Arab congress on women and poverty meets in Casablanca next week

The Arab League is holding in Casablanca this March 20-22 a congress on women and poverty with the collaboration of Moroccan authorities.

Held under the aegis of King Mohammed VI, the event will bring together Arab officials in charge of poverty policies, NGOs working in local development and delegates of international organizations, says a statement of the Moroccan ministry of women condition, childhood, family protection and integration of handicapped persons.

Participants will be looking into causes of poverty among women in the Arab world and reach a shared vision on how to address the situation through the exchange of experience and methods. The congress will assess programs, projects and activities meant to reduce poverty among women and adopt recommendations for decision-makers to include the gender issue in development policies.

The encounter is held pursuant to recommendations of the Arab preparatory meeting to the 4th world conference on women, (Amman 1994) and to the call by Arab governments and Ngos to collect data on poverty among women.