Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world
A seminar with Yuree Noh, Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative. Part of the Middle East Initiative Research Fellows Seminar Series.
A seminar with Yuree Noh, Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative.
Moderated by Tarek Masoud, MEI Faculty Chair and Sultan of Oman Professor of International Relations, HKS.
A surprising number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa have adopted gender quota laws to guarantee representation of women in legislatures, similar to those in democracies. This is puzzling because not only do MENA citizens tend to be more patriarchal, but political elites who have supported such laws are almost always male. In this talk, I discuss the supply and demand of gender quota laws. Quota adoptions in the region have generally been top-down decisions; why do some incumbent politicians support such laws? Additionally, what is the extent of citizen support for gender egalitarian policies in places where civil liberties are generally restricted? In addition to cross-national evidence, I illustrate the 2012 quota adoption in Algeria to support my arguments. I also address the positive long-term consequences of gender quota laws for citizen welfare.
