CAIRO: The Arab League’s Social Affairs Sector, specifically the Women’s Department, signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations Women Regional Office for the implementation of collaboration programs outlined in the Action Plan 2024. The agreement was signed by both the Assistant Secretary General of the League, Head of the Social Affairs Sector, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, and the Regional Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for the Arab States, Dr. Susanne Mikhail, the League said in a statement.

Abu Ghazaleh commended the League and UN collaboration, noting its focus on the Action Plan, which originated from a 2016 memorandum of understanding (MoU). The collaboration between both sides encompasses various programs stemming from the inception of cooperation with UN Women, notably the successful Women, Peace, and Security program, which has contributed to formulating strategies for Arab women’s security and peace, as well as producing biennial reports on Arab countries’ advancements in this domain, she added.

She noted additional areas of cooperation with UN Women, including efforts against gender-based violence and political collaboration, with plans to initiate economic cooperation. She expressed joy at Dr. Sima Bahouth, an Arab woman and former assistant secretary general of the Arab League, leading UN Women. Abu Ghazaleh emphasized the prioritization of Palestinian women by the League across all sectors, including social affairs, mentioning upcoming meetings to address the war on Gaza’s impact on Arab women.

She highlighted the League’s focus on women’s issues in conflict zones, collaborating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to develop an anti-violence strategy. On her side, Dr. Mikhail expressed reverence for the League collaboration, initiated in 2016 and deepened over the years. She pointed out the suffering of women in conflict zones in the region, especially in Gaza, where 10,000 women, including 6,000 mothers, have been killed.

Dr. Mikhail thanked Abu Ghazaleh for supporting women’s issues in the Arab region, citing great achievements in women’s affairs between the UN and the League, such as peace mediator networks, emergency committees, and expanding cooperation in women’s economic empowerment. — KUNA