TUNIS - Tunisia has been chosen as 2018-2019 Capital of Arab Women by the Arab League.
The announcement was given in Gammarth during a meeting of the Arab Women Commission entitled "Women for Safe Societies in the Arab Region". Eleven ministers for women's affairs from member nations and representatives of organizations for women's emancipation and rights took part in the meeting. Tunisian Minister for Women, the Family and Children Neziha Laabidi underscored the importance of seeing Tunisia chair the Arab Women Commission and of being chosen by the Arab League as Capital of Arab Women for 2018-2019.
''This is recognition of the country's efforts to promote women's conditions in general and the evolution of the country's legislation compared with that of other Arab nations,'' the minister said, noting the latest achievements of Tunisian women including a law against gender-based violence (GBV), the creation of a hotline for GBV victims and the establishment of specialized centers for abused women. The director of the Department of Women, the Family and Children of the Arab League, Inas Sayed Mekkawi, praised the efforts of the Arab Women Commission to unify their actions, ensure coordination among Arab States on the development of strategies and action plans to shed light on the most important issues in the field of women's emancipation and protection, especially in this delicate phase of the history of Arab nations, marked by armed conflicts and a rise in terrorism. The agenda of the Arab Women Commission includes important issues relative to the Arab Strategy for the Protection of Female Refugees against Violence and especially sexual violence, the discussion of the action plan of the Arab network for the economic emancipation of women and the implementation of the agenda for sustainable development and women's development, security and peace, and the role of women in the fight against terrorism.
