Jordan Times
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
2nd Arab women parliamentarians’ forum opens next week
AMMAN (JT) — The United Nation Development Fund
for Women (UNIFEM) is organising the second regional symposium for Arab Women
Parliamentarians with extended regional Arab participation November 26-27 in
Amman.
HRH Princess Basma, UNIFEM’s Goodwill Ambassador and the chairperson of the
Jordanian National Commission for Women, will act as patron of the symposium,
according to a statement released by UNIFEM.
The regional conference will provide a forum for women parliamentarians and
women in decision-making positions in the Arab region to debate issues relating
to the Personal Status Law and examine practical experiences adopted from Arab
countries.
Women members of parliament and Shura Councils from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon,
Egypt, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan, Qatar, Kuwait, Palestine, Oman, Iraq and
Bahrain will attend the symposium, in addition to women leaders from the UAE and
Saudi Arabia.
Delegates from the International Parliamentary Union, the Arab League and the
European Union will also participate in the discussions, the statement said.
The two-day symposium is being held in collaboration with the Arab Parliamentary
Union, the League of Arab States and the Arab Women Organisation.
It falls within the activities of the UNIFEM regional programme on enhancing the
role of Arab Women Parliamentarians.
The participants will discuss modifications of Personal Status Law articles in
their respective countries, in addition to analysing the challenges facing Arab
women parliamentarians when deliberating legislation and suggesting means to
emphasise their active participation in the political processes.