Abu Dhabi: The Arab Declaration to End All Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls was officially launched in Abu Dhabi, with significant Emirati, Arab, and international participation.
The two-day event, titled “The Arab Declaration for the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls: Text and Means of Implementation,” was chaired by Ms. Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, and Dr. Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sectorat the League of Arab States.
Ms. Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of the General Women’s Union (GWU), and representatives of the European Union, Council of Europe, United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and Human Rights Office of the Gulf Cooperation Council were also present at the event.
The event featured a photo exhibition on combating violence against women and girls and alighted buildings in orange as part of the 16-day campaign to combat violence against women.
Ms. Buhumaid affirmed that the launch of the Arab Declaration to End All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls in Abu Dhabi reflects the UAE’s efforts to empower women and improve their social standing.
“The launch of the declaration reflects a renewed commitment by Arab countries to adopt strategies to combat violence against women and instil peace, prosperity, and progress in society,” the Minister added.
The opening session of the event was attended by Ms. Nada Al Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Talal Khaled Al-Mutairi, Chairman of the Arab League’s Arab Human Rights Committee, Ms. Rola Dashti, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Ms. Andrea Matteo Fontana, EU Ambassador to the UAE, Ms. Amina Bouayach, Secretary-General of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, Ms. Susanne Mikhail, Regional Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for the Arab States, Ms. Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, Ms. Nadia Gofoun, Vice-Chairman of the Arab Human Rights Committee and Ms. Abdullah Al Ajmi, Director of the GCC Human Rights Office.