HRW Highlights UAE Government Crackdown on Activists
April 26th, 2011 by Naureen
On Saturday, UAE authorities dissolved the board of directors of a the Jurist Association, a prominent civil society organization in the country and replaced its members with state appointees. Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that the action is part of a broader crackdown on peaceful dissent by the government. Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at HRW stated that “UAE authorities have staged a hostile takeover of one of the country’s leading rights groups. The government is reacting to domestic criticisms by banning websites, detaining peaceful activists, and intensifying its chokehold on civil society.”
HRW also called on the UAE government to release Ahmed Mansour and four other activists who have been detained for ”instigation, breaking laws and perpetrating acts that pose threat to state security, undermining the public order, opposing the government system, and insulting the President, the Vice President and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi,” according to UAE Attorney General Salim Saeed Kubaish. HRW Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson stated, “This shows how far the UAE has to go to become a rights-respecting country. All those being detained for speaking out against abuses should be immediately released.”
Posted in Civil Society, Corruption, Elections, Freedom, Human Rights, Military, UAE | Comment »
UAE: Detained Activist Freed, Questions on Academic Freedom Arise
April 18th, 2011 by Alec
Human Rights Watch reported that Ahmed Mansoor, a member of HRW’s Middle East advisory committee, was released from custody after having been arrested on April 8th. Mansoor was one of the political activists who recently called for an elected parliament in the UAE. Two other activists are still in detention, including Nasser bin Ghaith, an economics lecturer at the Abu Dhabi branch of the Sorbonne.
Bin Ghaith’s arrest raises the question of academic freedom for lecturers at local Emirati branch campuses of Western universities have in the country. HRW’s Samer Muscati asked if professors are, “only protected in the 90 minutes when they are giving seminars, and after that they are fair game?” In addition to the famed Sorbonne, New York University also operates a branch campus in Abu Dhabi. The American Association of University Professors have called on NYU’s administration to publicly advocated for Bin Ghaith’s release. Both NYU and the Sorbonne have been silent about the arrests; Josh Talyor, a spokesman for NYU Abu Dhabi stated: “We believe that we can have a far greater impact on creating a more informed, responsible, and just world, by creating powerful centers of ideas, discourse, and critical thinking, than by simply firing off a press release.”
Posted in Education, Freedom, Human Rights, UAE | Comment »
UAE Oppression Getting Worse
April 14th, 2011 by Alec
Christopher M. Davidson, writing for Foreign Policy, details the growing oppressiveness of the Emirati government over its recent arrest of three pro-democracy activists and sending of troops into Bahrain to help Saudi Arabia quell the uprising in that country. Davidson maintains that the UAE has been steadily morphing into a police state, carefully monitoring and censoring its population. The UAE has generally been able to buy the political acquiescence of its tiny native population through generous subsidies and wealth distribution, while 90% of the country’s residents are foreign expatriates taking advantage of tax-free employment. For UAE citizens, the wealth gap has continued to grow, says Davidson, and with unemployment also on the rise, Emiratis are becoming more vocal and present on the internet and social networking sites. In March, leading intellectuals, activists, and human rights defenders called for a fully elected parliament and universal suffrage. Davidson concludes that the country is following in Saudi Arabia’s footsteps, but the presence of a variety of international institutions in the country, like regional campuses of NYU and the Sorbonne; satellite museums of the Louvre and Guggenheim, might open the country to international pressure: “the UAE’s future political stability is now a little less certain than it was a week ago.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Human Rights, Reform, UAE | Comment »
UAE: Two More Democracy Activists Arrested
April 11th, 2011 by Alec
After the arrest of prominent blogger Ahmed Mansour last week, Emirati authorities have detained two pro-democracy activists: Nasser bin Ghaith, a professor at the Abu Dhabi branch of the Sorbonne, and Fahad Salem al-Shehhy. Political activity in the Emirates is banned as are political parties and official opposition groups. Activists recently signed an online petition calling for an elected parliament in the country.
