UAE | Heritage and Culture
Meeting recommendations to be taken up at the UN
The recommendations of the second Arab Women's Conference will be taken up at the United Nations, Suzan Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt, told Gulf News.
- By Eman Mohammed, Abu Dhabi Deputy Editor
- Published: 23:54 November 13, 2008
- Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News
- We have to admit that Arab women have come a long way in the last three decades, says Suzan Mubarak.
Abu Dhabi: The recommendations of the second Arab Women's Conference will be taken up at the United Nations, Suzan Mubarak, First Lady of Egypt, told Gulf News.
"We wanted our voices to be heard, and I think that is what we have achieved with this conference," she said.
Suzan attended most of the sessions of the three- day conference "Women in the Concept and Issues of Human Security" that ended in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
"We have to admit that Arab women have come a long way in the last three decades, and in the past five years tremendous progress has been achieved," she said.
"Today Arab women are in a really strong position because they have avenues to realise their full potential and practise their rights," she said, adding that "we should be proud of that".
"At this conference as well as in previous conferences we have come across so many Arab women who are ministers, professors, scientists, researchers and social workers who have earned their right to become decision-makers," she said
She felt that the Arab Women's Organisation had its work cut out in changing the mindset of the society in order to accept women in top positions.
"I think all Arab countries are trying to bridge the gender gap in education. In Egypt, for example, we are trying to close that gap by first ensuring that girls and boys go to school, and then girls continue education till they graduate."
She expressed concerns over a growing trend to oppress Arab women in the name of tradition. "It's not part of the tradition, but it's part of a narrow breed of politics," she said.
Egypt should have been the leading example of women's emancipation "because we started educating women in the last century where we had no problem in women getting into universities and finding work. But this new trend that is cropping up is trying to pull us down," she said.
If you want economic empowerment you have to have education first, she said. "Education is a top priority; if women are educated then they will have the skills and have access to information and have the possibility of becoming economically independent. Once she is independent, she can help and support her family, and then she becomes more confident to enter the political field."
More from UAE Heritage & Culture
More from UAE
Latest news
- Youngsters dance and raise cash for charity
- Dubai departments upgrade services
- Get yourself a free test for diabetes
- Ensuring a safety net for intellectual property
- Reader's issue addressed
- 5,552 illegals held in Dubai this year
- Man cleared because he took drugs in France
- Man charged with trafficking women
- Auditors to probe Mizin graft case
- Breaking down cultural barriers with photographs
- Abu Dhabi Crown Prince visits Islamic centre
- Police's secret source scheme reaps rewards
- No sweat! Book a taxi while on Metro
- Last minute ID rush is on
- Transfusion centre launches new toll free number
Community Reports
-
Mirror, mirror show me the way
Driver on Salam Street had so many boxes and fruits piled into car, he would not be able to view rear or right side mirrors
-
Parents should be more vigilant
Reader's picture highlights risk of negligence by caretakers
-
Warming up to ‘Mobilise the Earth' theme
Dubai school dedicates a whole week to celebrating Earth Day with can-collection drives, sapling plantation and painting competition among others
-
Drivers using mobiles put others' lives at risk
Speeding is dangerous for the driver and other motorists
