New York, June 11 (Petra) — Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani
Mustafa discussed prospects for expanding cooperation with the United
Nations in the fields of social development, women’s empowerment and
social protection during talks with United Nations
Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Sima
Bahous.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of engagements in New York,
focused on strengthening existing partnerships and exploring new
avenues of cooperation in support of women, vulnerable groups and
sustainable social development initiatives.

Bani Mustafa, who serves as chair of the 45th session of the Council
of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, highlighted the central role
played by UN Women in advancing gender equality and supporting
women’s empowerment across the region.

She stressed the importance of continuing cooperation on the Women’s
and Girls’ Oasis project and expanding its reach to benefit a larger
number of women and girls across the Kingdom.

The minister reaffirmed that women’s empowerment remains a national
priority, noting that increasing women’s participation in economic,
social and political life is a key pillar of sustainable development
and modernization efforts.

Bani Mustafa also reviewed efforts to strengthen inclusive social
protection systems, emphasizing the ministry’s work to build an
integrated framework that responds to women’s needs and provides
protection, care and economic empowerment opportunities.

The discussions addressed support for the Arab Center for Social
Policy Studies and the Eradication of Multidimensional Poverty, with
a focus on enhancing its role in developing policies aimed at
reducing poverty across Arab countries.

She also highlighted the importance of supporting the Amman
Declaration on Persons with Disabilities and advancing Arab
priorities beyond the 2030 development agenda, while emphasizing the
need for continued coordination between regional United Nations
offices and the League of Arab States.

Bani Mustafa praised the partnership with UN Women, noting that
cooperation between the two sides has contributed to the
implementation of a range of programs supporting social protection
and sustainable development objectives.

She called for further expansion of joint initiatives during the
coming phase, including support for programs launched by the
Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment, such as the School of
Political Participation initiative, which seeks to strengthen women’s
engagement in public life and encourage broader participation in
electoral processes.

For her part, Bahous underscored the importance of the social
programs implemented through cooperation between the two sides and
expressed support for further developing the partnership in the
future.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to strengthening
collaboration in areas related to social inclusion, women’s
empowerment and sustainable development.

//Petra// RZ