Nazaha takes part in UN program ‘Empowering Women’
Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), represented by the Head of International Cooperation and Agreements, Anwar Al-Qadeeri, participated in the launch of the program “Empowering Women in Justice/for Justice.” The launch took place during a high-level event that was organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Global Judicial Integrity Network and the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobeE Network) under the umbrella of the UNODC.
The program aims to empower women professionals in law enforcement authorities, anticorruption agencies, and the judiciary by bringing them together with experts in these areas to share lessons learned, experiences, and practical career advice. Based on its active participation in international anti-corruption forums and its cooperation with GlobE Network, Nazaha was chosen to participate in the pilot phase of this program.
Held at the United Nations Headquarters in Vienna, Republic of Austria, the high-level event coincided with the International Day of Women Judges. It was attended by the Executive Director of UNODC, Ghada Wali, and the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Austria, Alma Zadic. The event featured Ministers of Justice, judges, and founders of women’s empowerment movements in the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Serbia, the United States of America, the Republic of the Philippines, and Trinidad and Tobago. In her speech, Al-Qadeeri emphasized the pivotal role of women in justice, law enforcement, and combating corruption.
She highlighted the need for women to support each other in overcoming the challenges they face in their professional lives. Al-Qadeeri also highlighted Kuwait’s efforts to empower women in the judiciary, citing that in September 2020, eight Kuwaiti
female prosecutors were sworn in, becoming the first female judges in the history of the State of Kuwait—a significant step toward empowering women in this field.
Furthermore, she highlighted the importance of men’s role in empowering women, adding that Nazaha has fostered a positive environment for women to assume important positions. She mentioned that women at Nazaha have leading roles on the Board of Trustees and are heading vital sectors such as the Financial Disclosure Sector and the Prevention of Corruption Sector. She further pointed out that women constitute a large proportion of the workforce in Nazaha, including legal auditors, engineers, and others.
It is worth noting that Nazaha joined the GlobE Network on October 12, 2021. It is a network that facilitates information sharing among front-line anti-corruption law enforcement officials. The network also provides knowledge resources and tools to track, investigate, and prosecute cases of cross-border corruption through secure communication channels. Nazaha has played an active role
since the establishment of GlobE Network and participated in the technical discussions prior to the adoption of its charter.
Nazaha also chaired an international workshop organized by GlobE Network and holds membership in its thematic working groups. Additionally, Nazaha was a facilitator in several sessions of these working groups. Nazaha has also contributed to the GlobE Network’s knowledge resources, such as the Compendium of Practices on Informal Cooperation in Translational Corruption Cases and the Directory of Open Source Registries.
Nazaha continues to provide insights into the GlobE Network in order to support law enforcement authorities in the fight against corruption. At the end of the event, Al-Qadeeri addressed her speech to the UNODC Executive Director, Ghada Wali, expressing hopes for the success of the program launch. She concluded by saying that the program will contribute to strengthening women’s self-belief, helping them overcome challenges and stereotypes, and enabling them to advance in their careers and take up leadership positions. — KUNA