Conflict and its shockwaves: Implications for the security and economic participation of women in the Arab region

The present policy brief examines the impact of the current regional conflict on gender equality across four interconnected areas: security conditions, labour market participation, unpaid care responsibilities, and access to financial services. Using scenario-based simulations applied to the Women, Peace and Security Index, the Global Gender Gap Index, and the ESCWA Financial Inclusiveness Index, it illustrates how even modest setbacks in security, women’s employment, or digital payment systems can erode gains registered in international indices. The analysis is illustrative rather than predictive, designed to signal early pressure points rather than forecast outcomes. It highlights how conflict shifts care responsibilities back onto women, dismantling formal services precisely when care needs are rising and creating additional barriers to labour force participation, in a region where women’s participation rates were already among the lowest globally.

On this basis, the brief calls on Governments to consolidate and protect gains made for women in recent years, through targeted measures to maintain their presence in the labour market, integrate care into crisis response from the outset, and safeguard women’s access to financial services during active conflict and early recovery.