This workshop, jointly convened by UN Women and UNESCWA will gather national representatives of NSOs, line ministries overseeing local government, Women’s Affairs/Gender Equality Ministries, and electoral management bodies in the region to:

1. Discuss (a) UN Women-led research on local government and (b) local government organization in the region and (c) their implications for a standardized, global measurement of women’s representation in local government;
2. Provide input on the methodology of SDG Indicator 5.5.1b, including definitions and terms related to local government, calculation of the indicator and data sources and discuss the relevance of the indicator in the ESCWA region; and
3. Reflect on the mechanism for regional and global monitoring of SDG indicator 5.5.1b, including (a) the role of key national actors in data collection and reporting, (b) the use of standardized data request forms for regional and global reporting, and (c) the method for calculating regional and global averages of the indicator.