Conference in Damascus - Ministers, officials and leading women in business from Syria and across the Arab World, Europe and the international community will share their experiences and best practices with high-level delegates. Through this event, the Arab International Women's Forum hopes to strengthen existing channels of partnership; to create new avenues for investment and create viable business opportunities; to promote intercultural collaboration between prolific and accomplished women representing the world's most dynamic economies in the Arab regione and internationally.

14-17 May 2010

Conference day one

08.30 – 09.30 Registration

09.30 – 10.45 Opening Session

Welcome Address and Introduction to the Conference

Mrs Haifa Fahoum Al Kaylani, Chairman, Arab International Women’s Forum

Keynote Address by the Conference Patron

HE Dr Diala Al Hajj Aref, Minister of Social Affairs & Labour, The Syrian Arab Republic

Keynote Address

HE Ms Anne Marie Idrac, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, France

Keynote Address

HE Mrs Hala Bsaiso Lattouf, Minister for Social Development, Jordan

Keynote Address

HE Emma Bonino, Vice President, The Senate, Italy

Keynote Address

The Baroness Kingsmill CBE, Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom

10.45 – 11.15 Refreshments and Networking

1115 – 1300 Plenary Session I

Empowering Women in Public Life: Effecting Change

How is the growing Syrian economy contributing towards developing the capacity of Syrian women and charting a comprehensive reform agenda, in Syria, across the Arab world and beyond? How has it enhanced opportunities for women in Syria in terms of employment and entering public life? Across the region, what is required of leading women in business and public life to ensure that opportunities for women are enhanced in these times of economic growth?

Moderator & Keynote Guest Speaker

Keynote Address

HE Emma Bonino, Vice President, The Senate, Italy

Keynote Address

HE Dr Bouthaina Shaaban, Advisor at Syrian Presidency for Media & Political Affairs, Damascus, Syria

Keynote Address

HE Mrs Hala Bsaiso Lattouf, Minister for Social Development, Jordan

Keynote Address

Mrs Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, Member of the European Parliament, Sweden

1330 – 1445 Networking Luncheon

At the invitation of and hosted by Damacus Chamber of Commerce Business Women Committee

1445 – 1615 Plenary Session II

Education,Training and Capacity Building: Preparing the Next Generation of the Arab Work Force

Syria’s population is among the fastest growing in the world, and the need for a more  comprehensive education system has never been more pertinent. However, there are shortfalls between the number of women educated and those obtaining work or starting their own businesses, specifically in the services, tourism, technology and agricultural sectors. How can the education system assist in strengthening women’s opportunities in employment and self-employment and in accessing public life?

Keynote Address

HE Mr Ahmed Luqman, Head of the Arab Labour Organisation, Egypt

Keynote Address

Mr David Arkless, President of Global Corporate and Government Affairs, Manpower Inc, Switzerland

Keynote Address

Dr Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice President, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates

Keynote Address

Ms Aysha Binbraik, HR Manager Middle East, Shell Upstream International, United Arab Emirates

Keynote Address

Ms Dina Khairo, Scientific Regulatory Affairs and Nutrition Director, Middle East & Africa Region, PepsiCo, United Arab Emirates

1615 – 1800 Plenary Session III

Supporting the Role of Women in Business and Women as Investors

The number of women in the Arab world who are currently being highly educated is not reflected in the statistics relating to businessownership and private sector employment of women. Yet it is proved throughout the Arab world that women-owned businesses employ more women. What are the factors contributing to these shortfalls and how can the private sector help to achieve a much-needed critical mass of women entering the fields of self-employment, entrepreneurship and investment?

Keynote Address

HE Dr Shaikha Al Maskari, Chairperson, Al Maskari Holding, United Arab Emirates

Keynote Address

The Baroness Kingsmill CBE, Member of The House of Lords, United Kingdom

Keynote Address

Ms Buthaina Al-Ansari, Chairman and Founder of Qatariat Co, Qatar

Keynote Address

Mrs Sonia Khandji Cachecho, Board Member of Damascus Chamber of Commerce; President of the DCC Business Women Committee, Syria

Keynote Address

Mr Luc Debieuvre, Managing Director and Administrator of Bank Audi Saradar, France, SA

 

Conference day two

0900 – 1045 Business to Business Information Exchange - Session I

The Role of Women in Rural Economies and Tourism

Documentary and Special Presentation on of Women’s Economic Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation Programme

HE Dr Diala Al Hajj Aref, Minister of Social Affairs & Labour, The Syrian Arab Republic

Syrian women in rural economies play a significant role in one of Syria’s most prominent industries – agriculture. In a recent report, the IFAD found that rural women do the majority of farm work yet have the most difficulty in accessing productive resources, training, capital and credit.

In this session, we explore the socio-cultural and gender barriers that are restricting women in rural economies from growing their businesses, and explore how these challenges can be overcome through partnership and best practice exchange with other Arab nations and the International Community as a whole.

Keynote address

Women’s Role in the Economic Development of Egypt

Dr Farkhonda Hassan, The Secretary General, The National Council for Women, Egypt

Moderator & Guest Speaker

Mrs Nadereh Chamlou, Senior Advisor, Office of the Chief Economist MENA, The World Bank, USA

Keynote Address

Eng. Samira Al Zoughbie, Researcher, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria

10.45 – 11.15 Refreshments and Networking

11.15 – 13.00 Business to Business Information Exchange - Session II

The Importance of Partnership, Innovation and Creativity in Fostering International Investments & International Trade

In today’s global economy, there is international recognition of the importance of partnership, innovation and creativity in fostering international trade, economic growth and the cross-cultural dialogue that is so vital to the construction of peaceful, prosperous societies. How can we best identify opportunities for partnership, for collaboration and cooperation and for exchange of best practices in order to achieve private sector growth and women’s leadership in all spheres, for women in Syria, across the Arab region and in the International Community?

Keynote Address

Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby, Secretary General and CEO Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, UK

Keynote Address

Mrs Chiara Corazza, Managing Director, Greater Paris Investment Agency, France

Keynote Address

Ms Barbara Annis, President, Women’s Leadership Board, Harvard, USA

Keynote Address

Mrs Nicola Ehlermann-Cache, Senior Policy Advisor, OECD-MENA Investment Programme Private Sector Development Division, France