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SCW Sec Gen leads delegation at ESCWA Women’s Committee meeting in Oman
Lulwa Saleh Al Awadhi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), led the SCW delegation at the 12th session of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Committee on Women, held in Muscat, Oman, from December 8-9. The meeting brought together representatives from national mechanisms, ministries, and organisations concerned with women’s affairs in member states.
Al Awadhi and the accompanying delegation participated in a high-level session focusing on the regional review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, marking 30 years since its adoption in Arab countries. The session, organised in collaboration with the Arab League and UN Women, assessed progress and challenges in advancing women’s rights.
The Secretary General highlighted Bahrain’s significant strides in safeguarding women’s rights and empowering them through a comprehensive legislative framework. She emphasised Bahrain’s commitment to the Beijing Declaration and its framework as a key reference for advancing women’s progress.
She added that Bahrain’s longstanding dedication to women’s advancement is rooted in its national history, which saw early milestones in education, municipal elections, and economic participation in key sectors. Al Awadhi noted Bahrain’s ongoing efforts to ensure women’s involvement across all domains, promote gender equality, and uphold principles of non-discrimination and equal opportunity.
The meeting highlighted progress on women’s issues, focusing on the theme "leaving no woman or girl behind". Discussions emphasised the most vulnerable groups, including women with disabilities, migrants, older women, rural women, and the social and economic conditions of Palestinian women and girls.
Representatives from member states presented national actions taken to implement recommendations from the 11th session of the Committee on Women, discussed challenges, and outlined requirements for future implementation. The session concluded with the adoption of recommendations for ESCWA and member states and discussions on the timing and venue for the 13th session.
The meeting’s final document emphasised the principles of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, developed commitments to empowering women and girls, and outlined priorities for addressing current regional challenges. The document will be submitted to the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, scheduled for March 2025 in New York.
This session was the culmination of Arab countries’ efforts and ESCWA’s integrated work programme, which reviewed progress over the past 30 years in implementing the Beijing Declaration, highlighting achievements, challenges, and ways forward in the Arab region.