Arab Woman organization (AWO) believes that women are key actor in achieving sustainable development and that, gender as cross cutting issue must be mainstreamed throughout the goals if long-term sustainable development is to be achieved. Empowerment of women and gender equality are the basis for maintaining sustainable development, peacemaking, social securities and welfare in the Arab region. Securing gender equality through access to education, health services, suitable employment and political and economical and decision making process will fuel achievement of economic development in the region.
Hence, following the adoption of UN 17 SGDs, 169 Targets and 231 indicators in Sept2015 took the initiative in conducting the first Arab/International conference concerned with linkage to gender and sustainable development Agenda
The conference was held under the title “Arab Women in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda “ in Cairo 29 Nov – 1st Dec. 2015. The conference monitored gender interlinkages to each of the 17 SDGs through conference specialized studies. The meeting was also concerned with setting gender responsive indicators to monitoring gender progress and to assist Arab States to mainstream gender issues and advance the status of women in achieving the 17 SGDs in the coming 15 years.
AWO has produced a documentary about gender interlinkage to development agenda and has also issued a conference proceedings report.
AWO conference has also provided a set of recommendations that act as reference to assist in gender mainstreaming in the 17 SDGs. The conference has also
AWO’s conference issued a Platform for Action to implement the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 for Women in the Arab Region. It includes numerous key actors that provides the roadmap for Arab Women Organization to achieve sustainable development Agenda in the Arab region.
The Platform for Action to implement the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 for Women in the Arab Region is based on the following axis:
- Establishing an SDG regional Technical support & coordination committee
- Establishing an SDG regional expert Think tank on gender equality & women’s empowerment
- Convening an Annual SDG forum
- Establishing a regional center of excellence for Training on gender responsive budgeting
- Development of responsive indicators
AWO follows up all updates on sustainable development at the international and regional levels through:
Participated in the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW60) in March 2016 in New York
Organized a side event to shed light on the status of refugee women, as a challenge to implement sustainable development in the Arab states.
Released a joint statement with UN Women calling for stopping war in Syria
AWO has participated in the preparation forum “Arab sustainable development forum” (Jordan – May 2016) leading to the political high level forum 2016 (New York – July 2016). This form was first of its kind following the adoption of the development agenda. The forum has discussed development agenda related issues during its two week duration. National reviews of progress achieved from 22 countries (including Egypt and Morocco) were presented during the forum.