Posted in Reform, UAE | Comment »
McCall Returns from Trip to Middle East
March 29th, 2011 by Naureen
Dawn McCall, State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs Coordinator, concluded a trip to the Middle East during which she met with media and telecommunications industry executives and journalists as well as senior Embassy officials to discuss media trends and audience usage patterns in today’s changing media environment. McCall traveled to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.
Posted in Diplomacy, Iraq, Journalism, Kuwait, Middle Eastern Media, Qatar, UAE | Comment »
The Guardian’s Map of the Arab Spring
March 22nd, 2011 by Kyle
Click on image for hyperlink.
Posted in Algeria, Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Events, Human Rights, Iran, Iraq, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Israel, Jordan, Journalism, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Military, Morocco, Multilateralism, Muslim Brotherhood, NATO, Palestine, Political Islam, Political Parties, Protests, Public Opinion, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, United Nations, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
Reform for Gulf Monarchies Will Lead to Family Feud
March 7th, 2011 by Naureen
F. Gregory Gause III, writing in Foreign Policy, discusses the difficulties of the reform process in the Gulf countries given the large number of ruling family members in important government posts. Prior to the uprisings in Bahrain, the prime minister, three out of the four deputy prime ministers, and 10 out of the 23 cabinet ministers were from the al-Khalifa family. Similar proportions of ruling family members can be found in the cabinets of Kuwait, Saudia Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. In Oman, the Sultan holds the portfolios of prime minister, minister of defense, minister of foreign affairs, minister of finance, and governor of the central bank, Gause notes. He states that while the dynastic nature of the Gulf monarchies helped them survive regional political upheavals in the 1950s and 1960s, it constrains them now as concessions to protesters’ demands will require removing family members from power. Gause argues that by proposing reforms Gulf leaders risk inciting internal opposition to their own rule. “It would take a strong figure to bring his family to heel and accept such a reduced political role” which is not the case in either Bahrain and Kuwait where neither King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa nor Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah have a reputation as uncontested leader of his extended family. Thus, for Gulf monarchies, reform will likely come with family feuds.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, UAE | Comment »
Don’t Forget About Bahrain
February 28th, 2011 by Naureen
Writing at Foreign Policy, Mohammed Ayoob states that while Libya is important, we should not forget about Bahrain where regime change may, in the long run, be an even more momentous event. Bahrain is not only located in a region with around 60 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 40 percent of it’s natural gas reserves, it is also a member of the regional security organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), whose members share many characteristics of the Bahraini regime. All Gulf monarchies are to varying degrees rentier states whose regimes consider their natural resources family property and use their resources to buy support from “largely politically apathetic subjects.” With the exception of Oman, these regimes draw their legitimacy from Sunni Islam “bestowing upon them a sectarian character, potentially destabilizing for the regimes ” given the substantial Shia populations in these countries.
Ayoob argues that it is unsurprising that the “the first spark of the democratic movement in the Gulf be lit in Bahrain because it is the weakest link in the autocratic chain in that region.” He also states that the regime has mishandled the situation and there by escalated protesters’ demands. Lastly, he notes that if the pro-democracy movement succeeds in Bahrain it will not only have far reaching consequences on the autocratic Arab rulers as well as their external patrons and supporters, but will also tilt the regional balance of power in favor of Iran.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Sectarianism, UAE | Comment »
Secretary Clinton’s Upcoming Visit to the Middle East
January 7th, 2011 by Kyle
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet with King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon in New York City on Friday. Clinton will then travel to the Middle East from January 8th to January 13th visiting the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar. Mark Toner, acting deputy department spokesman, said the focus of the trip is to, “consult with government officials on a full range of regional and bilateral issues and emphasize the importance of government – civil society engagement.” Clinton will, “engage with civil society and community leaders in each country working to help citizens realize shared aspirations for progress.” The top issues in her agenda will be Middle East peace, Iraq, and Iran and will be addressed at the seventh Forum for the Future in Doha, a meeting of government, civil society, and business leaders from around the region to promote reform in the Middle East.
