International Women’s Day: Joining forces to accelerate progress towards gender equality in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Barcelona, 8 March, 2015. The Union for the Mediterranean joins the international community in celebrating the International Women’s Day, which coincides this year with the 20^th anniversary of the Beijing process, which established a roadmap to achieve gender equality and women’s rights across the world.

The women’s empowerment agenda in the Euro-Mediterranean received a strong support from the region’s leaders at the third Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society, held in September 2013 in Paris.

The Secretariat of the UfM strives to give concrete content to this agenda by supporting projects on women’s empowerment and gender equality; by promoting an horizontal approach to mainstream gender equality throughout its activities; by advancing the women’s empowerment agenda through strategic partnerships with other organizations, as well as by developing its overall role as a regional platform for cooperation in the region.

‘Gender equality means progress for all’ said UfM Secretary General, Mr. Fathallah Sijilmassi ‘It is an absolute condition to achieve inclusive growth, peace and stability in the region. The UfM Secretariat works to make the gender equality agenda in the Euro-Mediterranean region a reality. We contribute, with specific and concrete projects and initiatives, to the benefit of the region’s girls and women’. 

About 20 regional projects and initiatives are currently promoted or under development by the UfM. In addition, the UfM Secretariat and UN Women signed a partnership agreement in September 2014 to strengthen cooperation and coordinate efforts to advance the gender equality agenda in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

As a follow-up of the Ministerial Conference, the UfM Secretariat will organise next 19-20 May in Barcelona a high-level UfM Conference on “Fostering Women Participation in Economic life”, as a platform of dialogue and coordination between key stakeholders in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

The UfM Secretariat believes that, by joining forces, we can all accelerate progress towards the achievement of gender equality in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

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