Participatory development is a process through which socio-economic policies and institutional reforms that will have long-term effects over a society are designed and implemented with the effective participation of citizens throughout. The process of Participatory Development has gained increased relevance in light of the uprisings that have shaken the political landscape in Arab countries over the past few years.

ICT Review, issue 1, assesses ESCWA member countries’ telecommunication profiles and the need for ICT in development.

In the course of promoting and building an inclusive information society in Western Asia, the UNESCWA and the Union of Arab Information and Communication Technology Associations (IJMA3) agreed to initiate collaboration in developing and implementing specific activities aimed at facilitating the dissemination of information and communication technology (ICT) and increasing knowledge sharing, with special emphasis on creating employment and alleviating poverty. To this end, both parties will sign a Letter of Understanding (LoU) tomorrow at 11am at the UN House, Beirut.

The ESCWA Centre for Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office in Beirut are organizing a workshop on monitoring, control and protection of human rights including sexual and reproductive health and rights. This workshop, which will be held from 6-8 May 2018 in Amman – Jordan, targets national human rights institutions and national women machineries in the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as in some countries of the Horn of Africa.