Update: Senior US State Department Officials gave a background briefing on Clinton’s visit, and answered questions regarding recent political developments in the region. In regards to Tunisia, one official stated the US “expressed our concern about both what is happening with regard to the demonstrations and encouraged the Tunisian Government to ensure that civil liberties are protected, including the freedom to peacefully assemble.” In response to criticism that the Forum for the Future had not produced valuable outputs in past meetings, one official noted, “One of the biggest [outcomes] is the Foundation For The Future, which is based in Jordan and which is an independent NGO that supports civil society development throughout the BMENA region.”
Posted in Civil Society, Diplomacy, Oman, Qatar, Reform, UAE, US foreign policy | Comment »
Human Development Report Finds Inequality Persists in Arab World
November 5th, 2010 by Anna
The United Nations released its 2010 Human Development Report yesterday, titled “The Real Wealth of Nations: Pathways to Human Development.” This year’s report, which includes new indices to adjust for inequality, women’s disadvantage, and multidimensional poverty, found that of the countries measured, Oman’s Human Development Index (HDI) score improved the most over the last 40 years. Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco also improved considerably. Overall, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain ranked the highest in the region; Egypt came in 101 out of 169, and Sudan ranked close to the bottom.
Inequality remained a significant issue, and Jeni Klugman, the report’s lead author, observed that “the most significant losses for Arab countries in the Inequality-adjusted HDI can be traced to the unequal distribution of income.” Yemen and Qatar ranked very low on gender equality, but the report also notes that women’s representation in Arab parliaments has risen in recent years. On civil and political liberties, the authors report that there is considerable room for improvement across the region.
Posted in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Sudan, Tunisia, UAE, United Nations | Comment »
Transparency International Releases Corruption Rankings
October 26th, 2010 by Evan
Transparency International (TI)
released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index today. In the Middle East, little changed over the past year. Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Iran and Libya continued to experience dangerous levels of corruption all scoring 2.2 or under on TI’s 10 point scale (10 being “very clean” and 3, “very corrupt”). Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel once again led the region in transparency, all scoring above 6.
Posted in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, Reform, Sudan, UAE, Yemen | Comment »
UAE: Undercurrents of the Blackberry Ban
August 11th, 2010 by Jennifer
Writing in Foreign Policy, Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi discusses the UAE’s potential Blackberry ban. Al Qassemi argues that the ban reflects an underlying debate across the Middle East and other regions over balancing “the relationship between embracing social progress and security concerns.” He also points out that the decision could indicate that the UAE is “asserting itself as a global player” and demanding that it “be treated equally” with countries such as the U.S., China, Russia, and India, which have all successfully negotiated concessions from Blackberry’s maker, RIM. While confirming that the device’s system of highly encrypted, closed messages does indeed represent a security threat– as the UAE’s government alleges –Al Qassemi suggests that a strong motivation for the ban is the Blackberry’s role as a tool for social networking and political criticism. He notes that “there exists in the country a degree of political and social frustration, disappointment with the performance of the country’s powerless parliament, as well as a lack of accountability of some officials and government bodies… Perhaps most importantly, many Emiratis feel that the country’s media has failed to act as a responsible Fourth Estate, thereby providing the vacuum to be filled by unregulated forms of communication.” Al Qassemi observes, however, than any Blackberry ban will not remove this political frustration, but will only force it to find expression through another outlet.
In another piece in Foreign Policy, Christian Caryl argues that the January death of high-ranking Hamas military commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai represents a key factor in the UAE’s drive for the ban. According to Caryl, the Emirati government suspects that the death was in fact a targeted assassination carried out by Israel within its borders, contributing to the UAE’s urgent concern over security issues related to Blackberry technology. Nevertheless, Caryl also says that “it should be noted that the UAE’s concerns about the BlackBerry predate the killing — and both legitimate worries about preventing terrorism and more dubious ones about eavesdropping on UAE citizens seem to have played a part.”
