we have been witnessing a trend of plastic surgery in Lebanon, especially among women.
but some institute are not legal, and do not have the experience required to do surgery and to inject good and legal substance in the lips, or under the eyes, or take some fat off.
for you the campaign that was launched against the illegal plastic surgery centers in Lebanon.
dears do always go to a responsible “Doctor” and not an esthetic or employee in a beauty institute of spa to regain esteem in yourself.
the consequences on your health can be horrific.
Rita
The article that was published in the Daily Star :
Illegal plastic surgery preys on beauty seekers
BEIRUT: When people ask Dr. Dany Touma how bad the illegal plastic surgery industry has become, he tells them about a young woman who went to a spa for a beauty treatment and left with lips that might be ruined forever.
The woman was at a regular spa appointment when an employee asked her if she wanted something to enhance the size of her lips. When she said yes, a cosmetician with no medical license injected her lips with an unregulated substance.
Her lips will require extensive treatment to correct the damage done, and they may be forever altered.
“It was really an awful substance,” says Touma, who runs a plastic surgery clinic.
A growing, seedy underground of unlicensed cosmeticians are taking advantage of plastic surgery’s huge appeal in Lebanon, preying on people looking for a shortcut to surgically enhanced beauty, experts said Thursday as a group of medical organizations launched an initiative to try and roll back the growing illicit industry.
The push comes ahead of the plastic surgery spike before the summer season, and includes a television advertisement and poster campaign to warn the public about the dangers of unregulated procedures by non-doctors.
“Between disfigurement and cosmetic surgery there is 12 years of medicine. A specialized doctor is your guarantee,” the tagline of the advertisement says.
The illegal and dangerous procedures often use the mostly unregulated space provided by spas, where a makeover and a massage can turn disastrous if spas take advantage of their clients’ trust and relaxation.
The new initiative to fight illegal surgery includes a protocol signed by representatives of the Health Ministry, the Order of Physicians and associations concerned with dermatology and plastic surgery. Their nine-point plan is a bid to try and coordinate a response to a shady industry that is difficult to regulate. The protocol stipulates the pursuit of people practicing illegal surgeries and involves investigative teams and creating lists of cosmetic centers to monitor. The operations are known to take place in pharmacies and other health clinics as well as spas.
“If the doctor [performs a procedure that involves] a complication, people can call the Lebanese Order of Physicians, but if it is a complication by a non-doctor the Lebanese Order of Physicians has no say; the only thing they can do is call the Ministry of Health,” said Touma, explaining the regulatory predicament at a news conference.
Women account for the large majority of plastic surgeries in the country, but men are also increasingly having work done, and doctors say they account for some 30 percent of procedures.
Lebanon is also a medical tourism country that attracts large numbers of foreigners seeking operations.
Popular operations such as nose jobs cost a few thousand dollars, which can be cost-prohibitive for many people in the country who are pressured to fit in with fashion trends despite their low income. Corner-cutting treatments such as fad diets and supplements, and now cheap nonmedical cosmetic surgeries, are increasingly popular for people who can’t afford expensive procedures, doctors say.
Sharaf Abu Sharaf, the president of the Order of Physicians, said it was the government’s responsibility to educate the public about the dangers of the illicit procedure industry, and police things as best they can.
“Our responsibility as professional institutions is to inform the public because they lack the proper knowledge. Because we know what might happen,” Abu Sharaf said.
Dears, the UNFPA communication office have released the new issues of the newsletter TANSEEQ for Ending GBV in Lebanon”.
as the communication team of UNFPA stiplulates, “This newsletter constitutes Lebanon’s very first national networking tool on Gender Based Violence (GBV). It provides a comprehensive snapshot of activities in the area of GBV undertaken between July and December 2012 in Lebanon. A total of 14 actors in the area of GBV have contributed to the present issue.
This issue’s special features are:
Supplement on the “16 Days to End Gender Violence” and the “White Ribbon” campaigns
Section on the Inter-Agency SGBV Task Force operating under the Protection working group for the Syria Humanitarian response
Winning articles of the UNFPA-supported GBV article-writing contest among Journalism students at the Lebanese University”.
