UfM Member States commit to strengthen the role of women in society in response to regional crises

October 27, 2022
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The 5th UfM Ministerial Meeting on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society was held this year in Madrid. UfM Member States adopted a Declaration with concrete and operational recommendations, actions and measures focused on four priority areas. These include enhancing legal frameworks; improving women’s access to leadership in public life and decision-making; raising women´s participation in economic life and combatting and preventing violence against women and girls.

Some of the commitments made by the 42 countries promote the transition to formal employment for female workers; support and encourage women’s entrepreneurship; promote gender equality and inclusive models of leadership from early-age education in all fields, including in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); expand gender-responsive finance for climate and environmental action reaching women’s organizations, enterprises and cooperatives; and adopt comprehensive laws that define and criminalize all forms of violence against women and girls, including cyberviolence.

Ministers acknowledged that gender equality in the Euro-Mediterranean region has come a long way since 2015 when they established a regional dialogue process to strengthen the role of women in the UfM countries. According to the 1st UfM Progress Report on gender equality, published in March 2022, many countries have strengthened legal frameworks and developed new programs and policies in order to increase women’s participation in political, economic, and social spheres and to protect women from all forms of discrimination and gender-based violence.

For more information

Countries covered:

  • Algeria
  • Egypt
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Libya
  • Morocco
  • Palestine *
  • Syria *
  • Tunisia
Thematics
Gender