Posted in Freedom, Technology, UAE | Comment »
Blackberry: Bans and Bargains
August 10th, 2010 by Jennifer
An official at the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission has confirmed that RIM, the Canadian-based maker of Blackberry technology, has struck an agreement with the Saudi Arabian government to allow a server inside the Gulf kingdom, effectively allowing the Saudi government to monitor messages sent over the Blackberry network. The two parties reached the agreement in order to avoid a potential Blackberry ban that was announced by Saudi Arabia late last week, citing fears that messages sent over the highly encrypted, closed network could pose a security threat. According to Abdullah al-Shihri writing for the Associated Press, the deal “could be setting a worldwide precedent for how technology companies and governments get along.”
Meanwhile, a number of other Arab governments debated their position on use of the technology. Lebanese officials expressed their interest in potentially pursuing a deal, with chief of Lebanon’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Imad Hoballah stating, “RIM has made concessions to the U.S., the UK, Russia and eventually they have to give in to some of the countries depending on the business propositions made. We would be happy with whatever information they have made available to the U.S.” An official source in Algeria predicted that “Ending the BlackBerry service in Algeria is very likely,” as Telecommunications Minister Moussa Benhamadi announced that his government is “looking at the issue. If we find out that it is a danger for our economy and our security, we will stop it.” On the other hand, Bahrain’s foreign minister, Sheik Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, said that his country does not intend to issue a ban, stating, “We’re not saying there is no security concern,’’ but adding that “there are many other ways for the criminals or terrorists to communicate, so we decided we might as well live with it.’’ Additionally, an official source at the Egyptian National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority denied that security forces have put forward any requests for a ban on Blackberry services in Egypt, adding that no evidence exists that Blackberry networks have been used for criminal activity in that country. Kuwait indicated a more cautious stance toward the issue, with its Communications Minister, Mohammad al-Busairi, commenting that “as of right now, we in Kuwait have no intention to stop the BlackBerry services… but at the same time we are following up on direct and indirect negotiations with the company and with fellow Gulf states.”
Posted in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Freedom, Gulf, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Technology, UAE | 1 Comment »
Secretary Clinton: Blackberry Ban and “Right of Free Use and Access”
August 6th, 2010 by Jennifer
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented (view video of statements here) on the UAE’s recent announcement that it will ban Blackberry services in October due to security concerns over the phone’s encrypted network, indicating that the U.S. is engaging in talks with the UAE over the decision. Secretary Clinton did not express explicit condemnation of the decision, but offered a qualified response, stating that the matter “involves a very complex set of issues that we’re working on with other countries as well,” and adding, “We are taking time to consult and analyze the full range of interests and issues at stake because we know that there is a legitimate security concern, but there’s also a legitimate right of free use and access.” Secretary Clinton did not touch on Saudi Arabia’s follow-up decision to implement a ban on Blackberry text messaging today, which sparked a wave of selling as Blackberry owners attempted to cut their losses in advance of the ban.
Posted in Freedom, Saudi Arabia, Technology, UAE, US foreign policy | Comment »
Saudi Arabia: Blackberry Ban Goes Viral
August 5th, 2010 by Jennifer
Saudi Arabia has indicated its intention to ban Blackberry mobile technology instant messaging this Friday, which will make it the first foreign government to implement a Blackberry ban. The decision follows an announcement earlier this week by the the UAE that it intends to ban Blackberry services in October unless Research in Motion (RIM), the device’s Canada-based maker, gives the government access to the Blackberry’s highly encrypted, closed system. The UAE cited security concerns, arguing that “first and foremost, this matter relates to the sovereignty of the state on its information as all ‘BlackBerry’ users from administrators, businessmen, and owners of companies need to keep their data and information within the state to preserve the confidentiality of information.” In a U.S. State Department daily press briefing on Monday, spokesman Philip J. Crowley indicated that the American administration was “disappointed” by the UAE’s announcement, calling the decision “a dangerous precedent” and characterizing free use of new technologies as “an important element of democracy, human rights, and freedom of information and the flow of information in the 21st century.” Crowley affirmed that the U.S. would be following up with the UAE on the issue. Estimates suggest that RIM could lose nearly 2 million of its 46 million worldwide customers should other countries follow the UAE and Saudi Arabia’s lead. Nevertheless, analysts predicted that the company will likely prove unwilling to concede, given recent comments by its founder, Mike Lazaridis, to the effect that RIM will refuse to “compromise” the trust of its customers by allowing foreign governments to monitor their communications.