Full Time Job Vacancy (6 months with the possibility of extension)
Project Officer
For the Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution Program
At The Forum for Development Culture and Dialogue (F.D.C.D.)
The Project officer will support the peacebuilding program of FDCD in designing, implementing and following-up with local projects in Lebanon that targets various focus group all over the country.
Major Tasks:
• Assisting the Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution Program Coordinator in implementing and following up running peacebuilding projects in Lebanon.
• Monitoring and assisting in the evaluation process for several projects.
• Establishing contact and maintaining correspondence with individuals and institutions within the project work of PBCR-FDCD.
• Implementing peacebuilding conference in different Lebanese regions.
• Assisting in Planning and executing training programs in peacebuilding, leadership, conflict prevention and relevant topics.
• The Job Holder may be assigned to other tasks related to the implementation of different F.D.C.D. projects.
Qualifications:
• BA degree required in social work, political science, peace and conflict studies or relevant majors.
• 1 year experience in N.G.O. Work
• Knowledge in peacebuilding and conflict resolution techniques
• Lebanese nationality
• Excellent communication skills in Arabic (written and Oral)
• Good Communication skills in English (written and Oral) – French is a Plus
• Able to travel to different geographical region in Lebanon
• Able to work under Time Pressure and Deadlines
• Computer Skills ( Word, Excel…)
• Able to start working by May – June 2013
Contract:
This Position is set for 6 months period ending on the 31 of December 2013. Could be extended in case of Program Renewal.
How to Apply:
Send your Two Pages C.V. To : info@fdcd.org – State in the subject : Project Officer Vacancy – PBCR – FDCD.
Deadline for applicants: 23th of April 2013
–Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be called for an interview
UNRISD is now accepting applications for an internship position, under the supervision of the Deputy Director, in the area of Social and Solidarity Economy.
Required qualifications: Currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD degree programme in the social sciences;
Good understanding of social economy, sustainable development and social movements issues;
Excellent communication skills including written and spoken fluency in English and experience in editing English texts; good working knowledge of French and Spanish desirable;
Proficiency in MS Office package.
Responsibilities: Follow-up activities related to the 6-8 May 2013 UNRISD conference on the Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy, These are likely to include assisting with editing, preparing publications, updating the website, serving as a communications focal point and other tasks.
Conducting background research on social and solidarity economy issues;
Identifying governmental, intergovernmental and civil society actors and networks supporting social and solidarity economy initiatives and informing them of the outcomes of the UNRISD project on the Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy;
The deadline for applications is 22 April 2013. The internship will be ideally for three to four months, starting mid-June 2013.
If you are interested in the work elaborated above and have the corresponding qualifications, please apply online by clicking the button below and clearly specify your qualifications. Please note that due to limited staff resources only those candidates who are short-listed will be contacted.
UNRISD is now accepting applications for an internship in the area of its Gender Programme. The intern will provide support to the UNRISD Director and project coordinator. UNRISD was established in 1963 as an autonomous space within the UN system for the conduct of policy-relevant, cutting-edge research on social development that is pertinent to the work of the United Nations Secretariat; regional commissions and specialized agencies; and national institutions. The UNRISD mission is to position social inclusion, equity and justice at the centre of development thinking, policies and practice. We emphasize the essential role of social policies, institutions and actors in development processes and outcomes. We generate and share knowledge through research networks across regions and disciplines. We connect this knowledge and critical analysis with international debates and policy processes. We propose alternative solutions to contemporary development problems. Qualifications:
Eligible candidates must be currently enrolled in a Master’s or PhD degree programme (as per UN Secretariat rules regarding interns) in the social sciences (social policy, development studies, or development economics is desirable).
Strong academic focus on gender
Some developing country experience
Written and spoken fluency in English is essential.
Proficiency in the MS Office package.
