The UAE and Israel have a strong history of female leadership. Women must play an important role in the next phase of the Abraham Accords.

It has been more than two years since the Abraham Accords normalized Israel’s relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. A quick assessment of the current situation shows that many things are going well.This is especially the case between Israel and the UAE – the two countries that came to the negotiating table in August 2020 – where they have gone from zero to more than $2 billion In the first two years of bilateral trade.In addition, approximately five hundred Thousands of Israelis have visited the UAE, and countless memorandum of understandingagreements and top-level contacts at the highest level.

However, in order to achieve lasting peace in the region following the Abraham Accords, women must also be equally included and reflected in policymaking, decision-making and planning.Data from the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security programme The more women participate in economic, educational, environmental, political and legal systems, the more prosperous, sustainable, peaceful, just and secure the world will be for present and future generations.

this data It also shows that the more women involved in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, the more feasible and lasting peace in the world will be. Negotiations are better, peace is more durable, and more members of society will benefit from it. It doesn’t take much to look far to see that in the many conflict situations in the world, very few women are involved in the peace process.

A variety of resources are already available for including women in the Abraham Accords.this United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR 1325) On Women, Peace and Security (WPS) (announced in 2000) reaffirmed the important role of women in peacebuilding and conflict prevention and resolution. The United States and Canada were founding members of UNSCR 1325, but there are now 104 UN member states (54% member states of the united nations), It has been adopted by Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the League of Arab States, among others.

UAE’s rising trend for women

In terms of WPS, the UAE leads the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.Domestically, the initiative is led by founding mother Sheikha Fatima through the General Women’s Alliance, which is also Khawla bint Al Azwar Military School, a women’s military academy that trains female contingents throughout the region. Additionally, the UAE has a Gender Balance Council that maintains national and international benchmarks, making the UAE a global leader in gender equality.

Internationally and multilaterally, WPS forms part of the UAE UN Security Council Priorities, headed by Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Ambassador to the United Nations.Additionally, the UAE hosted an event United Nations Liaison Office for Women On behalf of all GCC – it recently hosted an international WPS conference in September 2022.

this Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) publication year Women in the Diplomatic Index The UAE leads the way in the region. If women were equally represented in the world, the data show there would be fewer wars, less violent extremism, and more prosperous societies.

Israel’s Long History of Women’s Participation

Among its greatest assets, Israel has a long and strong history of women serving in the military, with all women being compulsorily recruited from the state’s founding 75 years ago. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have a wealth of data, experience, and resources to draw upon.

Currently, Israeli diplomats Aviva Raz Schechter, former Ambassador to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva (2016-2020), is Israel’s special envoy to implement the country’s WPS commitments.At the Dubai World Expo, she held A panel of accomplished women in STEM and innovation (including Israelis and Emiratis, among other nationalities) discusses the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in addressing global sustainable development challenges and women’s participation.

Another of Israel’s greatest assets in this area is the leading civil society organizations that support women, peace and security.Among the many NGOs, there are Itach-Ma’aki, or Women Make Peace, promotes multicultural gender discourse and female leadership within diverse communities in Israel and Palestine by creating innovative community models. other, Deborah Forumwas created in response to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 to promote women’s participation in national security decision-making processes and peace negotiations.

other potential partners

Outside of these two main Abraham Accord countries, there are many existing and potential partners. The United States continues to be a strong ally in the agreement and the role of women in peacemaking and diplomacy, and focuses on global women’s issues in its institutions and foreign policy.

The best in the space are Georgetown Institute for Women and Peace, co-founded in 2011 by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Georgetown University.In addition to conducting rigorous research in the WPS field, hosting global events, advancing partnerships, and developing the next generation of leaders, they produce an annual WPS index Measuring women’s inclusion, justice and safety in 170 countries.

Canada tops the Georgetown Index, ranks in the top 12 out of 170 countries surveyed, and has the power to make a difference.by virtue of its feminist foreign policy and inclusive trade agendaexcept it’s the first country Committee WPS ambassadors and equality at their ambassadorial level, Canada is expected to be an ally. Many others may also be involved. Peace in the Middle East is a cornerstone of foreign policy for many countries, and so is the role of women.

There are good reasons why women should play an important role in the next phase of the Abraham Accords. The district is made up of educated and inspiring women. In addition, there are domestic and international frameworks to provide structure as well as ideas and leadership to create opportunities. There are also partners, such as the United States, Canada and other countries, ready to cooperate.

Abraham may be the namesake of “Father of Many Nations” and the Abrahamic Pact. However, none of this would have been possible without the involvement of Isaac’s mother Sarah and Ishmael’s mother Hagar (Hagar). These women are not just the mothers of nations, nor of Judaism and Islam—they are also the mothers of the next generation of young people who will become leaders in the Middle East.

Women in the world have a lot to say and a responsibility to make the world a better place. Whoever has the will and the strength to pitch a tent for Sarah and Hajar — or at least invite them in — will stand to gain the most from a lasting peace.

Marcy Grossman He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center and Middle East Program and a former Canadian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

further reading

IMAGE: Emirati policewomen pose at the Yas Marina circuit near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, during the 5th Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix, November 3, 2013.Photo by Ammar Abd Rabbo/ABACAPRESS.COM