The Middle East and North Africa are among the regions flagged as high risk for female travellers, with 29 countries highlighted as representing a particular risk for women of harassment, assault, gender-based discrimination and restrictive local laws.

This is among the findings of the 2026 Female Travellers Risk Map, published by Safeture and Riskline. Released today, the analysis draws on three core factors: laws and customs, safety, and health and wellness, with the aim of providing organisations with insights into the challenges female travellers may face today.

Magnus Hultman, chief executive of Safeture, said organisations need to recognise that travel risk is not experienced equally by everyone.

“A modern duty-of-care strategy needs to consider traveller-specific factors and provide employees with relevant information, clear communication, and the ability to respond quickly when conditions change,” he said.

Data from the Global Business Travel Association shows that while women make up 74% of travel buyers, only 27% said their company policies specifically address female traveller safety. Further, 62% said they believe female employees face greater risks than male colleagues when travelling for work.

Hultman is urging organisations to provide pre-trip guidance, ensure safe transportation and lodging, and maintain reliable communication channels to better support female staff.

“As travel risk becomes more complex, organisations need both relevant intelligence and the ability to act on it,” he said. “That is where technology plays a critical role, helping employers support their people with greater precision, speed and confidence.”

The highest risk levels globally remain concentrated in parts of the Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

In particular, the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US–Israel alliance in March 2026 is rapidly changing the security conditions for travellers. Safeture advises that women evaluate their personal risk profile and the necessity of travel. “The widespread disruptions to air travel and transport translate into the need to reroute journeys to avoid airspace closures, make alternative visa arrangements, or delay return flights,” the organisation stated. “All these are additional challenges for women stranded in the area where political instability, social unrest and gaps in infrastructure already represent serious challenges.”

Around the world, women continue to face significant legal and social restrictions. According to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law report, women have only about 77% of the legal rights afforded to men. These restrictions, combined with harassment and gender-based violence, continue to shape the risks women face today.

Safeture's Female Travellers Risk Map may be accessed here: https://www.safeture.com/2026-female-travelers-risk-map/#

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