ESCWA launches on Tuesday 26 May 2015 its flagship study on "Access to Justice for Women and Girls in the Arab Region: From Ratification to Implementation of International Instruments," in a ceremony that begins at 11 AM at the Business Building of the Lebanese American University (LAU), Room 903. The event is held in partnership with the Institute for Women's Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW). 
The launch event will feature a presentation about the study followed by an open discussion of its main findings and proposed recommendations. Director of the ESCWA Centre for Women (ECW) Samira Atallah and Director of IWSAW Samira Aghacy will deliver welcoming remarks, while ECW First Social Affairs Officer Lana Baydas will deliver a detailed presentation on the study. 
The event will bring together representatives of governmental institutions, embassies, gender experts and researchers, development practitioners, and the student community. 
The study examines women’s right of access to justice in the Arab region. Focusing on women in the 17 countries covered by the ESCWA mandate – namely, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen – the study examines the ability of women in these countries, both citizens and non-citizens, to access judicial processes and gain just remedy for violations of their rights. Assessing the legal, institutional and structural impediments and challenges facing women’s access to justice in the region, this study analyses the extent to which national legal frameworks meet the requirements set forth in ratified international human rights treaties; reviews the measures currently taken by Arab Governments to improve the availability, accessibility, adaptability and affordability of women’s access to justice; and provides policy recommendations aimed at improving women’s access to justice and thereby translating internationally guaranteed rights into practice. 

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For your queries, kindly contact: 
ESCWA Communication and Information Unit (ECIU) on either of the following numbers: 
Mr. Nabil Abu Dargham +961-70-993144, dargham@un.org; 
Ms. Maryam Sleiman +961-03-910 930, sleiman2@un.org; 
Ms. Mirane Abi-Zaki +961-76-04 64 02, abi-zaki@un.org. 
Please direct your emails to: escwa-ciu@un.org 
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