Responsibilities:
Finalise and edit research reports on women’s organisations in Asia for publication
Liaise with an external research coordinator in a new project on Understanding gender egalitarian change: A perspective from Asia, including setting up country research teams, and assisting in organising an initial project workshop
Assist with the finalisation of a report from a workshop on gender research across the UN system.
Keep track of / act as a focal point for gender research and activities across the UN system, particularly in relation to the post-2015 process
Assist in developing new research proposals including undertaking literature reviews (particularly related to gender and agriculture, and gender and social policy).
Time period The internship is for three months, starting either April or May 2013, with a possibility of extension. The exact start date is negotiable. Remuneration
In accordance with the rules and regulations of the UN Internship Programme, this internship is not financially remunerated.
The Institute is not responsible for interns’ travel expenses to and from Geneva, or for their medical insurance for the period of assignment.
Application process If you have the required qualifications and are interested in this position, please apply online by clicking the button below. Please, use the “motivation” section to submit a cover letter specifying your interests and qualifications. Kindly note that, due to limited staff resources, only those candidates who are short-listed will be contacted. Closing date The deadline for applications is 14 April 2013 (Midnight, Central European Time).
Cover of Ilo report working with domestic workers 1980-2012
dears,
ILO in lebanon is seeking for a national research consultant and a communication consultant for a project aiming to promote the rights of Women Domestic Workers;
Kindly find attached the 2 TORs related to the counsultancies,
also, for you to know more about ILO work in this field,
I am attaching the link of a report of 92 pages related to the program : PROWD OF ILO: Promoting Rights of Women Domestic Workers Programme (PROWD); The report is intitled “Working with Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon (1980-2012): A mapping of NGO services ” and has been prepared by Marie-Jose Tayah,
the direct link to the report is http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/arpro/beirut/downloads/events/2012/prowd_2012/report.pdf
A new Call for Applications for the MEDASTAR Programme has been launched. It will be open between December 10th, 2012 (12:00 p.m., Spanish time), and February 14th, 2013.
MEDASTAR (Mediterranean Area for Science, Technology and Research) is a project that aims for broader co-operation between Europe, Egypt and Lebanon putting emphasis on science, technology and research.
The project is devoted to creating a mutual forum for scientific cooperation, acknowledgement and exchange. It takes into account the objectives (both general and specific) of the Erasmus Mundus Action 2 Strand1 (EMA 2-1) call and the objectives and expected results of Egypt and Lebanon as reflected in their national reports on the state and development of education.
MEDASTAR will actively respond to the needs of Egypt and Lebanon for higher education, in accordance with their level of development. Attention will be given to the promotion of equal opportunities and the values of democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Join the Inaugural: Call for applications for Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at CEU. This two-year program offers students the opportunity to concentrate in Global Media and Communication in their second year.Scholarships and fellowships available.
The CEU School of Public Policy (SPP) is seeking to recruit exceptional students from all parts of the globe to enroll in its inaugural class for the two-year Master of Public Administration (MPA) program to begin in September 2013. CEU is an English-language, graduate university located in Budapest, Hungary and is accredited in both the United States and Hungary. Applications are open until 24 January 2013.
The School’s professional degree program will equip students to make innovative contributions towards addressing the paramount public policy challenges of the 21st century. The MPA curriculum consists of integrated components designed to foster intellectual growth and reflective thinking, the development of practical skills and experiential learning.
Areas of concentration initially offered will include analysis in a host of public policy areas such as: Regional and Global Governance, Human Security and Sustainable Development and Global Media and Communication. In cooperation with the Open Society Foundations and SPP’s network of worldwide partners, the program will entail a student-designed, policy-oriented practice component (called the passion project), which commences in the winter term of the first year of the MPA program, builds on a summer internship, and runs through the entirety of a student’s second year.
We are recruiting students with a passion for public policy and the public good ready to challenge established models and schools of thought.
Prospective students
The School of Public Policy seeks applicants for its inaugural class who are committed to making a positive difference in the world of global public policy. Successful applicants will demonstrate a strong academic record, an interest in public policy, and high leadership potential. Although not a requirement, it is preferable that applicants possess one to several years work experience, obtained through paid/unpaid employment, professional or volunteer work, and/or internship opportunities, and have exposure to international or multicultural environments.
