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05 May 2025

The Board of Trustees of CAWTAR Holds Its 25th Meeting Today in Tunis, Marked by:

The Board of Trustees of CAWTAR Holds Its 25th Meeting Today in Tunis, Marked by:

• The launch of the Regional Media Training Academy on Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• The signing of a partnership agreement with "Ahyaha" foundation to promote women’s digital financial literacy

The Board of Trustees of the Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR) held its 25th regular meeting today, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Tunis. The meeting was chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, President of the Board of Trustees and President of AGFUND, and attended by Her Excellency Mrs. Asma Al-Jabiri, Minister of Family, Women, Children and Seniors of the Republic of Tunisia (host country of CAWTAR), in addition to representatives of United Nations agencies and regional and international organizations supporting the Center.

The meeting reviewed CAWTAR's activities for the year 2024 and discussed the proposed budget based on the Center's 2023–2027 five-year strategic plan. It also examined and approved the report of the external auditor. The Board agreed on the need to support the launch of the Media Training Academy on Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda.

In his opening speech, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal stated:
"The tangible achievements of the Center at the regional and international levels make us proud of it as a model of joint developmental action."
He further emphasized:
"With the growing challenges faced by women in our region, the responsibility increases, and there is a greater need for continued support for CAWTAR from all its partners and advocates."
He also paid tribute to the founder, HRH the late Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, "who laid the foundation of this Center and felt reassured when Tunisia was chosen as its host country, as he saw in it a nation that believes in women's rights and sees them as a cornerstone in building society."

HE Mrs. Asma Al-Jabiri, Minister of Family, Women, Children and Seniors of Tunisia, stated:
"Tunisia is among the founding Arab countries supporting CAWTAR, and numerous partnership programs have been implemented with the Center."
She confirmed that efforts are ongoing to further enhance cooperation, announcing preparations for a "training-of-trainers program in financial education that will benefit 2,400 women entrepreneurs."

For her part, Dr. Soukaina Bouraoui, Executive Director of CAWTAR, affirmed that all the Center’s activities are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She announced the launch of the Regional Media Training Academy on Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda, as a culmination of CAWTAR’s extensive experience in research, training, advocacy, awareness-raising, and partnership development in the field of women and media.
The academy aims to build the capacities of journalists to better engage with the SDGs through a gender equality lens.

The meeting also witnessed the signing of an agreement between HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal and Dr. Soukaina Bouraoui to support CAWTAR’s institutional development for the year 2025. The agreement aims to empower the Center and its management to continue fulfilling its mission and enhancing its performance in line with the SDGs.

Another agreement was signed to support and empower women in vulnerable situations to enhance their contribution to agriculture, food security, and climate change mitigation in Tunisia, Jordan, and Senegal.

HRH Princess Sora bint Saud, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Abdulaziz bin Talal and Sora bint Saud Foundation "Ahyaha" foundation, and Dr. Soukaina Bouraoui signed a partnership agreement between "Ahyaha" and CAWTAR to implement a project aimed at enhancing women’s digital financial literacy in Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Through this agreement, women’s capacities will be strengthened to improve their financial digital skills and empower them as economic actors who contribute directly to achieving national financial inclusion goals.