On 29 November, the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) and the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians on Population and Development (FAPPD), in collaboration with the Parliament of Morocco, organized a parliamentary meeting under the theme “Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality” in Rabat, Morocco. The meeting provided a strategic platform for parliamentarians from parliamentary committees on population, development, women, youth, and social affairs, together with experts and civil society representatives, to review policies and exchange best practices for legislative action. The meeting was structured around three main sessions:

Women’s Economic Empowerment
Discussions focused on enhancing women’s participation in labor markets and entrepreneurship, supporting women-led enterprises, addressing the gender wage gap, and expanding the social and solidarity economy.

Protection from Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
Parliamentarians reviewed relevant legislation and discussed the importance of support mechanisms for survivors, including shelters as well as legal and psychological services, while calling for public awareness campaigns to combat discriminatory social norms.

Women’s Political and Leadership Participation
The session addressed increasing women’s representation in decision-making bodies, supporting young women leaders through mentorship and training, and strengthening parliamentary collaboration with national institutions to promote the participation of women and youth in policymaking.

This meeting was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Japan Trust Fund (JTF), and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).