Dear Reader:

Every year women gain more prominent roles in the political arena in the Arab region.  Over the past decade many countries have seen their first female parliamentarians elected, first judges appointed, and more and more countries are implementing quotas for the minimum amount of seats women must hold throughout their government. 

Yet, despite the rising prominence of women in the political sphere, politics is still viewed as the domain of men, and female leaders must contend with cultural attitudes that resist the idea of being politically represented by a woman.  In many countries, women’s decision-making authorities extend no further than women’s causes.  This narrow purview often excludes women from critical debates on policy issues that affect local communities and nations across the Arab region.  In others, very few women are able to achieve electoral success in their own right. The typical female lawmaker is a close relative of a prominent male leader or a member of a traditional political family and is expected to represent them, not the people of her community. 

These examples show that while women’s numbers in government and politics might be increasing, their voices remain contained and are not offered the same freedoms.  For these reasons, the International Republican Institute, with assistance from the National Endowment for Democracy and the Middle East Partnership Initiative established the Arab Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI) in Amman, Jordan. 

I thank you for your interest in AWLI and hope we can continue to hear from you as we work with the bright women leaders of the region in their valiant efforts to build a democratic Arab world. 

Respectfully,

Tami Longaberger

Chair, Arab Women’s Leadership Institute