Chaired by Mrs. Nouara Saadia Djaafar, Agerian Deputy Minister in Charge of Family and Women's Conditions, AWO's third session addressed the theme of ‘‘Arab Women: The Environmental Dimension of Sustainable Development''. Dr. Hela Al-Khimi Al-Haouarani (Jordan) highlighted the role of women in the protection of the environment, as well as the preservation of nature. In this context, she underscored the need for deepening women's awareness in relation to ecological issues and to favour their contribution to their resolution. Furthermore, Dr. Al-Haouarani shed light on the role of cultivated women operating in the fields of education and information in the awareness efforts regarding the importance of environmental questions. She also evoked the role of mothers in anchoring a healthy environmental behavior in children. On the other hand, Dr. Al-Haouarani called for the organisation of training sessions, as well as workshops with the aim of supporting women associations in the environmental field and to have them involved in the elaboration of the environment protection policies. On her part, Om Kalthoum Ben Hassine (Tunisia) affirmed that the achievement of sustainable development depends on establishing a firm link between the imperatives of socio-economic development and ecological awareness. This, according to the speaker, requires stepping up efforts so as to achieve innovating technical solutions. Mrs. Ben Hassine also stressed the need to further involve women in the area of scientific research in order to guarantee equal opportunities with men in this domain. Taking the floor, Dr. Fadwa Kallab (Lebanon) underscored the major role devoted to women in consumption rationalisation inside and outside the family. She strongly recommended to back up small-scale projects destined to women and to reinforce the national legislations in relation to women's rights to implement their roles at the economic and developmental levels. At the end of the panel, participants strongly recommended to take more interest in rural women and to strengthen their participation in the process of sustainable development throughout the Arab World. Finally, participants paid tribute to Tunisia's First Lady, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali, AWO's Chairwoman, for her inaugural speech which according to them constitutes a major step ahead for the further improvement of women's status and empowerment.
