This report, researched and written by Ergon, forms part of the European Union and UN Women joint regional programme “Spring Forward for Women” (2012-2016), and outlines how women’s economic empowerment can be used as a strategic tool to assist policy-makers and companies to reach their growth-related goals. Based on macro-economic trends and case studies, it argues that women in the Arab States region must be recognized as important agents of economic diversification, a key policy priority for the region, and makes a number of recommendations for policy interventions by governments in the region, and for private sector initiatives at enterprise level to promote women’s economic empowerment.