This conference, held on the 16th-17th February 2007, marks the publication of the Fourth Arab Human Development Report, Towards the Rise of Women in the Arab World.

Women in positions of leadership in academia, diplomacy, government, international organizations, the media, sport and film from across the Arab world met to speak from experience and help set the agenda for Arab women in the Twenty First Century.

Coming from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, all of the speakers emphasized the record of accomplishment of Arab women and the need to build on these foundations to achieve the empowerment of Arab women and Arab society as a whole.

The conference was jointly organized by The Muthabara Foundation in Dubai, and the Middle East Centre.
Conference Photos by Naysan Rafati © Middle East Centre, St Antony's College
Speakers and audience
Speakers and audience
Conference break
Conference break
Lecture Theatre
Outside the Lecture Theatre
Group Photo
End of the conference

Conference Programme

Friday 16 February 2007
The Rise of Women in the Arab World: The Fourth Arab Human Development Report
Public Lecture   Rima Khalaf Hunaidi (Chair of Advisory Board of the Arab Human Development Report)           
Discussant          Eugene Rogan (Director, The Middle East Centre)                         

Saturday 17 February 2007
Opening remarks            Eugene Rogan, Director, the Middle East Centre, Oxford          
Opening remarks            Serra Kirdar Meliti, Director, The Muthabara Foundation, Dubai                             

Panel 1 Women in Print
Speaker               Randa Habib (Director of Agence France Presse in Jordan)                       
Speaker               Shereen Abou el-Naga (Cairo University)                          
Discussant          Walter Armbrust (The Middle East Centre, Oxford)      

Panel 2 Women in Diplomacy
Speaker               Nabeela al-Mulla (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Kuwait)
Discussant          Nada al-Nashif (UN/ILO Regional Director for Arab States)                        

Panel 3 Women in Government
Speaker               Sheikha Lubna bin Khalid Al Qasimi (Minister of Economy, United Arab Emirates)
Discussant          Rima Khalaf Hunaidi      

Panel 4 Women in Sport
Speaker               Nawal El Moutawakel (International Olympic Committee)        
Discussant          Serra Kirdar

Panel 5 Women in Film
Speaker               Moufida Tlatli (Director)            
Discussant          Randa Habib