AIWF at the European Parliament: ‘Ten Years after Barcelona: Empowering Women as Catalysts for Economic Development’

Under the Patronage of Jose Borell, President of the European Parliament and European Commissioner for External Affairs Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the Arab International Women’s Forum hosted two linked conferences as part of the 2005 AIWF programme, Women as Engines of Economic Growth in the Arab World. The first conference, ‘Ten Years After the Barcelona Process: Empowering Women as Catalysts for Economic Development’, was held 7-8 April 2005 at the European Parliament in Brussels with the valued co-operation of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the League of Arab States, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the World Bank, marking the anniversary of the Euro- Mediterranean Partnership. Empowering Women as Catalysts for Economic Development focused on women’s role in business, in corporate life and in creating small and medium sized businesses to foster economic growth and development. The programme was supported by The League of Arab States, The European Parliament, The Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK, World Bank, Shell, and IBM.