Gender is one of the most significant determinants of women’s health. Gender norms influence not only the power relations of men and women inside the family, but laws, policies, and state institutions, all of which shape health care provision for women. Gendered health systems are characterized by differential treatment of women, both as consumers and providers of health, based on cultural or religious justification. This paper explores the influence of gender norms on women’s access to, as well as quality and outcomes of, health care in Saudi Arabia as reflected by health laws, regulations, and selective indicators of women’s health. Read more
As the contours of the United Arab Emirates’ ambitious agenda in southern Yemen continue to become more evident, so do the differences between the UAE and the government of Yemen’s exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Increasingly – and much to Hadi’s dismay – the UAE seems to be building ties to individuals identified with a movement that continues to press for greater autonomy, if not outright independence, from Yemen’s central authority. Read more
Iran’s presidential election will take place on May 19. Six official candidates are running for the presidency, all of whom were preselected by the Council of Guardians from among 1,653 registered candidates. This means that the Council of Guardians has approved that these six candidates have all the requirements, in accordance with the constitution, to eventually become the president of the Islamic Republic. It also means they have met with the approval of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Read more
In April, the United Arab Emirates launched the Soft Power Council to enhance the country’s image regionally and globally. The UAE was suited to take up such a challenge, as it has one of the fastest growing media zones in the region – twofour54. Among twofour54’s initiatives is creative lab. This lab offers opportunities for growth and exploration for any individual, regardless of nationality, in film, television, publishing, music, gaming, animation, or illustration. Additionally, creative lab offers year-round workshops in photography, videography, and other creative disciplines, while providing community members access to audio and video post-production equipment. Read more
واجه الرئيس دونالد ترامب خلال الأشهر الثلاثة الأولى له في الحكم تحديات داخلية معقدة عرقلت آماله بتحقيق انجازات كبيرة تشمل إقرار قوانين جديدة بشأن الضمان الصحي، أو إصلاح الأنظمة الضريبية، كما واجه خارجيا أزمات خطيرة أبرزها التوتر العسكري مع كوريا الشمالية، فضلا عن توتر العلاقات مع الجارتين كندا والمكسيك، ومع حلفاء تقليديين لأمريكا بمن فيهم المانيا واستراليا اطلع على المزيد
In addition to original content, AGSIW.org in Arabic is regularly updated with new Arabic translations of AGSIW's analysis. New translations include:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s official delegation and the Palestinian mission in Washington haven’t been this ebullient or enthusiastic in at least a decade. One can certainly understand why. Abbas’s visit to the White House, strikingly early in the new Trump administration, is a political and diplomatic bonanza for Abbas as leader of the mainstream nationalist Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA). For them, it’s not a moment too soon. Read more
Washington faces a crucial decision on Syria in the coming weeks, with massive implications for its entire Middle East agenda. Because the strategic situation in Syria has been relatively stable – largely in favour of the regime – since the fall of Aleppo in December, the external parties that have gained major leverage during the conflict are starting to define how to end it and what will come next. Read more
The past 50 years have seen unprecedented modernization and growth among the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which today rank among the world leaders in per capita income. However, GCC leaders recognize that oil resources alone cannot sustain economic prosperity over the long term, and are thus seeking to create diversified economies that generate income from a variety of thriving industries. This AGSIW panel addressed these issues and more, with a distinguished group of experts from across the GCC. AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young moderated the discussion. Read more
In the Media
In a segment for Dubai TV, reporter Naser AbuDiab discussed AGSIW's energy roundtable with Majid Jafar.
Speaking with AFP, AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish commented on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' visit with U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington, DC: "[Trump] has very little baggage: all the parties like him right now. The Palestinians like him, the Israelis like him, the Arabs like him." Ibish also spoke with Jewish Journal regarding the visit. Additionally, speaking with Arab News, Ibish commented on an Arab News/YouGov poll measuring the "knowledge gap" among Americans on the Arab wold.
Speaking with TRT World, AGSIW Visiting Scholar Hala Aldosari discussed Saudi Arabia's election to the U.N. women's rights commission.
Outreach
AGSIW Executive Vice President Ambassador Stephen A. Seche moderated a panel on defense and security issues at the conference “Yemen – the Way Forward,” co-hosted by the Near East South Asia Center of the National Defense University and the Gulf Research Center.
As part of the panel "Change and Consequences: Is Saudi Arabia at the Dawn of a New Era?" at the Wilson Center, AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Kristin Smith Diwan discussed Saudi Vision 2030. AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young gave a lecture at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies on the economic reform agenda in the GCC states and potential of technology investments as a diversification strategy.
AGSIW Research Associate Yerevan Saeed spoke on the panel, "Genocide in Iraq: The Anfal Campaign Against the Kurds," at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.
Gulf Affairs invites scholars to submit original analytical articles for its upcoming issue on the theme “Foreign Policy Trends in the GCC States,” edited by AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young.
Gulf Affairs is a journal founded by the Oxford Gulf & Arabian Peninsula Studies Forum (OxGAPS), a University of Oxford-based platform. The journal is dedicated to furthering knowledge and dialogue on the pressing issues and challenges facing the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Each issue focuses on a particular theme, allowing for a comprehensive discussion from various analytical perspectives and fields of study. Accepted articles are reviewed and edited prior to publication. Read more
Position Title: Visiting Scholar Department/Team: Senior Resident Scholars Period: Fall 2017 Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: Visiting Scholars are individuals who possess a PhD or equivalent professional experience, and whose primary purpose for residence at AGSIW is to conduct independent research. The length of stay for a visiting scholar is typically a semester or academic year. AGSIW is actively seeking candidates with significant regional experience and fluency in written and spoken Arabic. AGSIW will provide a stipend that can be used to cover living expenses, travel costs, or incidental research expenses. Read more
Position Title: Research Associate (Economic Analysis) Department/Team: Senior Resident Scholars Period: Part Time (20-25 hours/week, no benefits) Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: Provide research assistance and support to senior resident scholars at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. At the direction of the scholars, conduct research on Gulf politics, foreign policy, finance, macroeconomics, and U.S. policy toward the region. Monitor contemporary developments in the Gulf states and U.S. policy, including reviews of regional and international media. Source data, compile bibliographies, and write summaries on relevant topics. Create charts and graphics for AGSIW publications. Provide communications and logistical support to senior resident scholars, and perform additional tasks as requested. Read more
