEF article "Gender Equality Classes Help Somali Teenage Girls Stay in School" as well as a videoclip, click [|here]. For documents from the forum "Peace Negotiations: Somali Women-the Missing and Resourceful Agents", click the following document: [|Shukrias.pdf].

South Africa
For access to the executive summary of "South Africa's National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality" prepared by The Office on the Status of Women, click the following document: [|gender.pdf]. To access the Commission for Gender Equality's website and information on their mission and work in South Africa, click [|here]. To read CEDAW's South African Country Report from 1998, click the following document: [|South Africa Report.pdf].

Sri Lanka
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Sri Lanka", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Sri Lanka.pdf]. For access to the case study "Tackling Poverty and Gender Inequality Through Agricultural Commercialization in Rural Sri Lanka", click the following document: [|Wickramasinghe.pdf]. For a look into the workings and progress of the Millennium Development Goals in Sri Lanka, click [|here].

Sudan
To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Sudan", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Sudan.pdf]. To access information on the UNDP's Programme "Gender Mainstreaming Initiative" in Sudan, click [|here]. For the compilation of data on Sudan and its gender equality strides entitled "Towards Achieving the MDGs in Sudan: Centrality of Women's Leadership and Gender Equality", click the following document: [|sudan.pdf].

Turkey
To read on the work of the UNDP in Turkey with regards to gender development, click [|here]. For the article "Gender Inequality in Schooling: The Case of Turkey" published in the //Sociology of Education//, click the following document: [|Gender Inequality Turkey.pdf]. For access to the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development's research study "Religion, Politics, and Gender Equality in Turkey", click [|here].

United Kingdom
To read the BBC News Article "Gender Equality is Decades Away", click [|here]. For access to CEDAW's meeting coverage on "United Kingdom Champions Gender Equality in Public Policy, Anti-Discrimination Legislation, But Closing Gap Between Sexes Unfinished Business", click [|here].

United States
For an interactive slideshow on "Gender Inequality in the United States", click [|here]. The scholarly article "Sex Segregation and Occupational Gender Inequality in the US: Devaluation or Specialized Training" is located here: [|Sex Segregation US.pdf].

Yemen
To read the article "Yemeni Women Join Street Protests Against President Saleh" and to see how women are taking hold of their political rights in this country, click [|here]. To access information on the work of the United Nations Development Programme in Yemen with regards to gender issues, click [|here]. To read the Social Institutions & Gender Index's compilation of information entitled "Gender Equality and Social Institutions in Yemen", click the following document: [|Gender Equality in Yemen.pdf].