Nada Alliance reveals deteriorating conditions of women in mid-East; North Africa

On the 25th anniversary of the adoption of UN Resolution 1,325 on "Women, Peace and Security", the Women's Democratic Alliance in the Middle East and North Africa (Nada) issued a comprehensive report in which it stressed that the reality of women in the region is still far from the goals of the resolution, despite the passage of a quarter of a century since its adoption.

The report stated that the ongoing wars, occupation of lands and escalation of civil conflicts have led to the marginalization and targeting of women, as 62% of women in the region live in countries witnessing armed conflicts or political crises, while 11.7 million women and girls have been internally displaced in Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq and Palestine. Women constitute half of the number of refugees in the region, exceeding 14 million refugees.

The report indicated that one in three women is exposed to physical or sexual violence, and that 40% of women in conflict areas suffer from food insecurity, while 28 million women lack safe livelihoods.

The report highlighted the situation of women in Palestine, where more than 10,000 women and young women have been killed since October 2023, 80% of whom live below the poverty line. In Syria, 6.7 million women and girls have been internally displaced, and underage marriage rates have increased by 25%.

On the other hand, the report praises the autonomous administration system in the North and East region of Syria, describing it as a "unique model" in involving women in administration and society, as women hold about 50% of positions in local councils and administrations.

In Sudan, women are facing "one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world" after 7.3 million women were displaced, thousands of them were subjected to sexual violence, while 4 million suffer from severe malnutrition.

In Yemen, 73% of women live in extreme poverty, 8.6 million need urgent assistance, and maternal mortality has increased by 44%.

In Iraq, displacement continues, with 1.2 million displaced women, 17% of Iraqi women exposed to domestic violence, and women's representation in the resolution does not exceed 15%.

The report also addressed restrictions imposed on women in Afghanistan, the ban on education and work, increasing repression in Iran, which recorded 31 executions of women in 2024, and the decline in the conditions of women in Turkey after its withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. On the other hand, the report pointed to the structural challenges in Egypt and Tunisia, where the unemployment rate for women reaches 21% in Egypt, and the rates of violence against women in Tunisia have increased by 60%.

The Nada Alliance stressed that achieving sustainable peace in the region is impossible without actively involving women in decision-making processes, stressing that women's participation is not a symbolic requirement but rather a condition for building human security and lasting justice. He called for recognizing local women's models and strengthening regional cooperation between women's movements in the region.

The report concluded by saying that "women lack neither competence nor willpower, but rather lack recognition of their role as partners in shaping a common destiny," stressing that the region's societies will not achieve true peace unless they guarantee gender equality and equal participation in political and social life.

ANHA