Around the world, efforts to advance gender equality and combat gender-based violence (GBV) are facing intensified resistance. A global wave of rising conservatism, backlash against women’s rights, and shrinking civic space is threatening decades of hard-won progress. This trend is not confined to any one region—it is unfolding across continents, in both conflictaffected and stable settings alike. The Arab States region has not been spared. Across the region, the discourse surrounding GBV and gender equality is increasingly constrained. Political instability, growing conservatism, and further restrictions on civil society have placed significant pressure on women’s rights organizations, activists, and service providers. These challenges undermine both policy advocacy and the delivery of life-saving services to GBV survivors. Yet despite these obstacles, organizations, agencies, and advocates continue to adapt and persevere—developing contextspecific, resilient, and often innovative strategies to sustain essential work in an increasingly difficult environment.