Conference of Sterngthening Equality and Women’s Rights recommends legal amendments and condemns violence against women

The House of Parliament organized jointly with the Arab Institute for Parliamentary Training and Legislative Studies and the Westminster Democracy Foundations a conference entitled Strengthening Equality and Women’s Rights in the penal code.  The event took place yesterday at the Parliamentary library and coincided with the meeting of the Parliamentary Coalition of the Arab World to challenge violence against women.  The meeting focused on several gaops in the letter of the law in many Arab countries namely the clauses which ensure impunity to rapists who marry their victims.  The conference called on condemning and revoking such clauses.  The conference also called on the Presidency of the Arab parliamentary Coalition to support all Arab parliaments in prioritizing the reform of their penal codes.  The main recommendations of the event included building bridges and support between civil society, MPs and public opinion so that advances can be made to finish with the clause guaranteeing impunity of rapists, as well as fighting stereotypes which condemn the victims of such acts.  The Conference also condemned Israeli aggression acts as well as the arbitrary execution of girls and children whilst requesting the international community to bear responsibility for such crimes.  The Conference also condemned the terrorist and criminal acts carried out by ISIS against humanity and against women and children. (Al Mustakbal, 6 November 2015)