Women seminar calls for Arab - African observatory on women

The regional seminar on "Arab - African women facing the 21st century challenges," held here Mar.31-Apr.1, called for setting up an Arab-African observatory to probe the situation of women in the region and to develop exchanges between Arab and African countries.

Participants underlined, in a document entitled "the Casablanca call," the need to join efforts to prove that Islam does not contradict women's rights and called for more tolerance and dialogue.

The document also proposed the creation of Arab - African NGO networks, the development of scientific research in the region and the promotion of South-South cooperation to face the globalization challenges.

The encounter, which was attended by experts and researchers from 12 Arab and African countries, examined topics on globalization and technology challenges, women and socio-economic changes: values and identity, globalization and legal and political situation of women and globalization, human rights and women's condition.