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| Women in the MENA region face many pressures from social norms and the legal system, so governments need to take their needs and aspirations seriously and respond. (Source: MZEMO) |
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to host COP 28 from November 30 to December 12, which will be the largest-ever United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Therefore, COP 28 will be a premise for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to address existing challenges, especially women's empowerment, helping to add comprehensiveness to policies and promote the interests of all citizens.
So what challenges are women in the MENA region facing right now and what solutions can help combat them?
Surrounded by difficulties
The MENA region currently faces major barriers to agriculture, food security and water resources. According to the UN report, the food crisis impacts women more severely than men, as women have difficulty accessing and managing water resources, which are key to agricultural production.
Women are disproportionately affected by the food crisis because of gender inequality in the MENA region. According to the United Nations, social norms limit women’s opportunities for development and force them to accept a lower social status than men.
Traditional gender norms not only limit women’s access to resources, including land, water and credit, but also prevent them from contributing to food security. This risk poses significant barriers to sustainable development in the region.
Regarding land, according to a report by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), women own only about 5% of agricultural land in the MENA region and have limited opportunities to participate in decisions and policies related to land management. This can limit women’s agricultural productivity and income, contributing to food insecurity.
In terms of credit, according to a World Bank report, women in the MENA region are forced to abide by discriminatory laws that prevent them from accessing financial services. As a result, women have difficulty securing enough money to improve productivity and farm facilities, which gradually weakens their financial base, contributing to food insecurity.
In terms of water, the MENA region is ranked among the most water-scarce regions in the world. Women are often responsible for water management, despite the time-consuming and labor-intensive work. As a result, the World Bank notes that with women and children in the MENA region spending up to six hours a day fetching water, they have less time to engage in education and employment to improve their quality of life.
Forward vision
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| Land, water and credit are three of the major barriers preventing women from achieving financial equality in the MENA region. Photo: Delegates discuss women’s roles and rights at the IndustriALL MENA forum in Beirut, Lebanon in 2019. (Source: Industriall-union.org) |
The reason why women have to suffer so much is because the government has not paid enough attention to the precarious lives of the people. Therefore, the government's empowerment of women in leadership is an inevitable trend, in order to bring them into the policy-making process and solve the problems that have troubled them.
In particular, the government needs to ensure that women have full and equal access to resources and development opportunities in education and work. This is a solid foundation for MENA countries to move towards sustainable food development.
Along with education and employment, gender equality is a goal that needs to be addressed and implemented by the state. UN Women research shows that gender equality programs can promote women's participation in policy making in areas related to agriculture, food security and water.
UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri has said that women have the right to be active contributors to agriculture. As they are affected by global issues such as climate change and food crises, empowering women is a moral obligation, especially in the MENA region.
Thus, the challenges facing the MENA region in agriculture, food security and water resources have a serious impact on women. In addition, gender inequality and social bias continue to limit women’s full access to resources and development opportunities.
But these barriers can be overcome by including women in policy-making processes and facilitating their access to education and employment. Furthermore, gender equality programs will strengthen women’s voices in society and strongly promote sustainable development in the MENA region.
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