(Washington, DC) The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program (MEP) and the Apolitical Foundation are pleased to announce the launch of a new joint publication series focused on women’s leadership in politics and the public sector. 

The series, titled “Mideast Women Lead,” will feature contributions to the Enheduanna: Voices of Women from the Middle East blog from women politicians and other public figures from the Middle East & North Africa (MENA). Contributions will explore one of three themes: the status of women’s political representation, violence against women political leaders and public figures both offline and online and gender specific barriers to entry to women’s political participation.

Akin to global trends, there is a noticeable deficit in women’s leadership in the public sector across the MENA region. However, progress is also noteworthy in many countries, such as Iraq, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait, that have appointed female cabinet ministers or elected female members of parliament as early as the 1980s. Further, women across the region have continued to fill the rank and file in parliaments, ministries, and cabinets. These women, who embody leadership as a practice, offer a beacon of light for the younger generations to press on in their work to achieve gender parity, particularly in the political sphere where women’s voices have been historically absent as MEP’s flagship report, “Ready to Lead: Understanding Women's Public Leadership in the Middle East and North Africa,” notes.

“We are truly excited to join forces with Apolitical Foundation to highlight stories of women leaders in politics and better understand both challenges but also opportunities for women’s ascent in the political sphere,” commented Merissa Khurma, Director of the Middle East Women’s Initiative. She added, “storytelling is a powerful tool for learning and there’s certainly much to learn from women leaders across the MENA region.”

“I've had the privilege of meeting remarkable women around the world who have chosen the path of politics to transform their communities and make a lasting impact. Despite facing entrenched barriers—from restrictive gender norms to the persistent threat of violence—these women demonstrate extraordinary courage and resilience. It is an immense joy to collaborate with the Wilson Center in amplifying the voices of women in the MENA region through this platform. By sharing their stories, we not only honor their struggles and triumphs but also lay the foundation for more transformative leaders to rise and reshape the systems that govern our societies,” said Suki Capobianco-Meinel, Chief Strategy Officer at Apolitical Foundation. 

The MEP’s Women’s Initiative aims to deepen understanding of both the challenges and opportunities in gender development and prescribe policy recommendations for governments and civil society to achieve gender parity across the region through an open and inclusive dialogue with women leaders from the Middle East and continuous research. 

The Apolitical Foundation is updating representative political leadership for the 21st century through a worldwide non-partisan movement. We envision a world in which political leaders are one of the most respected roles in society.

Media Contact:
Faria Nasruddin, Program Associate 
+1 (516) 817-7322
faria.nasruddin@wilsoncenter.org