Speeches of the Participants

General Director of the Arab Women Organization:

Excellency Sheikh Dr. Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Sheikha Fadia Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwaiti Union of Women's Associations, Honorable Ministers and distinguished speakers, Members of the Executive Council of the Arab Women Organization,

Her Excellency Ms. Ferial Salem, President of the Executive Council representing Palestine, Her Excellency Dr. Susan Mikhail Hagen, Regional Director of the United Nations Women's Office,

Representatives from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Rana Al-Hajji and Dr. Shadia Al-Shiwi,

Distinguished presidents of women's unions in Arab countries, Her Excellency Dr. Fatima, the Secretary-General of the Arab Women's Union,

Ladies and Gentlemen, experts and academics, Distinguished Ambassadors from Arab and friendly countries,

Dear attendees,

Today, we gather thanks to the gracious initiative of Her Excellency Sheikha Fadia Al-Sabah, President of the Kuwaiti Union of Women's Associations, and under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait. The Arab Women Organization has responded to the invitation to partner in organizing this important conference because the issue of protecting women and girls in the Arab world from violence is at the top of our agenda. Like most of the participants here today, we are still reeling from the ongoing indiscriminate killings since October 7th.

The shock we all feel stems from the relentless killings and destruction, with the majority of victims being children and women. Today, the number of casualties, both dead and injured, approaches one hundred thousand in just four months. It is evident that the destruction is deliberate, targeting everything from homes to places of worship, schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and roads, with the aim of rendering Gaza uninhabitable. The killings appear not random but intentional, aiming to eliminate as many Palestinians as possible from their own land, constituting an attempted genocide.

Our sorrow and pain are indescribable, and our anger is immense due to this brazen challenge to international legitimacy and the reckless disregard for international humanitarian law and relevant resolutions concerning the protection of civilians, especially Resolution 1325 and its subsequent resolutions aimed at protecting women and girls during armed conflicts.

Dear attendees,

The situation in Palestine and Gaza, in particular, does not overshadow the fact that Arab countries have been witnessing the depletion of their human and economic resources due to wars and armed conflicts for many years, if not decades. We cannot overlook the wars that continue to shake our Arab societies, such as the Yemeni war, the Syrian war, and armed conflicts in Sudan. Our eyes turn with emotion, concern, and hope towards the efforts of the Republic of Iraq to stabilize the situation and the efforts of the Government of National Unity in Libya to promote civil peace. As for Lebanon, may God protect it from harm, and may God accompany the efforts of the Egyptian and Jordanian governments in confronting what is happening in Gaza and all of occupied Palestine.

"Our conference brings together official, civil, and non-governmental women leaders from many Arab countries, along with political leaders with extensive experience in public affairs, foreign policies, and academic figures specializing in relevant fields. Of course, we are grateful for the participation of leaders from United Nations organizations who are directly concerned and share our pain, concern, and strive to mitigate the damage and enhance efforts for ceasefire and support for women in this difficult ordeal.

Dear esteemed attendees,

In the Arab Women Organization, we have five convictions that we would like to share with you:

• Violence only breeds more violence and can lead to terrorism, especially when it stems from oppression, tyranny, and contempt for others.
• Women and girls are the most affected by wars and armed conflicts and are therefore directly concerned with ending wars, finding settlements, and launching efforts to promote civil peace and rebuild countries after conflicts. Resolution 1325 confirms this and provides mechanisms to translate it into reality.
• Jumping over international legitimacy, ignoring it, and attempting to evade responsibility will not benefit the aggressor and will not protect them from punishment, even if delayed.
• You cannot be well if your neighbor is not well.
• Pushing Arab countries into the big tunnel was not done by them alone, but rather, whoever led them into it was also dragged inside. Everyone is in the tunnel, and everyone will come out of it, or else everyone will perish inside.

Our voice rises today to demand an immediate cessation of the war on Gaza and immediate, unconditional assistance to the besieged people of Gaza for the past four months. Our voice is directed towards the international community and decision-makers in major countries to intensify efforts for a genuine UN-led initiative to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict fairly, justly, and sustainably, achieving the dream of Palestinians for a national state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees.

We must redouble our efforts to end the ongoing wars in Yemen, Syria, and Sudan and support Iraq and Libya for stability.

Today, as Arab women leaders, we gather to pledge our support to the women of Palestine, promising them and their children a better future. Yes, we want to promise Palestinian children that they will grow up and learn...

We extend our hand to the international community to stand in solidarity with us, hoping that the hands of good-hearted people in the world will meet to work together for peace and security.