Introduction: Women and Family life during the COVID 19 Crisis in the Middle East Countries: Challenges and Responses

The Greater Middle Eastern region is at the heart of global affairs and strategically positioned at the crossroads of world continents. Similar to other parts of the world, the region was taken by surprise by the breakout of the Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020. State and civil society institutions struggled to deal with the crisis. While some countries denied the presence of the virus even though it was spreading across the population, other countries stepped up to the challenge and began articulating a national strategy to combat the crisis and limit the damage. The state mobilized its apparatuses, resources, and personnel, simultaneously testing its preparedness systems and benefiting from the crisis in upgrading their response-capabilities. While the United Arab Emirates serves as an exemplary model in the region, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Morocco are also bright examples. On the other side, some countries have clearly failed to tackle the challenge. These include Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, and Tunisia, among others in the region. These countries paid a heavy price in terms of human casualties and a near economic collapse as well.