The Expert Group Meeting (EGM) held by ESCWA on the innovative approaches for promoting women’s political participation in the region gathered leading experts in political sciences and gender issues representing a number of universities, institutes, national committees and international institutions in addition to a number of UN organizations and specialized agencies.

A group of students of different majors from the American University of Science and Technology (AUST) visited ESCWA on 19 May 2012, where they learned about the Commission’s objectives and programmes. Chief of ESCWA Social Participatory Development Section (SPDS) Maha Yahya briefed them on the role of ESCWA as one of the United Nations Regional Commissions and the opportunities and challenges facing the region. She focused on regional priority agenda items and the Commission’s work with civil society organizations.

After an intensive discussion at the UN House, international and regional experts as well as senior government officials agreed that engaging citizens in attaining national development agendas is an imperative. Over 35 participants attended the meeting organized by UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and ESCWA, from 3 to 6 December 2012, in Beirut. Taking cue from their governments at the Rio+20 Summit this June, the participants agreed on the importance of governance and the inclusion of socially vulnerable groups in achieving sustainable development.

In line with ESCWA mandate to follow-up on progress of international conventions and provide support to Member Countries in implementing and meeting their commitments to international goals and agreements, the Commission participated in the 18th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, held in Doha, Qatar (COP18/CMP8) on 26 November-7 December 2012.