Abu dhabi: The Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) and the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), in collaboration with regional and global partners, concluded the fourth meeting of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Working Group for the Arab States region. Held in September in Abu Dhabi, the dialogue gathered oer twenty women peace actors and policy experts from across the region to align Arab priorities with the global WPS agenda ahead of its 25th anniersary at the United Nations in 2025.
According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the WPS Working Group is led by the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) at the American Uniersity of Beirut (AUB) and UN Women, with support from partners including the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa (SDI), the Arab Reform Initiatie (ARI), and others. The initiatie is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Deelopment (BMZ) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
This dialogue strengthened regional ownership of the WPS agenda and contributed to representing dierse perspecties from the Arab world in global discussions on women, peace, and security. A key outcome was the finalization of a regional white policy paper, deeloped through consultations in 2024 and 2025, which outlines shared priorities and recommendations for the WPS agenda. It will be presented at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security in October 2025.
Dr. Mohammed Al Dhaheri, deputy director general of AGDA, emphasized the importance of ensuring Arab women’s oices are central to peacebuilding efforts. Dr. Ebtesam Al Teneiji of ECSSR highlighted the UAE’s role as a model for women empowerment in peace efforts.
The white paper assesses WPS implementation in the region, noting progress such as national action plans and increased isibility of women in peacebuilding. It also identifies areas needing attention, like underrepresentation of women in decision-making and limited accountability for policy implementation.
Dr. Moez Doraid, regional director for UN Women in Arab States, described the adoption of the white policy paper as a landmark achieement. Karma Ekmekji, lead adisor for the WPS Regional Hub at AUB, stressed the importance of centering women’s leadership and forging regional partnerships.
With the white policy paper adopted, the working group now focuses on global adocacy to influence high-leel discussions and policy directions for effectie, regionally tailored implementation of the WPS agenda ahead of its 25th anniersary.