Civil society and youth from the Arab States review the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
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Over 70 representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) and youth advocates from across the Arab States region met in Amman, Jordan on 26 and 27 November, to conduct a parallel review and discussion on the progress and lessons learned in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, in the lead up to the Arab States High-Level Conference on the Beijing+25 Review.
Led by CSO networks, the meeting identified and discussed key priority areas for accelerating the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the region. These priorities include: legal reform, strengthening women’s machineries, eliminating gender-based violence and ensuring human security for Arab women, improving educational and health services provided to women and girls, enhancing women’s leadership, supporting women’s participation in all forms of work including informal and non-paid work, and reinforcing national and regional statistics and data capacities to monitor and report effectively on the progress in implementation of the Beijing Platform.
The two day meeting concluded with the participation of UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who led an interactive dialogue in which CSOs and youth representatives renewed their commitment to the seven priorities identified.
“I recognize the vital inputs of civil society and youth in the Beijing+25 review process. Inter-generational exchange is critical to building young people’s capacity throughout the Arab States region and is fundamental for the sustainability of change and the way we plan to work in 2020 and beyond,” said Mlambo-Ngcuka in her remarks.
At the meeting, UN Women provided the participants with an overview of the Beijing+25 review process, and shared plans for the Generation Equality Forum, a civil society–centred, multi-stakeholder, global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France. The Forum will kick off in Mexico City, Mexico (7–8 May 2020), and culminate in Paris, France (7–10 July 2020).
Check out the photo album of the event here.
Read:
MENA REGIONAL PARALLEL REPORT BEIJING+25 (English). Read in Arabic
LEBANON PARALLEL REPORT 2020: 25 Years on Beijing: Lebanese Women Fighting Inequality