Together with international legal experts, representatives from the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor participated
in an OHCHR-organized meeting to discuss and prepare a guidance note for OHCHR staff to use in assisting States to
harmonize national legislation with international human rights standards on gender equality.
The meeting, held for two days from 21 to 22 March 2019, was attended by 15 experts from around the world, representing
lawyers and judges from more than 11 countries, and working together to prepare the guidance note, in particular on
women's rights and ending discrimination on the basis of gender.
Enas Zayed, Euro-Med’s Chairwoman, presented examples of countries in the Middle East, their experience in legislation,
their compatibility with international standards and conventions, and human rights principles, in particular on women's
rights and reproductive rights, arranged marriage and other topics such as rape and forced marriage.
Presenting a summary of Euro-Med’s monitoring of laws in the MENA region, Zayed reviewed the most important
recommendations taken in this area to match these laws with international standards.
Euro-Med Monitor’s participation in the Expert Meeting is part of the exchange of international expertise between
lawyers and judges from several countries and increased cooperation in the fields of women's rights and related laws
with a view to improving the level of human rights work in the region and raising legal awareness in the Middle East and
North Africa.