A conference titled "Women, Security and Peace Summit: The Gender Dimensions of International Peace and Security: Keys to Prosperity and Peace" will be held today (December 18) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The summit will be under the patronage Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), president of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and supreme chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), reported Emirates news agency Wam.

The summit is organised by the General Women’s Union, GWU, in co-operation with TRENDS Research and Advisory in Abu Dhabi, Women in International Security, WIIS, in Washington, and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, UN Women.

Noura Al Suwaidi, director-general of the GWU, stated that the summit will discuss the key topic of women’s empowerment to promote international peace and security, the gender dimensions of regional security challenges, and the necessity of decreasing the gender gap for peace and prosperity, while highlighting the UAE’s leading role in reducing the gender gap in various aspects of life, to achieve leading positions in international competitiveness reports, along with its commitment to the recommendations of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, under United Nations, UN, Resolution 1325.

In a speech given on her behalf by Sheikha Al Shamsi, Director of the Office of the GWU’s Secretary-General, Al Suwaidi stressed that the summit will aim to accelerate the integration of the working schedule of women in areas of security and peace, as well as to reduce the gender gap in the UAE, based on the directives and aspirations of the country's wise leadership.