The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security hosted Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan for a conversation about refugees and women and girls’ empowerment. Queen Rania spoke about crises in the Middle East and their particular effect on women. “In times of crises, inequality becomes deeper,” said the Queen.
Her Majesty highlighted brutal violence in ISIS dominated areas, increasing rates of child marriage among Syrian refugee girls, and women who are eating last and least in war-torn Yemen. “But throughout it all, Arab women do what women do best: they beat the odds,” said Queen Rania. “They carry on despite the pain.”
Guests of the event included Jane Harman, CEO of the Wilson Center; Alice Albright, CEO of Global Partnership for Education; Father Leo O’Donovan, Executive Director of Jesuit Refugee Service; Megan Smith, former Chief Technology Officer of the United States; and the Ambassadors of Jordan and Norway.