The General Women’s Union organizes a dialogue session on national and international experiences in combating violence against women

ABU DHABI, 29 November / WAM / The General Women’s Union, at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, organized an expanded dialogue session entitled “National and International Experiences in Combating Violence against Women: Together to Protect Women – Gulf and International Experiences in Combating Violence,” on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The session was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the Supreme Council for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the League of Arab States, the International Telecommunication Union, and UN Women.

The session aimed to present national, Gulf and international experiences in preventing violence against women and girls, and to highlight effective initiatives in the participating countries, in addition to raising community awareness about different forms of violence and ways to prevent them, which contributes to creating a safe and supportive environment for women and girls.

It also sought to enhance regional coordination and develop joint initiatives that would build an integrated system for preventing and responding to violence against women and girls, and ensure the sustainability of efforts at the national and regional levels.

The session witnessed the raising of a set of specialized questions that formed the focus of discussion among the participating parties. Representatives of the UAE highlighted national policies that have proven effective in reducing violence against women and girls, and mechanisms for enhancing regional and international cooperation in this field, while the Kingdom of Bahrain reviewed the most prominent lessons learned from women’s protection programs, and the role of government and community partnerships in strengthening the response system.

The International Telecommunication Union provided an in-depth reading of the concept of digital violence and its increasing patterns in light of technological transformation, and reviewed the recommended policies to enhance the protection of women in the digital space, while the United Nations Women discussed the most prominent forms of violence that women face, and the priorities for urgent intervention to enhance protection, and the League of Arab States highlighted the pivotal role of the Arab Declaration to Combat Violence against Women in unifying Arab visions and providing a supportive framework for the efforts of countries.

Her Excellency Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of the General Women’s Union, confirmed that organizing this session comes as a translation of the vision of our wise leadership to establish a safe environment that protects women and guarantees them all the elements of well-being and human dignity, noting that the UAE has been keen to adopt an integrated legislative and institutional system that enhances the protection of women from all forms of violence.

She said: “Strengthening efforts to combat violence against women and girls requires participatory and integrated work between national, regional and international institutions, which is what we are keen on doing in the General Women’s Union under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates”, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, through sustainable initiatives and established partnerships. The participation of an elite group of Gulf and international bodies in this session constitutes a qualitative addition that enhances the exchange of experiences and unification. Visions for a safer and more just future for every woman and girl.”

She added that the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women represents a renewed opportunity to affirm the UAE’s commitment to moving forward in setting qualitative policies and developing programs that protect women’s rights and support their effective participation in society.

At the beginning of the dialogue session, Anoud Youssef Abdel Mohsen, Acting Director of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Center for Women, Peace and Security at the General Women’s Union, delivered a speech in which she stressed the Union’s keenness to strengthen national and regional efforts in protecting women, noting the importance of exchanging experiences and unifying initiatives aimed at preventing all forms of violence against women and girls.

The media session was moderated by Amira Mohammed, with the participation of Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, Counselor Alia Al Kaabi, Chief of the Family and Children’s Prosecution in Abu Dhabi, Counselor Sylvia Ball, Senior Advisor for Gender and Youth Affairs at the General Secretariat of the International Telecommunication Union, Mrs. Doaa Khalifa, Director of the Women’s Department at the League of Arab States, Mrs. Kaltham Khamis Al Kaabi, Head of the Legal Affairs Department at the Supreme Council for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Mrs. Nisreen Al Mulla, Foreign Policy Advisor at UN Women.

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