His Excellency Mr. Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stated that the First Meeting of the GCC Standing Committee for Women's Affairs will have a major role in continuing to highlight the distinguished efforts made by women in the Cooperation Council countries. His Excellency also said that the meeting will work to coordinate the positions and efforts of the GCC countries in international forums and conferences concerned with women, and highlight the policies, regulations and laws that have been put in place to support women in all fields.
This came during HE the Secretary General’s participation in the First Meeting of Their Excellencies the members of the GCC Standing Committee for Women's Affairs, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Social Development of the Sultanate of Oman, in the Omani capital Muscat on Tuesday (May 16, 2023), and headed by Her Excellency Ms. Maani bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Director General of Family Development at the Ministry of Social Development of the Sultanate of Oman, chairperson of the current session, with the participation of Their Excellencies the members of the GCC Standing Committee for Women's Affairs.
HE the Secretary General said at the beginning of the meeting: "I am pleased to participate with you today in the launch of the first meeting of the GCC Standing Committee for Women's Affairs, and on this occasion, I express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Their Majesties and Highnesses the leaders of the GCC countries for their wise guidance, support and backing for all the affairs of GCC women, and this is reflected in the statistics and indicators in several fields in the GCC countries, which show an increase in the percentage of women’s participation compared with men.”
Moreover, His Excellency pointed out that the GCC Standing Committee for Women's Affairs will work to coordinate the positions and efforts of the GCC countries in international forums and conferences concerned with women and highlight the policies, regulations and laws that have been put in place to support women in all fields.
He underlined that women have outperformed men in the education index across all GCC countries, and the ratio of females to males in university education, according to the latest statistics, has reached about 59%, mentioning that all stats in the GCC reveal that the number of women graduates is double the number of men graduates, while the percentage of women's empowerment as a benchmark in the GCC has increased as per the indicator of the percentage of women’s participation in parliament and senior positions, as well as in the administrative boards of companies, and the ratio of women’s annual income to the annual income of men, as the percentage of seats occupied by women in parliaments reached 50%.
His Excellency concluded his speech by emphasisng that the GCC countries are keen to raise the level and competence of women and support them to ensure their active participation in all fields at the local, regional and international levels.
