Arab first ladies back Palestinians

Treatment of women varies widely across Arab states

By Caroline Hawley in Cairo

The first meeting of Arab first ladies has opened in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, with strong support for Palestinian women.

The host, Suzanne Mubarak, said the summit was a voice of protest from half the Arab world's population against what was happening to Palestinian women and children.

Queen Rania - one of nine First Ladies taking part

Queen Rania of Jordan; Suha Arafat, wife of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat; the Sudanese President's wife, Fatima Bashir; and Lebanon's First Lady, Andree Lahoud are among nine First Ladies are taking part in the meeting to discuss challenges facing Arab women.

It is being billed as a historic occasion - never before has there been such a high level gathering devoted exclusively to Arab women.

One by one the Arab First Ladies, some veiled, some bare headed, took to the floor to talk about the achievements of women and the challenges ahead.

Illiteracy

Princess Lala Mariam of Morocco spoke about the problem of female illiteracy and negative media portrayals of women.

Over the next three days the delegates will hold detailed discussions on a range of social, economic, legal and political issues.

Suha Arafat: Campaigner for Palestinian cause

But it is hard to see what meaningful consensus they can reach before a final declaration on a collective way forward expected on Monday.

Women's experiences vary enormously across some 20 Arab states.

Tunisia, for example, which bans polygamy, has the region's most progressive legislation for women.

A plan to ban polygamy in neighbouring Morocco has been adamantly opposed by Islamists.

Saudi Arabia

Libya's leader, Colonel Gaddafi, is protected by female bodyguards, whereas Saudi Arabia, which is not attending this summit, enforces strict segregation and forbids women to drive.

Egyptian women have been allowed to vote since the 1950s; Kuwaiti women still cannot.

There is a real question over whether this gathering can bring concrete change for ordinary women.