UNWomen - Women's Political Empowerment in North Africa and Middle East

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

This regional programme managed by UNWomen's Arab States Division provides a mechanism through which UNWomen assists women in the Arab region to reposition themselves in the political and decision making space and contribute to shaping the future of their countries in the ongoing democratic transition while protecting their previous gains. The prime areas of focus are a) advancing women’s rights and gender responsive agenda in constitutional, legal and institutional frameworks; b) promoting women’s participation in electoral processes both as candidates and as voters, and c) influencing political parties, service delivery organizations, media and local government to promote gender equality in leadership and participation. The regional programme is made up of two components: a funding mechanism for country tailored initiatives along a set of service lines primarily aimed at strengthening women’s political participation and advancing gender equality in the transition period; and a technical knowledge hub on Arab women’s citizenship and political participation.