| When |
18 December 2012 |
| Where |
Little Rock Arkansas, United States |
| Regions and countries covered |
Arab region |
| Contact(s) |
- Emanuela Pozzan
- Senior Regaional Specialist on Gender Equality
- Email: pozzan@ilo.org
- Tel: +961 1 752400 ext: 214
|
Women in the MENA Region: Towards a New Social Contract
ILO Regional Director for the Arab States Ms. Nada Al-Nashif will chair the session “Women in the MENA Region: Towards a New Social Contract” featuring interventions from women leaders from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan at the Club de Madrid Annual Conference “Harnessing 21st Century Solutions: A focus on women”.
Background
The Arab Spring has shed light on the need for social inclusion and a new social contract between states and citizens as well as between women and men. Women’s role in the Arab Spring has been crucial, but structural impediments continue to hinder access to their rights.
The Arab region rates the lowest globally for female economic participation despite women’s high levels of attainment in education. Insufficient employment generation and poor job quality, along with deficiencies in national frameworks for gender equality are contributing factors. Women mostly work in low wages sectors, the informal sector and the public sector. They have limited participation in the ownership of enterprises, and in government, and workers’ and employers’ organizations.
A rethinking of strategies to attract women in the world of work is necessary in Arab States. Wage increases and the expansion of universal maternity benefits can facilitate women’s access to the workplace and to economic rights./p>
In line with the Arab Action Agenda for Employment (2010-2020), the ILO works to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through supporting decent employment, building adequate social protection systems, strengthening international labour standards and workers’ rights, enhancing social dialogue and tripartism, and promoting sustainable enterprises for job creation and retention.
In this session, women’s entrepreneurship initiatives, women’s activism in the workers’ unions, and women in the media are highlighted for discussion.
Agenda
Facilitator
Nada Al-Nashif, Regional Director for the Arab States, International Labour Organization
Speakers
Muna Abu Sulayman, Partner, Directions Consultancy LLC, Effective Strategic Philanthropy and CSR. MBC Co-host Lalam Nouam, Partner Glowork, Women Employment Opportunities (Saudi Arabia)
Rahma Fathalla, Egyptian Democratic Labour Congress
Lina Hundaileh, Owner, Al-Zaytouni Company (Jordan)
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