Women's security to top conference agenda

Abu Dhabi: Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, chairwoman of the UAE General Women's Union and Chairwoman of Arab Women's Organisation (AWO), has affirmed her belief that the lot of women in the Arab world would continue to improve as long as the leadership continued to make sincere efforts to uplift them.

Effect of globalisation

"We live in a global age. The second AWO conference in Abu Dhabi will focus on the impacts of globalisation on the security of women.

"Economic security is determined by global, regional, local and national factors. Arab countries are going through a lot of economic changes and have already adopted a market economy. The impacts of these changes on women are different than those on men," Shaikha Fatima said in an interview in the run-up to the 2nd Conference of the Arab Women's Organisation.

"At the conference, scholars and researchers will have a close look at the threats to women's security and will draw up plans to advance the status and overall security of women. Some papers will discuss the creation of a safe and supportive social environment for women," she said.

"We are really delighted and we take pride in hosting the leaders of the Arab Women's Movement who will participate in the 2nd AWO Conference," she said.

On the main topic of the conference, Shaikh Fatima said: "Currently, the concept of human security is a major topic of discussion in international forums, but the Arab contribution to this dialogue is almost non-existent.

"Any such contribution to the process of shaping of or implementing of the concept of human security could take an active part in developing a multi-dimensional approach that takes into consideration the needs of both state and society."

"The conference's eight main topics will discuss and analyse threats to human security in general and women's security in particular," Shaikha Fatima said.

On the progress achieved by Emirati women, she said: "UAE women have achieved more as a result of the plan for the political empowerment of women laid down by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Visible gains

"Among the most visible gains for UAE women are a greater number of seats in the Cabinet formed in February 2008 and in the Federal National Council.

"There are now four women in the Cabinet, compared to two previously, the largest number in the Arab world, and 9 out of 40 FNC seats, or 22 per cent, which is among the highest anywhere in legislative bodies worldwide.

Also, Kholoud Jua'an Al Dahiri was appointed the first female judge in the UAE, while Shaikha Najla Al Qasimi and Dr Hussa Al Otaiba were recently named as the first two Emirati female ambassadors," she said.