Join us in promoting innovative solutions worldwide and foster change: in government, international institutions, within non-profits, or in the private sector.
Join a community of action-oriented thinkers and policy makers.
About SPP
Launched in September 2011, SPP aspires to become (in the words of its founder George Soros) a “new kind of global institution dealing with global problems.” In its degree and non-degree programs (including executive education), SPP aims to create an educational experience that involves not only the acquisition of skills and knowledge but also the cultivation of a mindset that emphasizes entrepreneurship, innovation, cultural awareness and a commitment to the public good. Building on Central European University’s rich traditions of promoting diversity and open societies, the SPP will cultivate a rigorous interdisciplinary environment and a dynamic laboratory of ideas.
Further opportunities to specialize in media and communication studies at CEU
1) Media, Information and Communication Policy Specialization within the Master in Public Policy (1 year program and 2 year Erasmus program).Visit their Website.
2) Political Communication certificate within the Master in Political Science (1 and 2 year programs). Visit their Website.
3) Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations. Visit their Admissions Website.
Experience required: Minimum 3 years with chronicles for previous writing projects proposals Education degree: Minimum Bachelor Degree Field of education: Bachelor’s degree programs in mass communication (media), English or a related field are desired:
• Compile and sustain a database of international and local donors: “philanthropists, organizations, foundations and private corporations…
• Survey constantly openings from international and local donors and inform in a timely manner the fundraising opportunities matching our NGO vision
• Research, write and organize ideas and may include creating strategies.
• Expert in writing project proposals, to meet proposal deadlines and ensure their timely submission for international and local donors “organizations, foundations and private corporations…
• Expert in writing concept notes, new project ideas to ensure success when we seek financing by fund raising or multiple grants sources too
• Maintaining relationships with existing donors and respond to their requests regularly and keep updating them about the work of the organization
• Making sure that proposals in progress are in compliance with instructions, managing production and the distribution of all work documents and ensuring proposal formatting
• multi-tasking on different projects simultaneously and with tight deadlines
• Excellent research, computer skills, interpersonal skills and ability to write persuasively and articulately
Oxfam is committed to working with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. We have a conviction that people are capable of building a livelihood without poverty on their own, once given the chance to do so.
Oxfam has been working in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for over five decades and over the past four decades promoting gender equality and supporting women’s right to participate and be represented in governance and decision-making structures and processes.
This focus is complementary to other areas of Oxfam’s work on women’s rights and to the broader goal of Oxfam to contribute to a ‘world without poverty.’ Oxfam is committed to supporting women, men and children living in poverty, to claim their rights to sustainable livelihoods, to basic social services, to life and security, to be heard, and to an identity.
AMAL is a three-year multi-country programme to be implemented jointly by Oxfam Great Britain, Oxfam Novib, Intermon Oxfam and partners, which is aimed to promote active participation and leadership of women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including the poorest and most marginalised women, in local, national and regional governance structures and decision-making processes, thereby ensuring that they have a say in formulation of and/or their needs and priorities are reflected in socio-economic policies and practice affecting them at all levels. The programme is set to be implemented in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. In this framework Oxfam is recruiting for a:
National Vacancy
Regional Advocacy and Media Officer
Full time position
Based in Beirut, Lebanon (may move to Cairo, Egypt in the course of the project)
One year fixed term national contract with possibility of renewal
Purpose of the function
Main role to lead the AMAL program regional advocacy campaign based on regional research to be conducted in the first year of the project on women’s leadership and political participation. To analyse relevant developments in the national/regional political and economic context. With regard to campaigning and/or lobby agendas, to identify external (national, regional and when relevant global) decision-makers to press to adopt and implement the policy positions of Oxfam and partners. To establish and maintain regular contact with these key regional players/ decision makers. To assist/advise partner organizations in developing their lobby, advocacy and campaigning activities. To oversee the media work with 2 regional partners.
