Connect with us

Emirates

General Women’s Union, UN Women organise panel discussion on violence against women

DUBAI, 30th November, 2021 (WAM) — The General Women's Union, in collaboration with the UN Women, has organised a panel discussion titled "Violence against women, its causes and ways to prevent it", at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The panel discussion is held in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is marked on 25 November and the ensuing 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence which follow (ending on December, 10 Human Rights Day). The 16-Day campaign is marked around the world to call attention to the urgent need to end violence against women and girls.

The opening remarks were delivered by Noura Al Suwaidi Secretary-General of the General Women's Union, Dr. Dena Assaf, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the United Arab Emirates and the Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations at Expo 2020 Dubai, Andrea Matteo Fontana, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates & Commissioner-General for Expo 2020 and Dr. Mouza Al-Shehhi, Director of the UN Women- Liaison Office for the GCC.

The panel discussion focused on three key topics; policies and legislation and their role in protecting women, the role of national mechanisms and programs to protect women from violence and finally, violence as a rising global phenomenon and how societies can uproot it. Participants in the panel were Captain Dr. Hawa Al-Raisi, Director of the Awareness, Human Rights Department at the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Amal Mahmoud Abdel-Aal, Legal Adviser to Abu Dhabi Shelter and Humanitarian Care Centre (Ewa'a), and Mahra Rashid Al Qubaisi, Director of Ewa'a.

Noura Al Suwaidi Secretary-General of the General Women's Union said "The UAE has a clear vision on the importance of effective mechanisms to protect women, based on our firm belief that women have human rights that cannot be violated. It is the firm stance of the Government, and H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), that Women are effective partners in establishing stable and secure societies, and guaranteeing their protection and rights is an investment in development and growth."

Andrea Matteo Fontana, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates & Commissioner-General for Expo 2020 said "The European Union has made it one of its key priorities to prevent and combat all forms of gender-based violence through all its instruments. Within our borders, we want to propose new concrete measures to prevent violence against women and girls, including online, to protect and support victims, improve their access to justice, and to ensure better coordination between competent authorities. We also hope to be able to extend the list of ‘EU crimes' to cover hate speech and hate crime."

"Internationally, we have adopted the Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment. The Action Plan celebrated its first anniversary on 25 November. It provides an ambitious policy framework to achieve a gender equal world and empower women and girls globally."

Dr. Dena Assaf, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the United Arab Emirates and the Deputy Commissioner-General of the United Nations at Expo 2020 Dubai, said " We are delighted to host this panel discussion at the UN Pavilion at Expo 2020 to celebrate the 16-Day campaign, and to highlight the importance of policies, protection mechanisms and national programs that ensure the safety of all women and girls. The United Nations continues to support the UAE's efforts to eliminate violence against women. In particular, the UAE's commitment to promoting women's rights in all sectors and creating a safe environment for them. It is therefore important that the GWU, the government and civil society partners, who are with us at the UN pavilion today, to send a strong message about the need for collaboration and concerted efforts to end violence against women."

Dr. Mouza Al-Shehhi, Director of the UN Women- Liaison Office for the GCC, noted that " UN Women Liaison Office for the GCC is delighted to collaborate with GWU and other national stakeholders to bring to the forefront the issue of escalating violence against women and to look together for meaningful and strategic solutions. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has expressed, on more than one occasion, that violence against women and girls is a global challenge that violates human rights, and that the Covid-19 crisis has created a shadow pandemic of high levels of violence against women due to the exceptional circumstances that the world has experienced. UN Women urges all countries to take all possible legislative and societal measures to end this dangerous trend now."

The UAE rejects violence against women based on its vision of rejecting all forms of violence, extremism, and hatred speech, and upholding the values of tolerance, peace, and co-existence. The principle of gender equality in education, employment, access to assistance, social and health benefits, among others, is a constitutional right. Moreover, in November 2021 and as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations, the UAE announced unprecedented law reforms, granting women residing in the country more rights and protection.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Emirates

Intermobility Expo 2023 Kicks Off with Grand Opening by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer

