MENA Governance News & Notes

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

BY ROBERT P. BESCHEL

 

This edition of Governance News & Notes focuses on the important and, in some circles, controversial issue of gender and governance.  The UNDP's Arab Human Development Report for 2009 recognized gender issues as being the third of its seven building blocks for Arab Human Security. The report notes the central importance of redressing the abuse and injustice that vulnerable women, children, and refugees across the region encounter each day by state and society, and the need for resolve to change their legal economic, social, and personal conditions for the better. Read more...  

GOVERNANCE NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW WITH DR. HALA BSAISU LATOUF - MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, JORDAN 

 

BY RAMI G. KHOURI

 

AMMAN: Looking back on the past seven years of on-and-off governance and administrative reform efforts in Jordan, one of the pioneer women in this field in the Arab World believes today that sustained reform requires a somewhat elusive combination of assets: bold vision and leadership at the top, along with basic A-B-C training and capacity-building at the level of line civil servants. Read more... 

 

WOMEN AND THE WORKFORCE: WHAT THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS  

 

BY TARA VISHWANATH

 

With a population of nearly 315 million, of which two-thirds are below the age of 24, the MENA region has a demographic structure that can help accelerate economic growth.  However, with unemployment rates in the region looming large at approximately 12%, the highest of any region and where women and youth are even more disadvantaged, there is much work to be done. Read more...