ID :
29780
Wed, 11/12/2008 - 21:04
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/29780
The shortlink copeid
AWO PRESIDENT OPENS CONFERENCE, STRESSES ON IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN SECURITY
By Nor Faridah Rashid
ABU DHABI, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Arab Women Organisation (AWO) president
Sheikha Fatima binti Mubarak Tuesday opened the second conference of the AWO
stressing on the importance of the relationship between human security and
women.
She said that human security is one of the newest concepts used with
regards to the principles of freedom, security and development.
"It is an evolving concept that focuses on transforming those principles
into commitments and applicable mechanisms,''said Sheikha Fatima, who is also
Chairwoman of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Women's Union (GWU) and
Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).
In her keynote address here, she said that the UAE takes great interest in
the issue of human security and looked forward to the ideas and discussions that
lie ahead on the relationship between human security and women.
The three-day high-profile gathering which is hosted by the UAE is themed:
"Women and human security: An Arab and International Perspective."
In her speech Sheikha Fatima also explained that human security encompasses
topics like human rights, good governance, the potential for getting access to
education and healthcare, a clean environment, the eradication of poverty and
the guaranteeing of equal opportunities to individuals so that they may realise
their potential.
''All these are necessary ingredients for a decent and equitable human
life,''she told the audience of Arab First Ladies, heads of delegations, leaders
and representatives of Arab, regional and international women organisations, AWO
members and women rights activists.
Sheikha Fatima said the issues related to human security are basically
universal and are generally shared by all people wherever they are thus it is
important, therefore, to tackle them in a highly coordinated manner and through
openness and a positive dialogue that takes into consideration cultural
peculiarities and seeks to bridge differences.
The UAE believed that positive dialogue and interaction among different
cultures are key instruments for reform, progress and peace, said Sheikha
Fatima who is known as the Mother of the Nation.
Meanwhile, the First Lady of Tunisia Leila Ben Ali said that the Arab
perspective of women's security as part of the notion of human security, does
not differ, in its basic references and noble ideas from the international
perspective.
She noted that in a world where distances have been shortened and its
components interwined, women's issues are the same.
"This however should not overshadow the specificities of Arab women's
realities and aspirations," she said.
She pointed out that despite the considerable progress Arab women have
achieved in various fields, the fact remains that Arab societies are still
confronted with development challenges, saying that in many Arab countries
illiteracy rates are high, reaching over 40 percent for women.
On another point she said that Arab societies are also still suffering a
huge gap between men and women in the economic field.
"As such, eradicating illiteracy and poverty, and achieving gender equality
in all fields, are essential foundations of women's human security,
materialising the concept of comprehensive and sustainable development and
anchoring its dimensions in the Arab region," she said.
The First Lady of Syria Asmaa Al-Assad touched on globalisation, which she
said has left no doubt that the security of individuals and nations are
interlinked and interdepenendent.
"This presents us with new challenges, both economic and cultural, two
cornerstones of human security. Our cultural security is primarily an outcome
of our sense of identity and belonging.
"
We must work to ensure that our cultural identity is not compromised and
we must not allow our history, our traditions or our lifestyle to be distorted
by external forces," she said.
The AWO is establishd as an intergovernmental organisation established
under the umbrella of the League of Arab states and is headquartered in Egypt.
--BERNAMA
ABU DHABI, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Arab Women Organisation (AWO) president
Sheikha Fatima binti Mubarak Tuesday opened the second conference of the AWO
stressing on the importance of the relationship between human security and
women.
She said that human security is one of the newest concepts used with
regards to the principles of freedom, security and development.
"It is an evolving concept that focuses on transforming those principles
into commitments and applicable mechanisms,''said Sheikha Fatima, who is also
Chairwoman of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Women's Union (GWU) and
Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).
In her keynote address here, she said that the UAE takes great interest in
the issue of human security and looked forward to the ideas and discussions that
lie ahead on the relationship between human security and women.
The three-day high-profile gathering which is hosted by the UAE is themed:
"Women and human security: An Arab and International Perspective."
In her speech Sheikha Fatima also explained that human security encompasses
topics like human rights, good governance, the potential for getting access to
education and healthcare, a clean environment, the eradication of poverty and
the guaranteeing of equal opportunities to individuals so that they may realise
their potential.
''All these are necessary ingredients for a decent and equitable human
life,''she told the audience of Arab First Ladies, heads of delegations, leaders
and representatives of Arab, regional and international women organisations, AWO
members and women rights activists.
Sheikha Fatima said the issues related to human security are basically
universal and are generally shared by all people wherever they are thus it is
important, therefore, to tackle them in a highly coordinated manner and through
openness and a positive dialogue that takes into consideration cultural
peculiarities and seeks to bridge differences.
The UAE believed that positive dialogue and interaction among different
cultures are key instruments for reform, progress and peace, said Sheikha
Fatima who is known as the Mother of the Nation.
Meanwhile, the First Lady of Tunisia Leila Ben Ali said that the Arab
perspective of women's security as part of the notion of human security, does
not differ, in its basic references and noble ideas from the international
perspective.
She noted that in a world where distances have been shortened and its
components interwined, women's issues are the same.
"This however should not overshadow the specificities of Arab women's
realities and aspirations," she said.
She pointed out that despite the considerable progress Arab women have
achieved in various fields, the fact remains that Arab societies are still
confronted with development challenges, saying that in many Arab countries
illiteracy rates are high, reaching over 40 percent for women.
On another point she said that Arab societies are also still suffering a
huge gap between men and women in the economic field.
"As such, eradicating illiteracy and poverty, and achieving gender equality
in all fields, are essential foundations of women's human security,
materialising the concept of comprehensive and sustainable development and
anchoring its dimensions in the Arab region," she said.
The First Lady of Syria Asmaa Al-Assad touched on globalisation, which she
said has left no doubt that the security of individuals and nations are
interlinked and interdepenendent.
"This presents us with new challenges, both economic and cultural, two
cornerstones of human security. Our cultural security is primarily an outcome
of our sense of identity and belonging.
"
We must work to ensure that our cultural identity is not compromised and
we must not allow our history, our traditions or our lifestyle to be distorted
by external forces," she said.
The AWO is establishd as an intergovernmental organisation established
under the umbrella of the League of Arab states and is headquartered in Egypt.
--BERNAMA
