The objective of this regional assessment is to look at the implications of the macroeconomic response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Arab region. The regional mapping allows for identification of the dominant trends and policy priorities across different areas of interventions and looks at the potential implications of [largely] gender-blind macroeconomic responses and investments during the first six months of the pandemic.

With thanks to the Government of Japan, who generously funded the regional ‘Women's Leadership, Empowerment, Access, and Protection (LEAP) project as well as the resilience monitoring efforts in 2020 and 2020, UN Women in Yemen was able to roll-out the gender-sensitive resilience capacity index in Al Hodaidah, Aden and Hadramout through its implementing partners, the Yemeni Women Union (YWU), Women Charity Association for Combating Poverty (WACP) and Youth Leadership Development Institute (YLDF).

The report also describes how the determinants of low female labour force participation in the region have been discussed in scholarly literature, prepares economic and gender profiles of 17 Arab countries and puts forward a synthesis of policy recommendations for female-inclusive growth in the future.

This study seeks to generate a sound understanding of women’s financial inclusion, and more specifically in conflict and post-conflict situations in selected Arab States; it assesses prospects for and challenges to the achievement of women’s financial inclusion and documents good practices and lessons learned to inform UN Women’s future interventions in this area.

This report outlines how women’s economic empowerment can be used as a strategic tool to assist policy-makers and companies to reach their growth-related goals.