This session provided an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the progress towards achieving the SDGs. It also presented some initial observations on Arab parliaments’ response to the COVID-19 crisis and placed the response in the context of achieving the SDGs and ensuring that no one is left behind.

In this session, participants discussed the extent to which Arab parliaments were able to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable response to the COVID-19 pandemic through their representative and law-making functions. Parliamentarians also shared their experiences in ensuring that the policies adopted represented their constituencies concerns and priorities, especially the most vulnerable amongst them, and discussed their role in ensuring a more inclusive policy making process and in contributing to raising awareness at the level of constituencies. The session offered an opportunity for collective reflection on how the parliaments response to the COVID-19 crisis contributed to progress towards achieving the SDGs.

This session focused on the experiences of Arab parliaments in overseeing the executive branch during the COVID-19 pandemic and its role in scrutinizing budgets. Participants identified some of the promising practices from the region as well as factors of success, the challenges faced, and lessons learnt to strengthen the role of parliament in implementing SDGs in view of possible crisis in the future.

This session addressed the role of parliaments in ensuring that the needs and specificities of older persons are duly considered, including in times of crises. As such, participants shared their parliaments’ efforts to address the needs of older persons in their different functions. This session also constituted an opportunity to present the regional draft law for older persons that could guide the efforts of countries to further protect the rights of older persons, particularly in times of crisis.

This session provided a platform for participants from Arab parliaments’ to present the administrative measures adopted during the pandemic, such as reforms to rules of procedure, teleworking, electronic voting, and other measures that aimed to enable its members and staff to carry on their functions as efficiently as possible. Discussions focussed on the challenges faced and participants reflected on the lessons learnt from parliamentary work during the crisis.