The function
In close co-operation with the Oxfam AMAL program team staff and regional counterparts and on the basis of the research on womens political participation conducted in the first year of the program, you will lead on the formulation and implementation of the AMAL program lobby, advocacy and media strategy, including as needed the development of advocacy and media materials (policy lines, talking points, reports, papers, letters, flyers, press releases, stories.) You report to the Regional Gender Lead of Oxfam Novib, with matrix management by the Programme Coordinator. You are a member of the AMAL program management team for the region.
You will identify key issues and opportunities for lobby and campaigning. You ensure that all media and advocacy statements are signed off in accordance with agreed Oxfam procedures prior to publication. You will liaise with the Oxfam reams in Yemen, OPT, Tunisia and Morocco in this regard.
You will lead as part of the regional advocacy campaign of the AMAL in producing 2 policy briefs/reports focusing on the women’s rights and policies in the MENA region to share with policy decision makers at global regional levels. Throughout the AMAL programme you will identify women change agents and develop stories on these women for wider dissemination.
You will maintain contact with Oxfam staff and local partner organisations in relation to development of Oxfam policy, advocacy and media work in relation to the AMAL program . You are responsible for identifying, organising, facilitating and if needed monitoring of capacity building strategies on media and advocacy target beneficiaries and partners. The partners will receive on the job training on development of advocacy strategies and most importantly lead on research on gaining women’s perception and aspirations in rural areas to inform their sub-nation and national media and advocacy campaigns targeting national, regional and global institutions and authorities.
You identify partner needs in the area of advocacy, lobby and media, and develop programs reinforcing lobby and media activities and you ensure that the activities are in line with Oxfam Southern campaigning principles.
You facilitate the networking between partners and relevant external actors including knowledge & research institutes in relation to policy, advocacy and media, and initiate and facilitate reports and any publications in this area. You will support partners to be linked together via an interactive community of practice, linked to Face-book and Twitter, where organisations can upload videos and pictures, share news, chat and network. During years two and three of the programme implementation, in collaboration with country teams, you will pilot an innovative virtual ‘e-twinning programme’, which will link women’s organisations in the region that are in different stages of development.
You will contribute to raising the voice of women activists from around the region, by facilitating delegations of women to key targets and decision makers in the UK governments, and EU. In Europe partner organizations will link up with NGOs such as WIDE to facilitate and accompany the missions. You will facilitate the delegations and be responsible to develop and agree key messages regarding women’s socio, economic and political rights.
During year three, together with two regional partner organizations you will implement a campaign on the identified policy issue that advocates for women’s rights and agree with all countries on the priorities and the brand of the campaign.
You have ●Completed an academic degree in political science, development studies, sociology, communication or related field; ●Demonstrable recent and substantial work experience with NGOs in the Middle East in Maghreb, experience in capacity building with NGOs is an asset; ●Experience in policy, advocacy, campaigning and media/communications work at local, national and international levels; ●Familiarity with and previous experience with working with social media. ●Gender development and/or women’s right background;●Ability to influence others, excellent social skills and a team player; ●Experience of working in insecure environments and adhering to security protocol ●Experience of working in a multicultural team environment with both national/global staff Knowledge of and sensitivity to conservative Islamic cultures is a distinct advantage ●High level of flexibility with the ability to produce creative and pragmatic solutions to complex/ambiguous operational problems ●Excellent communication skills in English; fluency in written/spoken Arabic and in spoken/written French. ●Readiness to undertake regular travel to offices in the field ●Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Lebanon.
We offer
A competitive, fair pay and benefits package that is justifiable to our donors. This position will be a national contract, recruited primarily in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Application procedure
Are you interested? Send your application in writing, including a motivation letter and a curriculum vitae and mentioning reference number 5-159 to jobs@oxfamnovib.nl to the attention of Ewa van den Berg, HR Consultant of Oxfam Novib, no later than October 30, 2012.