Informa Connect, the global leader for events in the Middle East region has successfully
concluded the day one of the most awaited events of its calendar, the Intermobility Expo
2023 started on 21 st November at World Trade Center, Dubai.
The 22 nd edition of the Intermobility Expo 2023, which was known as the Gulf Traffic, the
largest Intelligent Transport and Future Mobility Summit of the Middle East, Turkey, and
Africa was officially launched by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of
the Board of Executive Directors at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), at an exciting
opening ceremony in the presence of industrial experts and government delegates.
On day one of the largest transport expo, key players in the Middle Easts transport industry
came together to discuss how new technological advancements that can be leveraged to
address road hazards and enhance safety, which is a critical factor in managing dynamic cities
in the GCC and beyond. Enriching discussions on topics like Driving Change: Governments
Role in Mobility, underscoring the vital influence of the government in molding the
trajectory of mobility, saw enhanced participation from the attendees.
H.E. Sheikh Nasser Majid Al Qasimi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Infrastructure
and Transport Regulation Sector at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, also
graced the occasion with his esteemed presence and commended the UAEs unwavering
dedication to reimagining transportation. He highlights, “;The country envisions a smart and
interconnected transport system, integrating advanced technologies, autonomous vehicles,
smart infrastructure, and a strong emphasis on green mobility, as showcased by the Global
Market for Electric Vehicles initiative. Recognizing the strategic importance of an integrated
transport system for economic growth, social harmony, and environmental sustainability, the
UAE stands as a global leader in adopting ambitious initiatives.”

Continue Reading

Emirates

Dulsco Group and clients root for climate change action in mangrove tree plantation drive

Dulsco Group has reinforced its commitment to spearheading
and supporting environmental initiatives by bringing together 100 team members from its
portfolio of businesses comprising Dulsco Environment, Dulsco People, Parisima and
Advance Global Recruitment, and corporate clients like BRF, ENOC Link and Fischer to
plant 300 mangrove trees to help in the fight against climate change.
Part of Dulsco Group’s sustainability agenda in the run up to COP28, the event was held to
support the UAE National Carbon Sequestration Project, which Dulsco proudly signed up for
in 2023. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment project aims to plant 100 million
new mangrove trees across the country by 2030.

Each participant in the Dulsco drive planted three trees at Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary, run
by the Emirates Marine Environmental Group (EMEG). And, thanks to new technology and
virtual reality, the trees’ progress and contribution to carbon savings can be monitored
through the EcoMatcher app, which promotes transparency and traceability in tree planting.

Mangrove trees play a key role in conservation, by stabilising and protecting coastlines,
preventing erosion, supporting wildlife within the ecosystem and serving as a habitat for
thousands of species. They also reduce harmful greenhouse gases by isolating up to 13.6
kg of carbon each year. This means that the 300 trees planted on 16 November – and the
120 planted by Dulsco last year – will collectively capture 5,712 kg of carbon dioxide
annually.

The UAE is currently home to 60 million mangrove trees that span 183 sq km and capture
43,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. An additional 100 million trees will mean
115,000 tons of CO2 will be sequestered every year.

John Grainger, Chief Operating Officer at Dulsco Environment, said: “As a leading
force in environmental solutions, Dulsco is proud to support initiatives that preserve and
enhance our planet. Following our first mangrove tree planting initiative with our
employees last year, we made this year’s event bigger and better by bringing together our
valued team members and clients across our businesses as one, reinforcing our joint
commitment to creating a better future for our people and the world we live in.

“The EMEG does a wonderful job in protecting marine life at Jebel Ali, and we are delighted
to play our part in enhancing the sanctuary’s natural eco-system and biodiversity.”

Dulsco’s tree planting initiative also included a beach clean-up drive that resulted in
collecting 1,246 kilos of waste, in line with the company’s continued commitment to
protecting the environment and encouraging more green thinking among team members, key
stakeholders and the public.

Continue Reading

Emirates

UAE President issues federal decree appointing Under- Secretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, For Emiratisation

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahya ,

the President of UAE, issued a Federal
Decree appointing H.E. Aisha Mohamed Ahmed Belharfia, as Under-
Secretary of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, For
Emiratisation. Belharfia served previously as Acting Under-Secretary for Emiratisation
Affairs and Assistant Under-Secretary for Labour Affairs at MOHRE.
She also taken responsibilities related to Labour offices and licenses,
and contributed to the development of laws and legislation regulating
the Labour sector. Belharfia launched various projects and initiatives
aimed at raising the efficiency of the Labour market.

Continue Reading

Trending