FES MENA Blog

From Beirut to Khartoum and from Rabat to Teheran, our FES colleagues, partners as well as guest contributors share their insights from the ground and offer food for thought on current developments in the MENA region.

The views expressed in this blog series are not necessarily those of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.


Blog News

10.10.2025 | Blog

Integrating the Gender Perspective in National Budgets in a Complex Economic Context. Evidence from Public Spending in Iran (2009–2019)

Economic and governmental decisions impact gender inequality, especially those related to the public budget. Budgets reveal government priorities,...


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10.10.2025 | Blog

Balancing Structural and Attitudinal Approaches to Care Economies in Jordan and Tunisia

Care economies encompass care work, such as childcare, housework, and care of other family members, as well as the broad set of economic, social, and...


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20.12.2024 | Blog

Reducing Inequality through Social Protection for Informal Workers: Challenges and Prospects

Informal employment constitutes 63.9% of total employment in Arab States, which is higher than both the developing and emerging countries’ average of...


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02.10.2024 | Blog

Bridging Gaps: Tunisia’s New Law on Parental Benefits

Tunisia has one of the oldest social protection systems in the Arab world. In the mid-fifties of the last century, the country adopted one of the most...


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| Blog

Bloody Funds and their Fleeting Trends

This article explores how the neoliberal commodification of menstruation has sustained stigma and discomfort, while advocating for a holistic approach...


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| Blog

Navigating hardships: Migrant economic realities in Libya

Despite civil wars and political instability, Libya remains an important destination and transit country for many migrants. Inside Libya, they often...


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| Blog

Ending the culture of waste

The right to repair will do more than safeguard Europeans’ social rights — it is also a decisive step against unbridled capitalism


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| Blog

Commercializing Women's Bodies: Exploitative Marketing and the Violation of Gender Justice

This article explores how universalized workplace dress codes contribute to the commodification of women’s bodies and perpetuate oppressive systems.


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| Blog

The Shadows of Colonial Legacy: A Quest for Economic Autonomy Under Authoritarian Regimes

This article examines the persistent struggles that women have endured in pursuit of economic and political empowerment, with attention to the...


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| Blog

No Right to Bodily Autonomy Without Social Justice and Liberation

The article asserts that bodily autonomy cannot be fully realized without addressing systemic issues like gender discrimination, capitalism, and...


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