New York, June 11 (Petra) -- Minister of Social Development Wafa Bani Mustafa discussed prospects for expanding cooperation with the United Nations in the fields of social development, women's empowerment and social protection during talks with United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of engagements in New York, focused on strengthening existing partnerships and exploring new avenues of cooperation in support of women, vulnerable groups and sustainable social development initiatives.

Bani Mustafa, who serves as chair of the 45th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, highlighted the central role played by UN Women in advancing gender equality and supporting women's empowerment across the region.

She stressed the importance of continuing cooperation on the Women's and Girls' Oasis project and expanding its reach to benefit a larger number of women and girls across the Kingdom.

The minister reaffirmed that women's empowerment remains a national priority, noting that increasing women's participation in economic, social and political life is a key pillar of sustainable development and modernization efforts.

Bani Mustafa also reviewed efforts to strengthen inclusive social protection systems, emphasizing the ministry's work to build an integrated framework that responds to women's needs and provides protection, care and economic empowerment opportunities.

The discussions addressed support for the Arab Center for Social Policy Studies and the Eradication of Multidimensional Poverty, with a focus on enhancing its role in developing policies aimed at reducing poverty across Arab countries.

She also highlighted the importance of supporting the Amman Declaration on Persons with Disabilities and advancing Arab priorities beyond the 2030 development agenda, while emphasizing the need for continued coordination between regional United Nations offices and the League of Arab States.

Bani Mustafa praised the partnership with UN Women, noting that cooperation between the two sides has contributed to the implementation of a range of programs supporting social protection and sustainable development objectives.

She called for further expansion of joint initiatives during the coming phase, including support for programs launched by the Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, such as the School of Political Participation initiative, which seeks to strengthen women's engagement in public life and encourage broader participation in electoral processes.

For her part, Bahous underscored the importance of the social programs implemented through cooperation between the two sides and expressed support for further developing the partnership in the future.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to strengthening collaboration in areas related to social inclusion, women's empowerment and sustainable development.

//Petra// RZ