Information on the job is available with Mirjam Andriessen +31 6 10973441 of Oxfam Novib. Information on the contract and procedure is available with Mrs Natalia Arkhipova of Oxfam Great Britain at: NArkhipova@oxfam.org.uk
Regional Business Development Knowledge Initiative
Announcement for immediate recruitment
of a short-term consultant for workshop coordination
Within the framework of its Regional Economic Empowerment of Women Project (REEWP), CRTD.A is leading on an internal regional learning initiative for project partners, focusing on “opportunities and challenges for marketing”. REEWP is a regional project managed by Oxfam-Québec and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), covering four countries (Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon), and aiming at creating an enabling environment for the sustainable economic development of women and economic empowerment opportunities in the Arab region.
The main goal of this regional initiative is to reflect and share knowledge on experiences and best practices in marketing of women’s crafts and food processed goods as well as build the capacities of key partners’ organisations (KPOs) and selected counterparts for creating sustainable marketing initiatives.
More specifically, the objectives of this initiative are conceived to be inter-connected as follows:
a. Gain practical exposure to actual marketing experiences and tease out tangible dos’ and don’ts.
b. Gain a better conceptual and practical understanding of the impact of macro and micro contextual factors, which would determine the effectiveness, and viability of a marketing operation.
c. Reflect collectively on potentially new and promising marketing initiatives.
d. Provide a space for KPOs and counterparts to develop their own skills for improving their marketing initiatives.
e. Contribute to strengthening relations amongst KPOs and between KPOs and their own contexts.
Two activities are envisaged to take place from October 2012 to March 2013, namely a regional exchange workshopfollowed by a capacity building training workshop.
CRTD.Ais seeking to recruit a short-term consultant to serve as the coordinator of the regional BDS learning initiative.
The tasks and responsibilities of the consultant have been set as follows:
1. Undertake all the logistical and administrative preparations for the two activities
2. Develop the needed documentations and research papers
3. Liaise with the facilitators to be recruited for each event
4. Liaise with partners and stakeholders
5. Attend the two events and prepare the reports and minutes of the two events
The ideal candidate should meet the following requirements:
1. University degree in social sciences or humanities
2. Excellent organization and coordination skills
3. Familiarity with issues related to economic empowerment and marketing as well as gender equality
4. Excellent writing skills in both English and Arabic
5. Excellent communication skills
6. Ability to work under pressure and meet multiple deadlines
The successful candidate is expected to work up to 30 days during a 5 month long period.
Interested candidates should send their CV, a detailed application letter and three references to vacancy@crtda.org.lb Please indicate “BDS Consultant” in the subject line.
Selection is on an immediate and rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
**********************************
المشروع الإقليمي لتمكين النساء إقتصادياً
إعلان لتوظيف فوري
منسق/ة المبادرة الإقيليمية لتبادل المعرفة
في إطار عمل المشروع الإقليمي لتمكين النساء إقتصادياً، والذي تديره منظمة أوكسفام كيبيك، بدعم مالي من الوكالة الكندية للتنمية الدولية، والذي يهدف إلى المساهمة في توفير البيئة الملائمة لتحقيق التنمية المستدامة للنساء وزيادة فرص التمكين الاقتصادي لهن في المنطقة العربية، تقوم مجموعة الأبحاث والتدريب للعمل التنموي، بتنفيذ مبادرة إقليمية لتبادل المعرفة وبناء القدرات بين شركاء المشروع حول الفرص والتحديات التي تواجه تسويق المنتجات الحرفية والغذائية النسائية.
تهدف هذه المبادرة الإقليمية إلى تبادل الخبرات، دراسة التجارب الناجحة في التسويق، وبناء قدرات الشركاء الرئيسيين للمشروع من اجل خلق فرص تسويقية مستدامة لمنتجات النساء.
حددت اهداف هذه المبادرة على الوجه التالي:
أ. إكتساب معرفة تطبيقية قائمة على تجارب فعلية في التسويق الأمر مما سيساهم في تحديد خيارات ملموسة خلال عملية التسويق.
ب. تعزيز الفهمين النظري والعملي لعوامل الإقتصاد الكلي والجزئي، المؤثرة في العملية التسويقية.
ج. التفكير معاً حول مبادرات تسويقية جديدة وواعدة.