Posted in Freedom, Saudi Arabia, Technology, UAE, US foreign policy | Comment »
UAE: BlackBerry Ban
August 2nd, 2010 by Jennifer
The UAE announced yesterday that it would suspend BlackBerry email and text messaging services starting in October, with statements from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority arguing that “‘certain BlackBerry services allow users to act without any legal accountability, causing judicial, social and national security concerns for the U.A.E.’.” The decision has sparked concerns that other Gulf nations– including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain –may follow up with their own bans. Saudi Telecom officials gave conflicting reports regarding whether Saudi Arabia had already decided to follow the UAE’s example, while the government did not release any official statement on the issue, and one adviser offered anonymous statements to the effect that no official determination had been made. Regimes in the region have indicated their concern over BlackBerry services, which use highly encrypted data to transfer messages on a closed internal system rather than over the open Internet, rendering surveillance of communications difficult. According to Barry Meier and Robert F. Worth writing in the New York Times, “The monitoring of information is a particularly thorny issue for autocratic regimes in the Persian Gulf worried that the Internet might be used for antigovernment purposes — a concern heightened by the passionate online response in Iran to the 2009 presidential election that helped energize the opposition and led to weeks of unrest.”
Posted in Freedom, Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Technology, UAE | Comment »
Dubai: Media Repression and a Bailout
December 15th, 2009 by Zack
Claudia Pugh-Thomas writes an op-ed about Dubai’s floundering cultural identity, unable to establish a cohesive Islamic tradition amidst waves of expatriate diversity. As the country feels the growing the pains of economic readjustment, she comments “how Dubai negotiates this rite of passage will determine whether it will ever be taken seriously.” The fact the recent downturn is portrayed merely as negative publicity “is not a promising sign.”
Brian Whitaker explores how the emirate has responded to negative press about the regime with harsh censorship and authoritarian pressure. He argues that “in Dubai, deep down, they still don’t get it.” The country cannot expect to be a modern financial center and still cling to traditions that give deference to an unelected leader and repress the the media that critique him. Whitaker conclude, “If Sheikh Mohammed wants to be treated with the respect that he obviously feels he deserves, then he can confine himself to being a titular figurehead. But if he wants to combine being royal with life as a politician and as being the centrepiece of Dubai’s business affairs he becomes fair game – just like anyone else.”
The Economist reports that Abu Dhabi has provided Dubai $10 billion in order to meet an upcoming debt payment schedule. However, this amount does not come close to settling all Dubai World’s outstanding debt. As such, the UAE has appointed a three judge panel and created new “reorganisation law” that will allow creditors to file claims against the state corporation. The Financial Times argues that despite these problems, Dubai has faired rather well and that this experience will push investors to back sound businesses instead of businesses backed by the state. Marios Maratheftis, head of regional research at Standard Chartered Bank, explains investors have shown confidence in the move because it indicates ”there is a one-country approach in dealing with the crisis, which is positive.”
Posted in Dubai, Freedom, Journalism, Legislation, Reform, UAE | Comment »
Iran: Zamani Freed, Sanctions Talk
December 2nd, 2009 by Zack
Following an online petition circulated in early November, GroundReport.com has published a statement from Majid Zamani’s family that announced the Iranian activist has been released from prison after the petition received thousands of signatures from academics and friends. Additionally, Iran has released the five Britons detained after straying into Iranian waters.
Illustrating the growing internal political divide, The NY Times reports that both President Ahmadinejad and former-President Rafsanjani failed to attend a meeting in Parliament aimed at creating political “unity.” A source close to Rafsanjani explained that “Mr. Rafsanjani refused to go because this was not a meeting for unity” because “the opposition leaders should have been invited if this was really going to be a meeting for unity.” On the opposition website www.mowjcamp.com, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri has decried the Basiji crackdown against protesters as being “against religion and “in the path of Satan.” In addition, the NY Times reports on the growing societal tension over Ahmadinejad’s proposal to phase out subsidies in the face of the opposition intention to use Iranian economic failure as a new rallying cry. Ahmadinejad, has presented the measure as a matter of economic justice to helping poorer Iranians.
