This guide reviews gender mainstreaming in institutional plans, policies and programmes, and highlights key steps taken with a view to integrating gender-related issues into programmes and activities of formal institutions. The guide underlines the fact that national machineries for women must be involved in the gender mainstreaming process, since those machineries play a key role at the national level in monitoring, implementing, evaluating and following up on all issues that impact women.

The Arabic term zaatar designates a variety of aromatic perennial plants typically harvested from the wild, which generally belong to the Origanum, Thymus and other genera of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The term zaatar is also used to designate the different herb mixes, which in addition to the zaatar herb, usually include such other traditional ingredients as grilled sesame seeds, sumac fruits (Rhus coriaria L.) and salt. Each country possesses its own zaatar mix recipe with specific proportions of ingredients.



The global community was proud to announce in 2012 that the global drinking water target articulated in the Millennium Development Goals had been met five years ahead of schedule. However, the countries of the water-scarce Arab region still face the continuing challenge of providing safe and sufficient water, and improved sanitation to its growing population.