Al-Kathiri Discusses with UN Women Representative Ways to Women Political Empowerment

Mr. Ali Abdullah Al-Kathiri, Acting President of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and Chairman of the National Assembly, received on Monday Ms. Dina Zorba, UN Women Representative to Iraq and Yemen.

In the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Al-Kathiri welcomed Ms. Zorba, who visits the capital, Aden, listening to a brief explanation from her about the nature of the activities and programs implemented by the Commission in coordination with the office of the UN Special Envoy to involve women in the negotiations and peace process.

Al-Kathiri highlighted the high interest and keenness of the leadership of the STC in enhancing the role of women and empowering them in the STC's various bodies, commissions, and departments to have an effective presence, politically, economically, and socially, appreciating the great support provided by the UN to the country in all fields, at the forefront of which are women’s empowerment programs.

The Acting President indicated that the leadership of the STC hopes that the UN and other international organizations will pay more attention to women in the South through the programs and projects that they implement and work on in the field of boosting development in a way that enhances their participation in the political and development process.

In addition to that, they discussed various aspects of joint cooperation between the STC, UN Women, and international organizations in a number of fields related to women’s empowerment and polishing up their skills through identifying needs, conducting the required studies, and implementing programs to raise capabilities and skills in a way that ensures promoting the role of women and their full political and administrative empowerment.

To the end of the meeting, Ms. Zorba expressed her thanks to the leadership of the STC and the National Assembly for the good reception and warm welcome and their keenness to implement programs that concern and support women, articulating her aspiration for women to receive more attention in aspects of training and qualification so that they can assume leadership positions in various institutions and bodies in the future.

The meeting was attended by the Head of the Women's Commission of the Presidium of the STC, Dr. Suhair Ali Ahmed, Head of the Humanitarian Aid and Relief Commission (HARC), Lawyer Niran Souqi, Head of the Social Affairs Committee in the National Assembly, Dr. Jacqueline Al-Battani, Ms. Nadra Abdul Quddus, deputy head of the Assembly’s Information Committee, Dr. Khaled Bamdhaf, Deputy Head of the Political Commission assisting the Presidium of the STC, Mr. Anis Al-Sharafi, the deputy director of the General Directorate of Foreign Affairs (GDFA) of the STC, and a number of members of bodies and commissions of the STC.