April 17, 2008 -- Participants in the 13th Arab Creative Women's Festival called on Arab authorities to urge female researchers to focus on sensitive problems and issues rather than more traditional topics. A broader call was also issued to governments to promote social science research.

At the end of their conference, held April 10th-12th in the coastal Tunisian city of Sousse, participants also recommended closer interaction between independent research and social and economic policies in Arab countries.

The conference included 18 presentations over six sessions that addressed problems and challenges facing Arab female researchers, as well as negative social phenomena that prevail in some Arab societies, such as immigration and illiteracy.

Tunisian Minister of Culture Mohammed Azziz ben Achour said the attention paid to social sciences reflects awareness about the importance of this type of research in monitoring societal shifts. He said these findings, when properly analysed, can contribute to social development.

Festival organiser Najoua Mestiri said, "We chose social sciences because of the emergence of new social phenomena through globalisation, and due to the importance of contributions by Arab women in analysing these phenomena and attempting to find solutions to the new problems."

The Arab woman is educated and has a special outlook through which she can help boost knowledge and conduct research into the issues of her society, said Fadia Htit, a professor from Lebanon. She added, "Women today are looking for their own voice, and they feel their contributions are being increasingly valued."

For her part, Moroccan sociology professor Aicha Teg said that women's research is still in its initial stages in the Arab world, noting that "budgets earmarked by Arab countries for research is very limited compared to foreign countries; it is no more than 2% of the total budget in a country like Morocco."

Fathia Maatouq, a social science professor at the University of Algiers, said Arab women have a strong presence in the field of social sciences in quality and quantity, especially in Algeria. She said women have proven their distinguished work in the field, seen by some as "befitting the nature of women".

On the other hand, she questioned the number of women not continuing in the field of scientific research after obtaining their diploma or master's degree, a problem she said exists in more than one Arab country.

It is noteworthy that the conference changed focus as of last year to more scientific study after focusing for more than ten years on literary and artistic themes such as music, radio and television production and arts and poetry criticism.

The Arab Creative Women's Conference was established 12 years ago for the purpose of highlighting the creativity of Arab women in all human fields, and for exchanging experiences among Arab creative women and for strengthening ties among them.