The Fourth Meeting of the Permanent Committee on Women’s Affairs in the GCC addressed a range of strategic topics, most notably the review of the unified Gulf platform for women’s affairs following the incorporation of member states’ comments, and the discussion of a proposal to designate a day to celebrate Gulf Women’s Day. The meeting also reviewed the recommendations of the high-level side events presented by the Sultanate of Oman under the title “Women at the Heart of Development: From Empowerment to Impact,” and by the State of Kuwait under the title “She Builds: Women Innovating Social Solutions for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.” In addition, the meeting discussed the General Secretariat’s proposal to host a high-level event entitled “A Sustainable Gulf and Equal Opportunities: A Gulf Vision to Bridge the Gender Gap.”

The workshop, titled “Dialogue Workshop on the Phenomenon of Divorce in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries,” will review the causes and effects of divorce, existing programs to address the phenomenon in member states, and relevant legislation and policies in order to develop recommendations and proposed solutions.

The first meeting of the media working group on social issues in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is being held with the aim of coordinating Gulf media efforts on social issues, with the participation of representatives of the ministries of social affairs/development and the ministries of information in the member states, in addition to the General Secretariat, the Executive Office, the Gulf Statistical Center, the Joint Program Production Foundation and the Gulf Radio and Television Corporation.

Title: Session on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue to present the applied study on green transition and skills development in the GCC countries: Leveraging intra-regional mobility through circular migration

Synopsis: The Executive Office, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration and in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Dialogue team, is working on presenting a policy paper on green transition and skills development in the GCC countries: Leveraging intra-regional mobility through circular migration

A working meeting to discuss the Guide for Standardizing Terminology of Civil Society and Voluntary Sector Institutions will be held on 2–3 February 2026 at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat in Riyadh. The meeting is convened in implementation of the decision issued at the 11th meeting of Their Excellencies the Ministers of Social Affairs/Social Development in GCC States (Kuwait, September 2025).

The meeting aims to reach consensus on the scientific and methodological foundations underpinning the guide, finalize technical, administrative, and legal terminology, and address discrepancies in definitions among Member States, in preparation for adopting the final version and submitting it for ministerial approval. Participants will include representatives of Ministries of Social Affairs/Social Development, legal experts from Member States, the GCC General Secretariat, the Executive Bureau, and the expert assigned to prepare the guide. The meeting is expected to result in an agreed final draft of the guide, along with a tracking matrix documenting Member States’ proposed amendments and their technical justifications

The Executive Bureau, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council, is holding a meeting to discuss the draft strategic framework for combating forced labor and human trafficking in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with the participation of representatives from the Ministries of Labor and Interior, anti-human trafficking committees, and human rights bodies.

Future Pathways: Addressing the Structural Roots of Child Labor in the Arab Region through Digital Innovation and Integrated Policies

Part of the Sixth International Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor

Session Title: Future Pathways: Addressing the Structural Roots of Child Labor in the Arab Region through Digital Innovation and Integrated Policies

Overview: The Executive Bureau and the Arab Labor Organization, in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco and the International Labor Organization, are holding a side event on the sidelines of the conference entitled “Future Pathways: Addressing the Structural Roots of Child Labor in the Arab Region through Digital Innovation and Integrated Policies,” as part of the Sixth International Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor.

The third meeting of the Joint Charitable Work Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is being held via video conference, with the participation of specialists in humanitarian and charitable work in the GCC countries, and with the participation of the Gulf Statistical Center, the Executive Office of the Council of Ministers of Labor, and the Council of Ministers of Social Affairs of the GCC countries.

This workshop is being held in cooperation between the Statistical Centre of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), the Executive Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labor and Ministers of Social Affairs of the GCC States, and the Regional Office for Arab States of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Beirut. The workshop aims to facilitate technical discussions on developing and structuring a social protection observatory in the GCC States by reviewing successful regional experiences to identify the necessary course of action and roadmap.

The session, held as part of the Global Labour Market Conference in Riyadh, examines how social protection systems can be strengthened and better coordinated with occupational safety and health (OSH) measures to protect workers from the growing risks of extreme heat, particularly in GCC countries. The concept note highlights the preventive and compensatory roles of work injury compensation, partial unemployment benefits, sickness benefits, and social health protection, while drawing on international experiences and good practices. It also identifies policy gaps, reform opportunities, and the need for deeper technical dialogue to enhance the responsiveness of social protection systems—especially for migrant workers—in the face of escalating climate-related risks