Womens Empowerment Through Parliament: Moroccan VP Highlights Forum To Strengthen Women's Development Role

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean is holding the 2nd Session of its PAM Women Parliamentary Forum in the UAE, which Dr. Lahcen Haddad described as a key platform for advancing women’s participation in comprehensive development and shaping policies that affect social and economic progress across member states.

Speaking to the Emirates News Agency, Dr. Lahcen Haddad, Vice President of the House of Councillors of the Kingdom of Morocco, said the gathering allows parliamentarians to exchange views, discuss challenges, and examine practical tools to increase women’s representation in decision-making, legislation and public life at regional and national levels.

Dr. Lahcen Haddad highlighted that the session of the PAM Women Parliamentary Forum, organised by the Federal National Council and hosted by the UAE, also supports wider regional cooperation, as delegations from various countries share their experiences, compare institutional frameworks, and discuss reforms that can help improve gender balance in public institutions.

He underlined the importance of the forum’s theme, "Empowering Women for Cohesive and Inclusive Societies: From the Gulf to the Mediterranean", noting that it is closely linked to current debates on women’s empowerment, social cohesion and inclusive growth, and positions women as essential partners in development strategies rather than secondary stakeholders.

According to Dr. Lahcen Haddad, the UAE’s role in preparing and managing the event, including agenda design and logistical organisation, contributed to strong international participation and allowed a detailed review of different national models, with particular attention to the UAE’s experience and other case studies from Mediterranean and Gulf countries.

Dr. Lahcen Haddad explained that the forum examined how parliaments can support women’s empowerment through legislation, oversight and budget approvals, stressing that meaningful progress needs clear political will and dedicated resources for capacity building, and noting that Moroccan-Emirati cooperation continues to grow through regular visits and coordination in international forums.

With inputs from WAM