Lebanon's First Lady opens activities of forum on Arab women and international conflicts

Activities of the "Arab woman and armed conflicts forum" started yesterday in Beirut with a celebration patroned by the Lebanese First Lady Andree Lahoud, on the occasion of the " Woman world Day."

The forum is attended by First Ladies such as from Syria, Mrs. Asmaa al-Assad, from Egypt Mrs Suzanne Mubarak and several wives of Arab heads of states and princesses.

Mrs. Lahoud said that March 8th is a blessed occasion because it reflects the interaction of all good will at the regional, national and international levels to honor the woman, and is indeed an occasion to review and assess the already made achievements, to pinpoint needs and priorities in the area of developing women and their conditions so as to build a humane society, based on international law of human rights.

Lahoud added that despite pressures and the aggressions against the Arab states and the chronically tense situation in the region, the pace of common Arab action has increased to upgrade women conditions and efforts have been accelerated as "we see initiatives aiming at enhancing opportunities for women and boosting their conditions in the Arab region."

Mrs. Lahoud said that the common Arab action establishment ( the woman's organization) is a necessary step but not enough and requires more efforts and cooperation in order to improve the status of women in every and each Arab state, and to cooperate with all sides concerned to this effect, especially with the civic organizations and governmental and national Arab women sides.

On the sideline of the celebration, a photograph exhibition was opened in which pictures for 20 Lebanese pioneering women were displayed under the title "Daughters of my country." The event was run in collaboration between the national commission of the Lebanese woman affairs and the Lebanese national establishment for heritage.

Worthy mentioning that the activities of the conference will be opened today ( Monday) by speeches from the first Arab women and then an extraordinary meeting will be opened for the higher council for member states in the Arab women organization which was established in 2001. This body is affiliated to the Arab League and is currently including 12 members and has Cairo as a headquarters.

This will be followed by the sessions of the conference's main activity on the "status of women in legislations and mechanisms relating to armed conflicts " and then a general session will be held on the agreements, resolutions and regional mechanism to implement it.

This will be followed by the second main issue which will be under the title " the position of the Arab women towards conflicts.." In this context three roundtable will be held on psychological and physical health, the social and economic status and cultural education and on Tuesday the activities of the forum will be complemented by several activities including a general session on the third issue which will be " the role of the Arab woman and mean of empower her to build justice and peace." This will be coupled by a roundtable to discuss the role of the Arab woman in armed conflicts, the youths and the concept of justice and peace.