A Step Forward towards Gender-Balanced Economy for Women in the Arab States Region

Cairo, Egypt 8 September 2015 Key regional experts from public, private and social sectors are coming together to draw an action plan to translate Arab States’ commitments in regards to women’s economic empowerment into reality. 

The League of Arab States, the European Union, and the United Nations Entity on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), are bringing together 20 experts for a two-day meeting on the 16 and 17 September 2015 to formulate a roadmap of actions to ensure women have safer work places, fair access to resources and a share in economic policymaking. 

Arab governments, represented by the League of Arab States, have consolidated their commitment to those objectives in February of 2014 by signing the Arab Women Cairo Declaration on gender equality with the participation of UN Women. 

This year, the Department of Women Family and Childhood at the League of Arab States, has partnered with the UN Women and the European Union in the context of their joint programme “Spring Forward for Women”. The programme reflects a commitment from the European Union and UN Women to support the development of a regional mechanism through, which those commitments could become reality.  

“Many of the governments of our region have achieved important commitments towards improving women conditions in the Arab states. These include the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the International Labour Organization Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 and most recently, the Cairo Declaration. While strategic agreements are important to initiate the change, tangible actions on the ground help to realize that change. We will gather key regional experts from various sectors to plan and monitor these actions.” Said Ambassador Inas Mekkawy, Head of Women, Family and Childhood Department at the League of Arab States.

The meeting builds on a consistent cooperation between the League of Arab States, the European Union and UN Women in furtherance of women empowerment in the region. 

“There are tremendous opportunities for regional collaboration in the field of economic empowerment of women”, said Mohammad Naciri, UN Women’s Regional Director, “Now is the time to seize these opportunities and bring regional actors together to continue delivering on our commitments.” 
The League of Arab States, UN Women and the meeting participants will collaborate and combine expertise from various fields and devise a specific roadmap of actions. A press conference with closing statements will be held on September 17 at 12 p.m. to announce the next steps.


For all media inquiries, please contact
Omran Fyad
Communication Officer
League of Arab States
Tel: +20 11 0065 9096
Omran.fyad@hotmail.com 


Emad Abou-Elgheit
Media and Communication Expert
UN Women – Regional Office for Arab States
Tel: +20 2 2768 7412
emad.abouelgheit@unwomen.org