The President of the Anna Lindh Foundation, Mrs Elisabeth Guigou, represented the Anna Lindh Foundation at the 4th Ministerial Conference on strengthening the role of women in Euro-Mediterranean society, held in Egypt on 27 November 2017 under the Co-Presidency of Mariya Gabriel Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, European Union and H.E. Hala Latouf Minister for Social Development of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in the presence of the UfM Secretary-General H.E. Fathallah Sijilmassi, and hosted by H.E. Dr Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women, Arab Republic of Egypt.

The Ministers acknowledge that despite some positive developments regarding women’s participation in social, economic and political decision-making, obstacles still exist. They recognise the need to strengthen through qualitative and quantitative measures women’s participation in public life and to foster their role as leaders and promoting women’s agency towards change within the Euro-Mediterranean region.

With the final adopted declaration, the Ministers called for strengthening regional co-operation and welcoming an inclusive and pragmatic methodology of work and to promote an Action Plan, taking into account the importance of education and vocational trainings as cross-cutting issues, around 4 main actions: Raising Women’s Participation in Public Life and Decision-Making; Raising Women’s Economic Participation; Combating all Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls; Challenging cultural and social norms and eliminate gender stereotypes, particularly in and through education and media.

President Guigou emphasised that ‘’true parity between men and women is crucial for economic and social development, for peace, for social and cultural harmony and for the fight against radicalization’’. She said that ‘’It is necessary that women but also men make advance in this awareness’’; however, ‘’Awareness is the first step towards change but this must be accompanied by action’’.

The Anna Lindh Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue promotes knowledge, mutual respect and inter-cultural dialogue between the people of the Euro-Mediterranean region, working through a network of more than 3,000 civil society organisations in 43 countries. Its budget is co-funded by the EU (EUR 10 million) and the EU Member States (EUR 6 million).

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Anna Lindh Foundation