At its eighth session, the Committee on Women aims to discuss the role of institutions in achieving gender equality, highlighting the following areas: Mainstreaming gender in public institutions, the role of institutions in responding to the Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security in Times of War and in Times of Peace in the Arab Region; and the assessment of the economic cost of violence against women with a view to adopting institutional policies to put an end to this phenomenon. The agenda also includes the usual items for the review of the implementation of activities for the advancement of women within the framework of the ESCWA work program and in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th Session, the technical cooperation and advisory services, the activities of the Sub-Committee on Gender Issues and the sustainable development goals, as well as the proposed program of work for the biennium 2018-2019 in the advancement of women.