The Arab Women Organization faces the exclusion of women and girls in the Arab region In a symposium at the 50th Cairo International Book Fair
1/27/2019
The Symposium of the Arab Women's Organization (AWO) was launched this evening as part of the cultural events of the 50th Cairo International Book Fair (Golden Jubilee) 2019 entitled "Facing the exclusion of women and the girls in the Arab region", which started with a speech by Dr. Fadia Kiwan, where she asserted AWO’s intent to fight for women’s issues and that AWO is a bridge for all those who seek and care about the issues of Arab women, to support and improve her status.
She noted that woman in the Arab region face many challenges and difficulties in participating in the public domain, restricting her role in development.
Dr. Ola Abu Zeid, Professor of Political Science at Cairo University, and the Chairperson of the symposium also talked about how women should be an active and essential partner in the process of development. Moreover, we must identify the different ways in which women must be essential partners in community development.
Dr. Lana Mamkag, former Minister of Culture in Jordan and member of the Executive Council of the Organization, discussed the aspects of economic exclusion and the economic empowerment of women and their integration in development activities to increase economic activity.
At the end of her speech, Mamkag spoke about the success story of the “ Arzak” (Women's dignity) project, which teaches women craft skills through practical training to integrate her into the labour market, This project has been very successful in Jordan.
In the second topic of political exclusion and policies to promote the presence of women in political life, Professor Iqbal Dogan, head of the Lebanese Council of Women, pointed out that the participation rate of Arab women in some elected and local councils is still among the lowest in the world, despite differences between Arab countries.
She also stressed that male societal culture reduces the importance of women, as well as the lack of awareness on the importance of women’s participation in the political domain.
She spoke about the necessary ways that governmental and non-governmental institutions in the Arab countries should take steps to increase the political participation of women.
The symposium ended with the intervention of Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Dr. Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh, writer Fatima Naout, writer Reham Haddad, Dr. Sumaya Rashid of the Iraqi delegation, Ms. Haneen Bouchoucha of the Libyan delegation and MP Mona Munir in Parliament.