#Convert from UTF-8 from input XML 
use unicode::UTF8simple;
my $uref = new Unicode::UTF8simple;
my $str_var = $uref->fromUTF8("windows-1256",<XMLNODE>)
#$str_var->Goes to database column
 
while getting it back from database to put into XML i use 
#Convert to UTF-8 for outpu XML
use unicode::UTF8simple;
my $uref = new Unicode::UTF8simple;
my $strvar = $uref->toUTF8("windows-1256",<XMLNODE>)