Arab Women Organization Holds Virtual Workshop to Review and Discuss Results of the Regional Study on:
"The Reality of Mental Health for Women and Girls in the Arab World"
4/30/2026
With the broad participation of researchers, specialists, ministers, and high-level officials of both genders from Arab countries, the virtual workshop dedicated to reviewing and discussing the results of the regional study prepared by the Arab Women Organization (AWO) on "The Reality of Mental Health for Women and Girls in the Arab World" commenced on the morning of Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
The workshop opened with an address by H.E. Prof. Dr. Fadia Kiwan, Director-General of the AWO, who welcomed the esteemed attendees. She emphasized the significant importance the Organization places on scientific research, prioritizing it within its annual work programs. She also praised the commitment of the members of the Organization's Executive Council to participate in the Organization's scientific and research-oriented activities, which clearly indicates the interest of Arab countries and their national mechanisms concerned with women in scientific research on issues affecting women and girls, and the necessity of acting upon its findings to improve current realities.
She clarified the distinction between psychological disorders and psychiatric disorders, noting the need to shed light on this shadowed aspect of the lives of women and girls and the necessity of prioritizing their mental health. She pointed out that mental health issues have not received the attention they deserve and were, in the past, often viewed as a form of "insanity," met with negative societal perceptions based on popular misconceptions and myths. However, with the advancement of medical and psychological sciences and their intersection, the reality of psychological disorders, their treatment methods, and the path to recovery from these disorders—which affect not only women but everyone—have gradually become clearer.
She affirmed that the Organization, through its initiative in preparing the "Regional Study on the Reality of Mental Health for Women and Girls in the Region," aims to highlight an important aspect of the suffering experienced by women to provide them with the necessary help and support. She also noted the importance of exchanging experiences and benefiting from each other among Arab countries regarding these issues. She concluded by affirming her anticipation for the recommendations arising from the workshop to be utilized in improving the situation of Arab women.
In his speech, H.E. Dr. Motassim Saleh Ahmed Adam, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and member of the Executive Council of the Arab Women Organization for the Republic of Sudan, expressed his deep appreciation to the Arab Women Organization for the invitation to participate in the launch of the regional study on the reality of mental health for women and girls in the Arab region. He noted that the study's importance is heightened in light of the timing and context in which it was prepared, as a number of Arab countries face complex challenges resulting from economic crises, armed conflicts, and their direct repercussions on family and social stability and social protection systems. His Excellency drew attention to the increasing rates of psychological disorders among women and girls in some Arab countries due to the reality of conflicts, wars, and instability, and the resulting decline in access to specialized health, psychological, and social services.
He explained that in Sudan, since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, Sudanese society has faced unprecedented humanitarian challenges, represented by grave violations including killings, looting, gender-based violence, and the destruction of infrastructure and basic service institutions. This has led to the displacement of nearly 11 million citizens within Sudan and the seeking of refuge by more than 4 million citizens in neighboring and regional countries.
His Excellency stated that despite these exceptional circumstances, the Government of Sudan continues its efforts to strengthen the social protection system and empower women and girls by expanding psychological and social support services, implementing community awareness programs to address the effects of trauma, building the capacities of women and girls, and enhancing their participation in national recovery pathways. He added that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, within the framework of implementing the National Social Protection Policy, is working to create an enabling environment for increasing women's participation in the labor market and supporting vocational training, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment programs.He concluded by saying that this study represents an important step towards developing a common regional understanding of the challenges related to the mental health of women and girls. He emphasized the importance of strengthening Arab cooperation and exchanging experiences and best practices in this field, and proposed the development of an integrated regional Arab strategy to promote the mental health of women and girls, especially in countries affected by conflicts.
H.E. Ms. Nathalie Zaarour, Secretary of the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) and member of the AWO Executive Council, expressed her pleasure in participating in the workshop. She noted that it addresses an increasingly urgent issue in light of the successive crises the region is witnessing, especially amid the war in Lebanon and its serious repercussions.
She confirmed that the war has exacerbated the suffering of women and girls, particularly mothers, widows, those with disabilities, the elderly, and adolescents, as a result of displacement, increasing family and economic burdens, and the rising levels of anxiety and fear. It has also increased their risk of exposure to violence and led to a decline in support services, threatening their mental health and their resilience.
She added that mental health is no longer an individual matter but has become a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and a necessary condition for empowering women and girls and enhancing their active participation in society.
Ms. Nathalie explained that Lebanon has given increasing importance to integrating mental health into national policies, notably through the National Strategy for Women in Lebanon (2022–2030) and the Second National Action Plan for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, both prepared by the NCLW. In these documents, the necessity of providing psychological and social support services for women and girls and strengthening violence prevention mechanisms was emphasized.
National priorities also include working to enhance the capacities of primary healthcare centers and developmental service centers, and activating referral and coordination networks among various concerned parties to ensure a comprehensive and integrated response to psychological needs, especially during times of crisis.
She pointed out that the National Commission for Lebanese Women has implemented, during the recent war, a series of psychosocial support sessions for displaced women and girls affected by the war in Lebanon. 216 sessions were conducted in shelters and developmental service centers affiliated with the Ministry of Social Affairs across all governorates.
