Dr Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, first deputy speaker of the Federal National Council, chaired the 131st IPU assembly in Geneva on Wednesday at the request of the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Mr. Abdelwahad Radi.
Al Qubaisi said that her presidency of the IPU session demonstrates the confidence reposed in the U.A.E. parliamentary division's ability to actively engage with and technically support activities undertaken by the IPU which seeks to promote democracy and preserve international peace and security.
Addressing the assembly, Al Qubaisi said the U.A.E.'s experiment to empower women was founded on religious and cultural values, emphasising that the U.A.E., since its inception, inception, has been adopting social and economic policies with the prime objectives to provide its citizens with a decent, stable life, work towards gender parity in education and work, and ensure women's participation in decision-making process.
She noted that the 131st IPU Assembly is being convened amidst a very complex international situation wherein realising the goal of international security and peace and rejecting violence and extremism have become a necessity not only in the Arab World but across the globe.
She expressed her grave concern at the spread of extremism, violence and discord in the Middle East, adding that hatred, whether on religious, ethnic or sectarian grounds, is posing a serious threat to international security and peace as growing number of armed terrorist groups are committing barbaric acts, indulging in indiscriminate mass killings and intimidating innocent people..
'Hatred is still donning the cloak of religion and abusing the tolerant divine religions,' she regretted.
Source: WAM