Doha: The Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development (DIIFSD), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is to host its Doha Briefing in New York City next week. The event will take place on Monday during the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, at the United Nations headquarters. DIIFSD has a Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
A statement released by DIIFSD said the theme of this year’s briefing is ‘Arab Spring: A chance or a risk for women’s rights’.
The briefing will begin with remarks by Noor Al Malki Al Jehani, Executive Director of DIIFSD. Dr Nadine Naber, Associate Professor at the University of Michigan, will address new challenges facing women in the region after the Arab Spring. Dr Sophie Richter-Devroe, a lecturer at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter University, will speak on violence against women. Dr Rabab El Mahdi, Associate Professor at the American University in Cairo, will be sharing key insights on the Arab Spring and women’s rights in Egypt.
“The purpose of the briefing by DIIFSD is to explore and highlight how effectively women’s rights are incorporated into broader demands for social, economic and political change in these transitioning countries. It will address why gender empowerment is crucial for the sound socio-economic development of society, and what are the main impediments in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment in the region after the Arab Spring,” said Al Malki.
The Arab Spring has shown the strength and determination of many Arab women who played a major role in uprisings. Hopes were high that political reform would also bring gender equality. Yet, for many women, the optimism which followed the Arab Spring has been replaced by a disappointing autumn.
QNA
