The conference will witness the official adaptation of a road map for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security at the national level in member states. The resolution was adopted by the League of Arab States’ council at the ministerial level in its 144th session in 2015. Member states and regional experts will discuss the operationalization of the regional action plan on women, peace and security to protect women and girls in times of conflict, enhance their ability to reach leadership positions and working on building their capacity and providing them with legal protections through developing legislations at the national level in member states.

The conference takes place on September 4 and 5, 2016 at the Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel in Cairo in cooperation with the Arab Women Organization, Karama organization, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) and a number of concerned civil society organizations.

The opening panel includes His Excellency the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Mr. Ahmed Abou el-Gheit, Dr. Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of the State of the United Arab Emirates and Chair of the Arab Women’s Committee, Ms. Maria-Noel Vaeza, Director of UN Women Programme Division, Ambassador Mervate Tallawy, Director General of the Arab Women Organization, Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Dr. Khawla Mattar, Deputy Executive Secretary of UNESCWA and His Excellency Takehiro Kagawa, Ambassador of Japan in Cairo.

The opening session will be attended by Their Excellencies the ministers of member states and the representatives of the women national machineries as well as a number a regional and international women’s rights organizations. The opening will also be attended by civil society organizations concerned with women issues in the region and a number of academic experts, rights defenders and public figures who play a role in influencing gender equality agendas and legislations in the Arab Region.

The conference’s agenda includes a range of subjects related to the efforts of the League of Arab States in monitoring the implementation of regional and international agreements and resolutions on women, peace and security in the Arab Region, and the progress made by member states in that regard. The conference also tackles the role of the League of Arab States in supporting member states to implement National Action Plans in compliance with UN Security Council resolution 1325 and its subsequent resolutions ending with resolution 2242 adopted by the Security Council last year. The agenda includes discussions on the role of religious, cultural and media institutions in supporting women’s engagement in peace and security processes, and the financing mechanisms for the operationalization of the regional action plan.