Since her inception at the Presidency of the Arab Women Organisation (AWO) on March 2009, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali has shown a strong commitment to adopt practical initiatives and innovative programmes, and mechanisms for the benefit of Arab women, based on Tunisia's pioneering experience in empowering women. The Tunisian presidency of AWO which will continue until November 2011, has already led to ground breaking forays as shown by the following measures: • Breaking the silence surrounding all types of violence and discrimination against women through the implementation of a strategy to combat violence against women. In this context the AWO issued a reference book entitled “Violence Against Women: Between the Burden of Reality and the Consecration of Universal Values,” with a foreword by Mrs. Leila Ben Ali. In her foreword, the First Lady notes that violence against women remains among the phenomena offending the very nature of humanity. • Furthermore, on the occasion of the International Women's Day a conference on fighting violence against women was held in Tunis on March 8 and 9, 2010 under the motto “Fighting violence against women: A consecration of universal values”. Tunisia's First Lady inaugurated the conference with an opening address that attracted attention regionally and internationally for her analysis and the measures she suggested to counter this scourge. • Mrs. Ben Ali recommended the launch of the Arab Women Commission for International Humanitarian Law on the occasion of the observance of Arab Women Day on February 1 , 2010. The proposal was adopted on AWO's second conference held on November 2008 in Abu Dhabi. • The First Lady also called AWO's Highest Council to enable the Arab girl to be represented at the International Conference for Youth to be held in 2010, following a proposition by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to proclaim 2010, the International Year of Youth. • On August 26th , 2009 and on the occasion of the World Information Technology Forum held in Vietnam, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali called for adopting a Charter on Human Digital Solidarity in order to further reinforce the capacity of building a fair and balanced universal informational and communicational space. • Since her inception at the Presidency of the Arab Women Organisation (AWO), Mrs. Leila Ben Ali also took the initiative to set up an Observatory to monitor social and political legislation related to Arab women's affairs. • Tunisia also took the initiative of issuing a magazine titled “The Voice of Arab Women from Tunisia”; it also created a website on the Tunisian Presidency of the Arab women Organisation, in the person of Mrs. Leila Ben Ali. The website gives a full account of women's status in Tunisia and in the Arab World and showcases AWO's various activities. • On November 10-13, 2009, Tunisia hosted AWO's media training sessions to promote the image of Arab women in the media. • In a related event, Tunisia's First Lady created the Prize for the Best Media Production on Arab Women which was awarded to Tunisian media women consecutively in 2006 and 2009. • In its 29th session, the Arab Council of Social Affairs ministers unanimously adopted a proposal to create the Arab Elderly Day, which will be celebrated every September 25, following the First Lady's call to Arab First Ladies and members of AWO's Higher Council. The event will coincide with the observance of the International Day for the Elderly. • The First Lady of Tunisia also called to devise a joint cultural strategy between AWO and ALESCO, whose aim is to promote women's status. This call aims at anchoring authentic cultural values meant to protect women's rights and further reinforce their position as essential partners in various areas of intellectual and creative activity. As part of Tunisia's presidency of the AWO, which will continue until February 2011, Tunisia has emphasised the need to organise important events, notably: • The Arab Youth Dialogue Programme, held last July 7, 2010, is an important strategic programme which stresses the role of youths in consolidating the status of Arab women in society and public life. The next session of the AWO, to be held in Tunis, will help Arab youths have a clearer insight on women's role in sustainable development. More importantly, this event is in line with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's initiative to declare 2010, as the International Year of Youth. • A preparatory meeting was held, on July 8-9, 2010 to devise a joint cultural strategy consolidating women's status, in collaboration with ALECSO and AWO, following Mrs. Ben Ali's call to promote culture, which represents an instrument for enlightenment, change and modernisation. On the basis of all these achievements and initiatives, as well as the gains made by Tunisian women, Tunisia is proud to hold AWO's third conference, under the presidency of Mrs. Leila Ben Ali, on the theme, “Arab Women: an Essential Partner in Sustainable Development”.
