Despite strides toward inclusivity in the MENA region, the disparities are stark, especially concerning women’s economic empowerment, the intersection of gender and climate change, and the pervasive issue of violence against women and girls (VAWG). In the MENA economic landscape, less than 5% of businesses in the region are women-led, a staggering contrast to the global average of 23-26%. This lack of representation translates into annual losses of $575 billion, a sum that underscores the untapped potential within the female workforce. Despite the willingness of nearly one in three women to start businesses, structural barriers persist, from financial constraints to entrenched gender norms.
By 2050, climate change may push up to 158 million more women and girls into poverty and forced displacement, and may cause 232 million of them to face food insecurity, according to report launched at COP28 by UN Women. UN Environment states that 80% of the people displaced by climate change are women or girls facing heightened risks of poverty, violence or unintended pregnancies as they migrate to safer locations. It is clear that women have a pivotal role in the fight against climate change, which must be internationally recognized.
Moreover, VAWG remains a pervasive issue across the MENA region, perpetuated by systemic inequalities and gender stereotypes. According to the World Bank, at least 35 percent of women in MENA region have experienced some form of violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime – placing MENA second highest in the world. This figure could be even higher due to lack of reporting.
Against this backdrop of challenges and obstacles, the Republic of Cyprus will host the High-Level Conference on Women for the Mediterranean on 30,31 May 2024, co-organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Commissioner for Gender Equality of the Republic of Cyprus. The event builds on the momentum generated during the last conference in Madrid, Spain, in October 2022, and aligns with the Republic of Cyprus’ commitment to societal change, as the host country prepares for the EU Council Presidency in 2026.
The 2024 conference serves as a platform to discuss and adopt the Roadmap for implementation 2024-2025, a strategic initiative aimed at operationalizing the 5th UfM Ministerial Declaration on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society approved in Madrid in 2022. The roadmap stems from a comprehensive process initiated after the Ministerial Declaration in 2022 and was shaped during the UfM Regional Platform on Women Empowerment meetings held online and in Barcelona throughout 2023. The UfM’s commitment to gender equality has been further highlighted by the launch of the Intergovernmental Monitoring Mechanism on Gender Equality. This mechanism, initiated in 2020, provides a comprehensive tool to measure and report progress on women’s rights. The Conference will also follow up on this tool and assess its indicators.
The High-Level Conference on Women in Cyprus will facilitate concrete discussions, lessons learned, and the presentation of good practices and initiatives from country representatives across the Euro-Mediterranean region. With a focus on Women Economic Empowerment, Gender and Climate Change, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Media Narration on Gender, the event aims to shape concrete recommendations for the Roadmap to advance gender equality.