FIRST HIGHLEVEL MASHREQ CONFERENCE ON WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OPENS AT THE GRAND SERAIL:

Women's empowerment conf. begins ahead of Beirut's Arab developmental summit

19/01/2019

BEIRUT-- The Mashreq Conference on Women's empowerment kicked off on Saturday under the patronage of the Lebanese Prime Ministers Saad Al-Hariri.

The conference is held ahead of the 4th Arab Development, Economic and Social Summit in Beirut scheduled on Sunday.

"The absence of women in the labor force equals the absence of half of the society, and causes a huge loss to local growth and production. We have focused in the last few years on empowering women and activating their role in all fields in line with UN's goals to achieve sustainable development," Al-Hariri said.

The Lebanese government have taken several steps towards the goal through allowing women to assume high-ranked governmental posts, and enforcing laws against women discrimination, Al-Hariri added.

Al-Hariri announced that the World Bank Group have initiated new strategies in funding policies that aim to achieve gender equality in the Middle East, which is an important step that will help move from the planning phase to execution.

On his part, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul Gheit said, that a number of matters listed in the business agenda that will be discussed in the Summit on Sunday include women's empowerment, and ensuring their medical, social and educational rights were met.

Abul Gheit stressed the importance of integrating Arab women in the economic world and spread awareness of their essential role in the community.

Lebanese Minister of Health Ghassan Hasbani said in a statement to KUNA, that it was important to have laws that help empower women, but is more vital to close the big gap between men and women in society.

Lebanese MP Rola Tabsh told KUNA that empowering women can be achieved in laying more rules and laws concerning equality.

To achieve equality, women must be active in the labor market starting by handling public jobs reaching political posts, she added.