The world has been transfixed in admiration at the courage of the women and men who have taken to the streets across the Arab region over the past year. In some countries popular upheaval is yielding far-reaching political and societal change, while in others the transition will be more gradual. But change - with its attendant opportunities and challenges - is certainly underway.
As the world grapples with the continuing effects of the financial and debt crises, many Arab countries are confronting their own historic challenges: a skewed economic growth model that has entrenched patterns of exclusion, discrimination and inequality with limited integration into the global economy; the false trade-off between socio-economic and political rights; and a deep-seated crisis of governance and accountability.
Moreover, the current volatility in the region and crisis-induced recessions are compounding economic hardship while diminishing the fiscal capacity of governments to meet demands by citizens for more and better social services, decent and productive employment and social protection.
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