Gender equity and girls’ rights amid crisis take center stage at high-level roundtable

Sharjah

Female leaders in gender advocacy and women empowerment from the Middle East have met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to reflect on how girls’ education and economic empowerment in the region have been impacted by the current pandemic.

They also shared their unique experiences in trying to overcome current challenges to protect the forward momentum of gender equity in the Middle East.

The high-level private roundtable was co-hosted by Save the Children and NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, a UAE-based organisation founded on the vision of an equitable world for women, chaired by Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of HH Dr. Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The virtual meeting looked at possible ways to improve opportunities for women and girls in the region, the UAE national news agency WAM reported.

The meeting, held against the backdrop of the global pandemic, and the imperiling of hard-won progress for girls, coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for Women - a historic moment when the world came together to define gender equality.

The discussions were held by female leaders from different fields and focused on best practices around girls’ education, economic empowerment and girls’ rights in the region.

The crisis means girls are more likely to lose access to health services, suffer poverty, food insecurity, and lose access to education while being exposed to violence.

Estimates suggest that 130 million more people could be left without enough food in 2020 because of the pandemic. In many households, girls will be more likely to go without the food they need than men and boys.

One hundred and thirty million girls were already out of school before the pandemic hit. At the peak of the crisis, 91 percent of learners had their schools and colleges closed.

Experience shows that girls are much less likely to return once they are taken out of school. Girls are also more likely to take on caring responsibilities for siblings who need home schooling and for family members who fall sick or are working outside the home, therefore missing out on their education.

Speaking at the roundtable, Sayyeda Salam, Director of Partnerships and Philanthropy from Save the Children, said since Save the Children was created by two empowered women a century ago, "we’ve been fighting for children’s rights, with gender equality at the center of this agenda."

"We’ve made huge progress in the last 25 years, but this is threatened by the consequences of pandemic and the greater inequalities that will result," she said.

Stating that despite female empowerment and gender equity gathering momentum in the Middle East and North Africa region, Reem Bin Karam, Director of NAMA, noted that the roundtable’s discussions held great importance as the realities presented a mixed picture.

"On the one hand, we see that gender gaps are closing in on education and health, and on the other, this progress isn’t necessarily reflecting on their economic participation due to multilayered barriers which are at play," she said.

Speakers also explored the advances made and the current persistent challenges of gender equality; the importance of girls’ education to their empowerment and economic independence; girls’ economic and leadership empowerment; the importance of parents- particularly fathers and spouses- as well as leaders who could act as a catalyst to women’s advancement. All these, as well as governments, have a role to play in advancing gender equality.

The speakers also shared their personal stories of overcoming structural and cultural barriers to reach the top of their industry. They also highlighted how those learnings could translate to programming for the most marginalized girls in the region.

"I am so impressed with the power of female Arab talent," Clare Woodcraft, Executive Director, Centre for Strategic Philanthropy, said.

"I noticed that the women on this call all sit on boards, they are all successful professionals, and they all mentor other women. This should be our call to action. We need to get women into decision-making positions. We need to work together on strategic projects to make a real difference for women."

The speakers included: HRH Princess Lamia Al Saud, Secretary-General of Al Waleed Philanthropies; Sara Falaknaz, Federal National Council Member; Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, UAE’s Permanent Representative, The International Renewable Energy Agency; Sheikha Hind bint Majid Al Qassimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Business Women Ctouncil; Catherine Oppenheimer, Founding Member of Save the Children US Women's Network; Clare Woodcraft, Executive Director, Centre for Strategic Philanthropy; Diala Khamra, CEO of Save the Children Jordan; Diana Hamade, Founder, Diana Hamade Attorney at Law; Dr. Hayat Al Sindi, Vice President, Islamic Development Bank; Heba Al Emara, Managing Director, VISTRAIbukun Awosika, Chairwoman of First Bank of Nigeria; Dr. Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director of Brand & Strategic Initiatives, Masdar; Margaret McGetrick, Founding Member, Save the Children US Women's Network; Natasha Kaplinsky, Founding Member, Save the Children UK Women's Network; Saba Al Mubaslat, CEO, Asfari Foundation; Sara Al Muhaidib, CEO, Al Muhaidib Foundation.