د. توفير مساحة للشركاء الرئيسيين للمشروع لتطوير مهاراتهم الخاصة بتحسين المبادرات التسويقية
ه. توثيق عرى العلاقات ما بين الشركاء أنفسهم، وبين الشركاء ومحيطهم.
بموجب الخطة الموضوعة للمبادرة، سيتم تنظيم نشاطين خلال الفترة الممتدة ما بين أكتوبر 2012 ومارس 2013، الأول، ورشة عمل إقليمية لتبادل الخبرات حول موضوع التسويق،والثاني، ورشة تدريبية لبناء القدرات في مجال التسويق.
لذلك، تسعى مجموعة الأبحاث والتدريب للعمل التنمويلاستخدام خبير/ة بعقد استشاري قصير الاجل لشغل وظيفة منسق/ة للمبادرة الإقليمية لتبادل المعرفة.
وبموجب عقد العمل المقترح، يتولى/تتولى الخبير/ة المهمات والمسؤوليات التالية:
1. إنجاز جميع الإستعدادات اللوجستية والإدارية الخاصة بالنشاطين المذكورين أعلاه
2. إعداد كل الوثائق والأوراق البحثية المطلوبة
3. التنسيق مع الميسرين/ات الذين سيتم تعيينهم لكل نشاط
4. التنسيق مع الشركاء وكل المعنيين الآخرين
5. حضور الورشتين وإعداد التقارير الخاصة بهما فضلاً عن تدوين محاضر الإجتماعات
على المتقدم/ة للوظيفة أن تتوفر لديه/ها المواصفات التالية:
1. حيازة شهادة جامعية في العلوم الاجتماعية أو العلوم الإنسانية
2. مهارات تنظيمية وتنسيقية ممتازة
3. معرفة بالقضايا المتعلقة بالتمكين الاقتصادي، التسويق، والمساواة في النوع الإجتماعي
4. قدرة ممتازة على الكتابة باللغتين العربية والإنجليزية
5. مهارات تواصل عالية
6. قدرة على العمل تحت الضغط والإلتزام بالمواعيد النهائية
تستغرق المهمة الإستشارية 30 يوماً تمتد من تشرين الأول 2012 وحتى نهاية آذار 2013.
على المرشحين/ات المهتمين/ات إرسال سيرتهم/ن الذاتية، إضافة الى رسالة تعريف شخصية، وثلاثة اسماء لاشخاص معرّفين، على العنوان التالي: vacancy@crtda.org.lb، على أن يتم الإشارة في عنوان الرسالة الى “وظيفة إستشاري/ة لمنسق المبادرة الإقليمية لتبادل المعرفة”
تجري عملية فض الرسائل وإختيار المرشحين/ات فور بدء استلام الطلبات على أن يتم الإتصال فقط بالمرشحين/ات الذين واللواتي يقع عليهم/ن الاختيار للمقابلة
LOCATION: Beirut
JOB FAMILY: Programme
SALARY: $Competitive
LEVEL: D1 National
OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.
TEAM PURPOSE: To work as part of the AMAL programme management team to effectively deliver the AMAL programme for maximum benefit for women in the Middle East and North Africa region.
JOB PURPOSE: To lead and support the development and implementation of effective and coordinated MEAL systems for the AMAL programme to support quality delivery as per Oxfam standards.
For more information about Oxfam’s work in the Middle East, please visit our website.
Background
Oxfam has been working in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for over five decades. Over the past four decades it has been promoting gender equality and supporting women’s right to participate and be represented in governance and decision-making structures and processes.
This focus is complementary to other areas of Oxfam’s work on women’s rights and to the broader goal of Oxfam to contribute to a ‘world without poverty.’ Oxfam is committed to supporting women, men and children, living in poverty, to claim their rights to sustainable livelihoods, to basic social services, to life and security, to be heard, and to an identity.
