Arab states reaffirm commitment to women’s empowerment at Muscat meeting

Beirut: Oman hosted a high-level regional meeting on Monday to review progress in implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, nearly 30 years after its adoption, the Lebanon-based UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) announced.

The meeting, attended by ministers, officials, civil society representatives, and UN agencies, concluded with the Muscat Declaration, reaffirming Arab countries’ commitment to advancing women’s rights under the Beijing framework, Xinhua news agency reported.

Omani Minister of Social Development Laila Al Najjar emphasised the progress witnessed in Oman in terms of laws and regulations that guarantee the protection of women’s rights.

ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti highlighted over 100 legislative amendments issued across Arab states in the past two years to improve women’s rights but acknowledged ongoing challenges, including the impact of armed conflicts on 15 million women in the region.

Discussions focused on combating violence against women, boosting women’s economic participation, advancing their decision-making roles, and protecting women in conflicts. UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous stressed that sustainable development and peace require women’s full empowerment and called for transforming commitments into impactful actions.

Adopted in 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remains a global framework for advancing women’s rights and achieving gender equality.

IANS