Executive Director Dr Erica Harper presents at Pledge for Parity event in Abu Dhabi

On Sunday 20 March, Executive Director Dr Erica Harper represented the WANA Institute on an experts’ panel at the Central Buisness District of Women and the British Buisness Group's "Pledge for Partity - Accelerating Equality in the Middle East" event, which occured as part of the celebration of International Women's Day in Abu Dhabi. The panel discussed the role of women in the Arab workforce, and particularly their participation at senior management levels. Dr Harper introduced the work of the WANA Institute, particularly its women’s legal empowerment programme. She described the team’s pioneering work advocating for law reforms and modifications in customary practices through scholarly interpretations of Islamic jurisprudence. A second phase of this program commenced in 2015, targeting legislative actors, judges and NGO lawyers through training and capacity support, in partnership with the Fredrich Ebert Stiftung Organisation. The Abu Dhabi event was co-organized by Clifford Chance Law firm, who awarded the Institute the prestigious Access to Justice Innovation Award in 2014.  The WANA Institute will continue to work with Clifford Chance in analyzing the legislative protection framework for women in the Arab region, and building associated recommendations for priority reforms, using evidence-based links to inclusive economic growth, participatory governance and resilience.