Resilience

Women

The world is grappling with multiple ongoing conflicts, geopolitical turmoil, extreme weather events, and threats to democracy: These challenges uniquely impact women and girls—and women and girls are essential in addressing them.

Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

AfricaSource Mar 17, 2025

This Women’s History Month, focus on African women’s achievements, not just their challenges

African women deserve recognition not just for the indignities they face, but for the heights they achieve.

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Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

MENASource Mar 10, 2025

Syria’s women face a new chapter. Here’s how to amplify their voices.

By Diana Rayes , Hind Kabawat

It is critical for women to be involved in transitional justice and constitutional reform processes in Syria.
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Syria
Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

Freedom and Prosperity Around the World Feb 10, 2025

Cameroon’s future relies on empowering its women 

By Vera Songwe

To build a stronger, more prosperous Cameroon, the country must prioritize boosting economic and political freedoms and invest in managing its environmental resources. This strategy will not only benefit Cameroonian women but also prove most impactful in advancing the nation as a whole.
Corruption Energy & Environment

Women’s rights

Inside Afghanistan’s gender apartheid

Since retaking Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has issued dozens of repressive decrees designed to systematically oppress the women and girls of the country. Hear directly from Afghans on the profound impacts of the escalating gender apartheid.

Listen to the women’s voices
Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

Inside the Taliban’s gender apartheid Aug 26, 2024

The Taliban’s violence ‘ignited a fierce resistance within me.’ A protester’s story.

Nayra Kohestani recounts the abuse and imprisonment she and her children suffered for resisting the Taliban’s gender apartheid regime.

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Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

New Atlanticist Aug 14, 2024

I was imprisoned and tortured by the Taliban for protesting gender apartheid in Afghanistan

By Zholia Parsi

Zholia Parsi describes protesting against gender apartheid in Afghanistan after the Taliban returned and abuse she faced as a result.
Afghanistan Human Rights
Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

Inside the Taliban’s gender apartheid Apr 30, 2024

Don’t look away: The Taliban’s mistreatment of women has global ramifications

By Samira Abrar

The Taliban’s impunity for its violations of international human rights law poses grave risks to women’s rights worldwide.
Afghanistan Human Rights

Events

Public Event Mon, April 14, 2025 • 4:00 pm ET

Book launch of “Night Train to Odesa: Covering the Human Cost of Russia’s War”
Human Rights Nationalism Resilience Resilience & Society
Public Event Tue, February 18, 2025 • 11:00 am ET

The role of AI in transforming Saudi Arabia’s economic landscape
Economy & Business Entrepreneurship International Markets Middle East
Online Event Tue, January 28, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Innovating for good: Jordan’s impact-driven startups
Artificial Intelligence Civil Society Economy & Business Entrepreneurship

Content

MENASource

Mar 8, 2021

Celebrating MENA women entrepreneurs and business leaders

By Atlantic Council

In honor of International Women’s Day, the Atlantic Council’s empowerME asked Middle East business leaders and government officials to share a "shout out" about a woman entrepreneur or business leader who inspires them

Economy & Business Middle East

New Atlanticist

Mar 5, 2021

Malala Yousafzai: The pandemic is endangering long-term education for millions of girls

By Larry Luxner

There were already 130 million girls out of school worldwide before the COVID-19 crisis, and an estimated twenty million more may never return to their classrooms once the pandemic is over, warned female-education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Education Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Mar 3, 2021

The Northern Triangle: The world’s epicenter for gender-based violence

By María Fernanda Bozmoski

While a bill introduced in the US Congress calls upon the secretary of state to implement a new US Strategy for Engagement in Central America that prevents and responds to “endemic levels of sexual, gender-based, and domestic violence” in the region, solutions to gender-based violence must arrive faster than the US legislative process can help advance them.

Human Rights Latin America

Event Recap

Mar 2, 2021

Event recap: “Women’s gains in Afghanistan: Healthcare’s essential role in stabilizing Afghanistan”

By Atlantic Council

The Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center hosted an event on the gains that women have made in Afghanistan, the critical role of Afghan women in Afghanistan’s peace and security, and the role that US actors have in partnering with and empowering Afghan women.

Afghanistan Civil Society

Event Recap

Mar 1, 2021

Event recap | Women’s leadership in the GeoTech Decade

By the GeoTech Center

The start of the Geotech Decade has had disproportionate impacts on women and has shown the need for women’s leadership worldwide. Women however currently only make up 26 percent of workers in data and AI roles, 15 percent in engineering, and 12 percent in cloud computing. In this episode of the GeoTech Hour, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow Stephanie Wander discuss leadership in the GeoTech Decade with the four women leading the GeoTech Commission.

Inclusive Growth Resilience & Society

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Feb 23, 2021

Kholos Brooks featured by Moment Magazine

By Atlantic Council

On February 23, FD NRSF Michelle Kholos Brooks joined Moment Magazine for a Zoominar on her award-winning play "Hitler’s Tasters." The play centers around the women who tasted Hitler’s food and explores the experiences of young women in war.

Germany Media

empowerME Conversations

Jan 26, 2021

Double Vision

By Atlantic Council

In Season 1, Episode 3 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host Amjad Ahmad interviews eyewa Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Anass Boumediene and Mehdi Oudghiri about the mindset that will create more entrepreneurs in the Middle East, policy changes that will lead to more unicorns, the acceleration of online payments and e-commerce, and new technologies that will soon replace in-person fitting rooms and eye tests.

Economy & Business Middle East

SouthAsiaSource

Jan 26, 2021

Understanding “rape culture” in Bangladesh, India, & Pakistan

By Rudabeh Shahid, Kaveri Sarkar, and Azeem Khan

Countless examples of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Asia from last year raise significant concerns about so-called “progress” made in improving women’s standing and fighting rape culture in the region. Political discourse in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh is deeply misguided regarding such issues, often leading to systematic victim-blaming which—knowingly or unknowingly—helps the perpetrators.

Bangladesh Civil Society

empowerME Conversations

Jan 19, 2021

It’s a mumz world

By Atlantic Council

In Season 1, Episode 2 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host Amjad Ahmad interviews Mumzworld Founder and CEO Mona Ataya about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, how the Middle East’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is radically changing, her company’s biggest policy pain points, and the future of customer personalization to the power of one.

Economy & Business Middle East

Event Recap

Jan 9, 2021

Event recap: “Women’s gains in Afghanistan: Supporting economic opportunities for Afghan women as a driver of peace and security”

By Atlantic Council

On Thursday January 7, 2021, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center partnered with the U.S.-Afghan Women’s Council (USAWC) and the American Council on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) to host an event on women’s gains in Afghanistan, the critical role of Afghan women in Afghanistan’s peace and security, and the role of US actors in partnering with and empowering Afghan women.

Afghanistan Economy & Business
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Experts

Fellow

Aminata Niang

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Africa Future of Work

Fellow

Helena Fee Rasch

Visiting Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Reem Goussous

Nonresident senior fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Americas Arabic

Fellow

Tatiana Gfoeller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Arabic Central Asia

Staff

Natalia Storz

Program Assistant

Global Energy Center

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

Staff

Marina Meyjes

Project Assistant

GeoTech Center

Artificial Intelligence Energy & Environment
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