Abu Dhabi to host UN Women liaison office

SHARJAH // The newly-launched UN Women liaison office in the capital, one of five worldwide, will focus on policy advocacy and advice to remove barriers to equal opportunities for women and girls in the region.

Aiming to help write policy and ensure equality laws are implemented will be the focus of the office, which will begin operations next year.

UN Women has 89 country offices, and liaison offices in Denmark, Brussels, Tokyo and Geneva.

“It will support formulation of polices being drawn up in countries in this region and encourage formulation of policies where they don’t exist,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngucka.

“We can help make sure countries have the legislation for ending violence against women and support implementation where it exists. We can make sure there is policy practice that encourages participation and leadership of women.”

The Government supports UN Women financially in implementing the UN Security Council resolution on women, peace and security, she said.

The Abu Dhabi office will also collaborate with nations outside the region on issues of women refugees, migrants and war victims.

The liaison office has the support of the General Women’s Union and its Chairwoman, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.

The UN’s strengths in framing policies and governance would help organisations collaborating with the global body, said Ameera Binkram, deputy chairwoman of Nama Women Advancement Establishment and chairwoman of Sharjah Business Women Council.

On Thursday, Nama began putting together a study on women’s economic empowerment in a session with the UN Women, non-government and private-sector groups at conference in Sharjah.

“Our first priority is to empower women economically and we want to create a policy that is adopted by governments worldwide and especially in the region, whether it’s policy legislation, access to capital or bringing public and private sectors together,” she said.

“The girls’ ambassadors for peace programme is also another primary focus. Rather than everyone investing in their own programmes, we need to be speaking together, agree on a few strong initiatives and scale it up.”

Nama was launched a year ago by Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi – Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and wife of Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah – to manage projects on women.