The Boston Globe has an editorial arguing strongly against over-reacting to Iran’s posturing and against sanctions. They write “The worst elements in Iran want nothing better than to provoke a new confrontation with the Great Satan. To give them what they want…would make it harder than ever to keep nuclear weapons out of Iran.” Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Diplomacy, Dubai, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Military, Sectarianism, UAE, US foreign policy | Comment »
Dubai: Debt Troubles Shake the Dream
November 30th, 2009 by Zack
After years of breakneck growth, fueled by cheap access to foreign credit and labour, Reuters reports that on November 25 Dubai World, the conglomerate behind the country’s rapid expansion, and Nakheel, builder of its palm-shaped islands, announced that they would delay debt payments as a means of restructuring after the financial crisis dried up their access to credit. The announcement had an immediate ripple effect on world stock markets, but it has also prompted commentators to examine Dubai’s political and economic system.
The BBC has published an introduction to Dubai, explaining how the city-state overextended itself and exploring its shifting relationship with Abu Dhabi, who had previously moved to bail out Dubai early this year. The Financial Times explains that Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, has spent the last year attempting to rein in this unchecked growth as he consolidate economic and political power around himself. Simon Jenkins, echoed by Patrick Seale, believes Dubai will survive this crisis only by indebting itself to its oil-rich neighbors, which will ultimately make the country more vulnerable to regional political issues.
As the NY Times reports, while regional banks are attempting to limit the economic effects, the largest question at the moment is how this crisis will shape Dubai’s relationship with Abu Dhabi. Jo Tatchell argues Abu Dhabi is holding back funds in order to cherry-pick the most successful enterprises and to force a regime change in order to ”take control culturally and politically” and move Dubai back towards an Islamic character.
Lastly, Johann Hari provides the harshest critique of Dubai, claiming it is now as financially bankrupt as it has been morally. He argues the countries exploitation of the ecology and foreign workers, which Human Rights Watch considers “slavery,” has left the country broken and in need of a moral bail out.
Posted in Diplomacy, Freedom, Reform, UAE | Comment »
Women’s Rights in the Middle East
November 12th, 2009 by Zack
In the wake of four suicides by Ethiopian domestic workers, Dalila Mahdawi has put out a call in the Guardian that Lebanon and the region as a whole must begin to protect the rights of migrant workers. She notes that domestic workers are often overworked and abused by their employers while the states pay little attention.
In Lebanon, The Daily Star is reporting that a women’s rights campaign, “My Nationality: a Right for Me and My Family,” has demanded that the pending ministerial statement from the newly-formed cabinet should include clear objectives of draft laws concerning equality. They are seeking the right for Lebanese women to be able to pass on their nationality to their children, to implement a quota for municipal elections, and to execute an existing domestic violence law.
The Daily News Egypt has run a story by Fatima Sadiqi singing the praises of reform in North Africa. She argues that women have made tremendous progress in promoting their rights, including access to justice, economic inclusion, and combating domestic violence. She also highlights the increase of women’s participation in government and the increasing role of NGOs. She attributes the Maghreb’s unique advances among the Muslim world because the region “strive[s] to reinterpret Islam in modern social contexts through their revised family codes, which secure women’s rights without compromising Islamic values.”
At the same time, Meris Lutz at Babylon and Beyond writes about the newly released 2009 Global Gender Gap Report. Issued by the World Economic Forum to rank women economic participation, education, health and political empowerment, the report notes that more women than men enroll in higher education in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar. In addition, Syria has continued to slip in the rankings, and while Saudi Arabia and Egypt hover at the bottom of the list, they have steadily improved since 2006. Lutz notes that women still face an uphill battle and that many countries have shown improvement despite slipping in the rankings.
Posted in Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Reform, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Women | Comment »
