The Women’s Studies Center participated in the regional workshop titled "Women’s Studies in Arab Universities: Current Reality and Future Horizons," which took place in Rabat, Morocco, from February 3 to 4, 2025. The event, themed "Women’s Studies in Universities in the Arab Region: Reality and Future Prospects," was organized in collaboration with the Arab Women Organization, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration, and Family of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The workshop was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and experts in the fields of Women’s Studies, feminist studies, and gender equality issues, from various universities, organizations, and research centers both within the Arab region and internationally.
During the workshop, key topics related to the production of feminist knowledge in the Arab region were discussed, as well as the exchange of best practices and lessons learned from international networks established by universities. The regional databases on gender equality and women’s empowerment were also presented.
The participants agreed to establish a network of universities dedicated to enhancing knowledge related to women in the region, serving as a platform for ongoing consultation on ways to improve work and knowledge production.
Dr. Fadia Kiwan, Director of the Arab Women Organization, emphasized that the workshop was an opportunity to bring together stakeholders concerned with women's issues, including practitioners, activists, academics, and researchers from both genders, and a chance to learn about the efforts being made by all parties involved. She added that the workshop aimed to foster cooperation to improve work in enhancing the production of knowledge about women.
She also stressed the importance of encouraging scientific research in Arab universities as a core discipline and an integral part of the educational process itself.
In an initiative to encourage research in the field of Women's Studies, Dr. Kiwan announced that the Arab Women Organization intends to establish an award for the best Master's/Doctoral thesis in the field of Women's Studies in the Arab region.
Her Excellency explained that the award aims to encourage researchers to engage in this important research area, honor outstanding theses, and raise awareness of them in order to contribute to scientific accumulation and help disseminate the results of these studies to relevant researchers and decision-makers.