This report is a regional companion piece to the World Development Report 2012: Gender Equality and Development, and was completed under the guidance of Inger Andersen, Vice President, Middle East and North Africa Region, World Bank.Many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region are
undergoing a profound transformation. From Morocco to the Republic
of Yemen, popular movements have called for reforms to make governments
more inclusive and more accountable, extend social and economic
freedoms, and increase employment opportunities. Young women and
men have been at the forefront of these calls for change, reflecting their
desire to participate actively in the political sphere. How the Region’s
societies will change in the wake of these popular movements remains an
open question.