Her Excellency also noted the efforts made by the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health through the National Mental Health Programme, which works to expand the scope of mental health services and integrate them into primary healthcare, in addition to providing psychosocial support for all. She also highlighted the provision of mental health hotlines that allow individuals, especially women and girls, to access counseling and support services quickly and safely, particularly during emergencies and crises.
She added that work is underway to organize awareness campaigns, train frontline workers, and strengthen mobile clinic services in underserved areas, contributing to reducing gaps in access to mental health care. She stressed that the challenge today is not limited to providing services but also requires breaking the stigma associated with mental health and fostering societal awareness of its importance.
In conclusion, she emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, exchanging experiences among Arab countries, and utilizing the findings of this study to develop policies more responsive to the needs of women and girls, ensuring them a dignified and secure life.
In her speech, H.E. Ms. Jamila bint Salem Jadad, Director-General Assistant for Family Development at the Ministry of Social Development in the Sultanate of Oman, expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the Organization for its distinguished efforts and pioneering role in supporting women's issues in the Arab region. She also commended the efforts of the experts who prepared the national and regional studies. She emphasized the critical importance of the workshop's topic, noting that addressing mental health has become an urgent necessity, especially in light of the growing challenges faced by women and girls, whether social, economic, or as a result of crises and conflicts witnessed by some Arab countries, which leave profound effects on the quality of life, productivity, and family and societal stability.
She explained that many studies indicate that women are more susceptible to certain psychological disorders, such as anxiety and depression, not only for biological reasons but also due to multiple roles and accumulated pressures, in addition to limited access sometimes to specialized mental health support services, or due to the social stigma that still surrounds mental health. She pointed out that this reality enhances the importance of the analytical study reviewed by the workshop, as it helps decision-makers understand gaps and challenges and develop more responsive and effective policies.
She added that promoting the mental health of women and girls requires working on several axes, most notably: spreading societal awareness, improving access to mental health services, integrating mental health within the priorities of health and educational policies, and empowering women economically and socially. She also highlighted the role of the family, educational institutions, and media in building a supportive and safe environment that encourages seeking help without fear or shame.
She concluded by expressing her anticipation of the workshop's outcomes and recommendations, which will contribute to making a real and sustainable difference in the lives of women and girls.
H.E. Ms. Nwara Saadia Jaafar, former Minister of Women and Family and former member of the Council of the Nation in Algeria, expressed her gratitude to the Director-General and the AWO for their efforts in serving Arab women's issues. She praised the Organization's initiative to specifically address mental health, describing it as a vital issue that affects not only women but the safety and stability of societies as a whole. She emphasized the growing importance of this topic in light of the increasing burdens placed on women—whether family burdens in the context of economic crises or the heavy burdens imposed by the reality of conflicts in the Arab region, which have had severe negative effects on women and their mental health. She called for Arab national strategies and health policies to place a special focus on mental health, particularly regarding the provision of support services and the strengthening of prevention mechanisms.
In a presentation by Ms. Rouwaida Hamada Mnisa, expert in women's issues and gender equality and coordinator of the study, the goals of the study and the methodology were outlined. She explained that the regional study on the reality of mental health for women and girls in the Arab region originated from a primary goal of understanding the reality of mental health for women and girls in a number of Arab countries—not only in terms of the availability of services, but also in terms of accessibility, acceptability, quality, and actual impact. The study sought to identify the gaps between legal texts and policies on the one hand, and actual implementation on the other, in addition to providing practical, actionable recommendations to enhance national and regional responses.
She added that the study was based on the World Health Organization's definition of mental health, which defines it as "a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community," and is not merely the absence of mental disorder. She explained that this definition marks a shift from the individual medical approach, which limited mental health to diagnosis and treatment, to a rights-based and societal approach that links mental health to dignity, rights, and social determinants such as poverty, violence, and discrimination, and treats it as a matter of governance, protection, and social justice, rather than merely a separate health service.
Following this, the national experts presented their national reports. Prof. Dr. Manar Saeed Yaqoub Bani Mustafa, Professor of Psychological and Educational Counseling at Yarmouk University, presented the national report for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Prof. Dr. Soumaya Belhaj, expert in psychology and assistant professor at the Higher Institute of Human Sciences, presented the national report for the Republic of Tunisia; Dr. Azza bint Mohammed Al-Hinai, consultant psychiatrist for adults, presented the national report for the Sultanate of Oman; Prof. Dr. Reem Maihoub Slimoun, professor of educational psychology at Tartous University, presented the national report for the Syrian Arab Republic; Prof. Dr. Ahlam Shaheed Al-Bahli from the College of Education for Women at the Iraqi University presented the national report for the Republic of Iraq; Ms. Joelle Haidar from the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) at the Ministry of Public Health presented the national report for the Lebanese Republic; and Dr. Arwa Ali Ahmed Al-Abadi, Head of the Behavioral Sciences Department at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Aden, presented the national report for the Republic of Yemen. Finally, Ms. Rouwaida Hamada Mnisa reviewed the regional analytical report summarizing the outputs of the national reports.