Women nationals in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made remarkable progress in terms of educational attainment and labor force participation. GCC countries now lead the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in terms of female employment among nationals (i.e., citizens). The rapid improvement in female economic participation in the Gulf has propelled them to the forefront of women’s economic empowerment in the MENA region. This goes against persistent historical narratives that depict the Gulf states as outliers in terms of repression of women’s economic, social, and political freedoms.

Women nationals in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have made remarkable progress in terms of educational attainment and labor force participation. GCC countries now lead the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in terms of female employment among nationals (i.e., citizens). The rapid improvement in female economic participation in the Gulf has propelled them to the forefront of women’s economic empowerment in the MENA region. This goes against persistent historical narratives that depict the Gulf states as outliers in terms of repression of women’s economic, social, and political freedoms.

Food insecurity has become a pressing issue worldwide. The repercussions of the war in Ukraine and the lingering effects of COVID-19, amidst a global economic slowdown, have all intensified the global state of food insecurity. Food systems have been disrupted leaving many without access to sufficient nutrition. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 222 million people (2.8 percent of the global population) are currently suffering from acute food insecurity, and undernourishment currently stands at around 10 percent of the population. The situation is projected to worsen, with the United Nations (UN) estimating that by 2030, eight percent of the global population will face hunger.

Food insecurity has become a pressing issue worldwide. The repercussions of the war in Ukraine and the lingering effects of COVID-19, amidst a global economic slowdown, have all intensified the global state of food insecurity. Food systems have been disrupted leaving many without access to sufficient nutrition. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 222 million people (2.8 percent of the global population) are currently suffering from acute food insecurity, and undernourishment currently stands at around 10 percent of the population. The situation is projected to worsen, with the United Nations (UN) estimating that by 2030, eight percent of the global population will face hunger.

After decades of a unipolar world order, the return of great power competition has become a fact of global politics today. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) new Strategic Concept document, released in June 2022, clearly illustrates how the organization is preparing itself for a new international security environment defined by such a competition.