Five courageous women from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Cambodia, Congo and Hillary Clinton were honored in an international event for their remarkable efforts and struggle to empower other women and spread democracy, none from the Arab world though
Arab women in the Gulf States have made small but notable gains in the past five years, according to a new Freedom House study of women's rights in the region. The nongovernmental organization conducts studies and creates programs to promote freedom and democracy around the world.
Of the 20 nations with the fewest women in their parliaments, nine are Arab or Islamic. There are no women in the parliaments of Qatar or Saudi Arabia.