Ministers from the 43 Member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) gathered today in Cairo at the 4th UfM Ministerial Conference on “Strengthening the Role of Women in Society”. They agreed on a common agenda to strengthen the role of women in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

The Ministerial Conference was chaired by the Jordanian Minister of Social Development, Hala Lattouf, in the presence of the UfM Secretary General, Fathallah Sijilmassi. It was hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt represented by the President of the National Council for Women, Maya Morsy.

The ministers acknowledged the efforts made by UfM countries to foster gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment and stressed the need to address the obstacles that still hinder the full participation of women in the public and private spheres. They also encouraged further efforts to consolidate and advance on the progress achieved. To that end they adopted a Declaration with concrete and operational recommendations, actions and measures focused on four priority areas: raising women’s participation in public life and decision-making; improving women’s economic participation; combating all forms of violence against women and girls; and eliminating gender stereotypes.

The Conference saw the presentation of a Progress Report on the advancement of gender equality in the region, prepared as part of the UfM regional dialogue process on women’s empowerment by UfM officials and representatives from the main international and regional organisations.

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Press Release

Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)