This week, Australia is hosting a delegation of influential Arab women leaders who are at the forefront of the changes taking place in the Middle East as a result of events widely referred to as the Arab Spring.
In Canberra yesterday, eight women from Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, converged at the Australian National University to discuss women and the Arab Spring, in particular human rights, change and emerging democracies.
This is the first of many events being held across Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne as part of the first Australian Arab Women's Dialogue.
The Dialogue will provide a forum for participants to discuss the role of women in building and sustaining democratic practice in the Middle East and Australia. It will consider women's roles in emerging democracies in the Arab world, as well as share information, strategies and experiences regarding women's participation in democratic governance. The Dialogue will also raise awareness of the issues confronting women in both Australia and the Arab world.
The women are taking part in major public events, expert roundtable discussions and meetings with prominent Australia leaders including politicians, public officials, business women, activists and journalists.
The Dialogue aims to strengthen relations between Australia and the Arab world and will provide opportunities to:
- enable learning about the participation of women in political, social and economic life in both the Arab world and in Australia
- better inform Australians about the role Arab women play in building democracy in these countries, and vice versa
- exchange ideas, initiatives and strategies about participation in democratic governance
- challenge some of the myths and misperceptions women in Australia and the Arab world might have about one another
- create an enduring and supportive international network.
The Dialogue is sponsored by AusAID, the Australian National University's School of Politics and International Relations, Etihad Airlines and the Council for Australian–Arab Relations managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.