Legislatures can play a crucial role in establishing a legal environment that protects women from violence. With WFD support, the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries to Combat Violence Against Women was established in 2014 to pursue reforms and introduce legislation that promotes and protects women’s rights. Calling for change at the national and regional level, the Coalition is a network that unites women MPs from thirteen countries across the Middle East and North Africa.

WFD has been working with the Coalition to support female MPs and other regional actors to promote women's political leadership, protect women through legislation, and tackle gender discrimination. In 2016, the Coalition proposed the concept of a regional Arab convention and advocated for its adoption in national parliaments and within the League of Arab States (LAS). Subsequently, the Coalition established a regional committee, comprising several of its members and experts to draft the convention, with the support of WFD.

After years of dedicated advocacy and lobbying by the Coalition, the Arab Declaration on Combatting all Forms of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) was officially launched in December 2022, by the LAS. This Declaration is the first regional initiative to protect women and girls from violence. It not only publicly emphasises the importance of addressing VAWG in the region but also details commitments on how LAS member states can achieve this.

With the support of WFD, the Coalition continues collaborating on a regional level to advocate for the implementation and realisation of the Declaration and its provisions. In March 2024, women political leaders called for the protection of women in Gaza during a conference organised by WFD and the Coalition. Coinciding with International Women’s Day 2024, leaders from Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, and Qatar, as well as representatives of the Arab IPU and the Arab Parliament, came together in Amman to discuss the Declaration and call on the international community to work to protect women and children and end the Israel-Gaza war.  The two-day event resulted in the Arab Parliament and Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) making a commitment to adopt the Arab Declaration on Combating all Forms of Violence against Women and Girls and support its implementation within national parliaments in the region. 

The Declaration falls under the patronage of the LAS – representatives of which were also in attendance. Along with the Coalition of Women MPs, they highlighted the importance of coordination and discussed actions to support countries in the region to advance the Declaration’s provisions.

"The…Parliament is ready to adopt and support the…Declaration… [and coordinate] with national councils and parliaments... when preparing or updating national legislation related to combating violence against women.” - H.E. Dr. Ahlam Al-Lafi, Head of the Social, Educational, Cultural, Women and Youth Affairs Committee in the Arab Parliament.

The ongoing Israel-Gaza war – and its disproportionate impact on women and children – was a focus of discussion across the two days with the Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs, Dr Amal Hamad, highlighting appalling conditions including food insecurity and subsequent starvation, attempted and actual displacement, and the rising death toll.  

This was further emphasised by H.E. Wafa Bani Mustafa, Minister of Social Development, government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women’s Empowerment, and Chair of the Coalition of Women MPs from Arab Countries to Combat Violence against Women.  

Attendees also looked to the future, discussing the role of women in peace negotiations, and exploring initiatives to support women’s active and meaningful participation in efforts to bring an end to the war. As H.E. Inaya Ezzeddine, Chair of the Women and Children Committee, Lebanese House of Representatives, commented, “The most prominent obstacles that prevent the fair representation of women in delegations for negotiations for peace are social norms, cultural biases, and the lack of sufficient funding for women’s organisations working for peace.”

WFD will continue to work with our partners at the Coalition and the LAS to progress the realisation of the Declaration in the region. We remain committed to supporting efforts to protect and promote women’s rights – and ending violence against women – through both our research and programmatic work across the world.