CNDH-UN Regional Workshop on Enhancing the Knowledge Hub Related Women’s Rights for the Middle East and North Africa

The National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are organizing a pioneering regional workshop for the Middle East and North Africa on the Knowledge Hub related to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

This event is part of the United Nations Project “Believing in Rights” and is scheduled for 22 and 23 November 2023 at 9:00 am at the CNDH headquarters in Rabat, Morocco.

This initiative aims to initiate a dialogue in the Middle East and North Africa within the framework of the UN Project “Believing in Rights” and its connections to the CEDAW. The focus will be on the implementation of the relations between religions and women’s rights. Furthermore, the workshop seeks to advance efforts in implementing CEDAW by enhancing the capacities of religious, educational and media stakeholders in the region.

Participants in this workshop will explore several initiatives that National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) can adopt in this context and consider innovative initiatives. They will examine how parliamentarians can effectively engage with the Knowledge Hub of the CEDAW and analyze the role of their involvement in enhancing women’s rights in national legislation. This workshop will be an opportunity to provide recommendations for lifting reservations to CEDAW in the Arab and North African regions.

Participants will address key topics, including:
- CEDAW and International Human Rights Law
- Religion and Women’s Rights
- The “Believing in Rights” Project with a focus on its interconnections with CEDAW and its impact on Women’s Rights in the Arab Region,
- The Role of NHRIs in supporting the Knowledge Hub of CEDAW,
- The Role of Religious actors in supporting the Knowledge Hub of CEDAW and how it can positively influence the development and protection of women’s rights in the Arab region and the lifting of reservations to CEDAW,
- Mechanisms for the engagement of parliamentarians in the Knowledge Hub of CEDAW.

Mrs. Amina Bouayach, CNDH Chairperson, and Dr. Ibrahim Salama, Director of the Human Rights Treaties Branch at OHCHR, will take part in the opening session of this event.

Representatives from NHRIs, professors, journalists from the Middle East and religious actors will also participate in this workshop.