Mrs. Mubarak: No future, development without women's partnership
Regional, Culture, 11/4/2002

Egypt's First Lady Suzanne Mubarak yesterday stressed on the need to consider the Arab woman as a human power that would be of great support towards achieving progress.

Addressing the opening session of the second Arab Women's Summit in Amman, which brought together Arab first ladies, Mrs. Mubarak applauded what the Arab woman has attained over the last two years.

Mrs. Mubarak emphasised the experiences of Arab women and their abilities to achieve and contribute to society.

"Arab women have been able to realise success, and they should not spare any effort to achieve the goals to which they aspire," she said.

"Since the first Arab Women's Summit, woman has proved her ability to interact with all developments, expressing her pride of what has been achieved since then," Mrs. Mubarak said.

Holding Arab Women's Summit, Mrs. Mubarak said, came to stress the interaction with the demands of the era.

"Women-related gatherings and forums held in many Arab countries are really the crowning achievement in the struggle of the Arab woman throughout history to obtain her rights and assume her role in serving society for the sake of progress," she said.

"These meetings help activate her role in all fields, and succeeded in meeting the objectives regarding women's issues," Mrs. Mubarak stated.

She elaborated: "We are looking at the concept of the summit in the broadest sense of the term, recognising no boundaries circumscribed by official authorities or government positions, rather encompassing all the women's intellectual leaderships in the Arab world and the pioneers in political, economic, social and scientific activities therein. "

Mrs. Mubarak said that the Arab woman is a full partner to man in development and progress.

"There would be no development without the participation of half of society and no future without the contribution of woman in shaping it," she added.

Mrs. Mubarak pointed out to the huge resources of Arab expertise, qualifications and skills that need to be explored.

She further noted that the Arab Women's Summit is extending an open invitation for each and every Arab woman in the field, factory and office to exert efforts and provide a considerable international experience commensurate with their responsibilities and duties.

"Thanks to these forums, the idea of establishing the Arab Women's Organisation arose and became a reality," she said, adding that the declaration of the project of the Arab Women's Organisation at the special session of the Women's Summit in Cairo in November 2001 was the frame, under which efforts of Arab women will be pooled in the Arab world on the official and public levels.

Previous Stories:
  Five leading figures take part in Arab Women Summit   (11/2/2002)
  Mrs. Mubarak opens second conference for women   (10/26/2002)
  Woman's political right in the Arab states   (5/20/2002)

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