AMAL is a three-year multi-country programme to be implemented jointly by Oxfam GB, Oxfam Novib, Intermon Oxfam and partners. It is aimed to promote active participation and leadership of women in the MENA region, including the poorest and most marginalised women, in local, national and regional governance structures and decision-making processes. By doing so, the programme aims to ensure that they have a say in formulation and/or their needs and priorities are reflected in socio-economic policies and practice at all levels. The programme is set to be implemented in the OPTs, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen.
Key Responsibilities
To develop programme MEAL systems in accordance with Oxfam standards
To ensure relevant Oxfam team, partners, target groups and community capacity building and participation in MEAL
To provide analysis and presentation of MEAL data
For more details, please read the attached job profile (below).
Skills and Competence
Essential
Knowledge and experience of establishing and maintaining effective monitoring and evaluation systems for development projects
Experience of gathering, analysing and presenting quantitative and qualitative data
Proven ability to work effectively with others – strong interpersonal skills
Excellent facilitation and training skills
Good organisational skills including accuracy, consistency, attention to detail and patience
Ability to show perseverance, tenacity and the ability to work under pressure
A strong focus on results – sets goals, plans and prioritises effectively, monitors quality and progress of work against plans, establishes high level of performance and sets an example to others
Demonstrable understanding of gender and rights based approaches to development
Experience of using participatory approaches in development projects
Able to communicate effectively in written and spoken English and Arabic
Commitment to Oxfam’s values
Desirable
Previous experience with Oxfam
Previous experience of working on projects related to women’s empowerment
Ability to speak French
Other
Ability to travel extensively in the region
How to Apply
For a more detailed overview of the role, please read the attached job profile.
Applications must be submitted online via the link below, by Tuesday 16th October 2012.
Applying for a job? Here is a guide to help you make the most out of the application process.
Vous souhaitez postuler à une offre d’emploi ? Ce guide vous aidera à maximiser vos chances. .
a very interesting intiative I am not sure they have a # for us to follow waht is being discussed and shared, but that will be help women from the region that were not able to attend, to participate in the discussions!
2 more days!
Partnership for Change: Empowering Women
Oct. 4-6, 2012
Pristina, Kosovo
The International Women’s Summit hosted by President of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, will address women’s economic development, political participation, and social status, and the inclusion of women in the security, business, and justice sectors. A diverse group of more than 200 public and private sector leaders from Kosovo, neighboring countries in southeastern Europe, as well as from wider Europe, North America, the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere, will convene for three days of discussions. Scheduled participants include Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State and NDI chairman, and Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.
A l’occasion du tricentenaire de Jean Jacques Rousseau, l‘Institut des Sciences Politiques de l’Universite Saint Joseph en cooperation avec l’Ambassade Suisse au Liban, organisent une Conference debat sur le theme de La démocratie a l’épreuve de la pensée de Jean Jacques Rousseau,
Intervenants :
– Monsieur Guillaume Chenevière, Sociologue et Journaliste Suisse, Directeur
de la Télévision Suisse Romande
– Monsieur Antoine Messarra, Professeur à l’Institut des sciences politiques
– S.E Monsieur Adnan El Sayed Hussein, Recteur de l’Université Libanaise
Modérateur :
S.E Monsieur Georges Corm, Professeur à l’Institut des sciences politiques.
Le lundi 8 octobre 2012 à 17h00
Amphithéâtre Walid Ben Talal à l’ISP – Bâtiment A – 5e étage,
Campus des sciences sociales – Rue Huvelin, Achrafieh.
NGOs in Lebanon: Abusing Their Workers in the Name of Human Rights
“Ability to work under stress, alone or in a team, and the ability to multitask.” These are some of the conditions repeated in most job ads for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Lebanon. “Under stress” and “multitasking” might not seem like the kind of expressions that call for closer examination, yet they often tacitly spell worker exploitation.
With a fragile Lebanese economy, many qualified young people look for work in the fastest “growing” sector in Lebanon and that is the NGO sector. Most of these people are forced to accept adverse working conditions under the pretext of working for the public good and supporting important humanitarian causes! Labor rights are seen as nothing but a minute detail that distracts from fundamental goals like “poverty reduction,” “the empowerment of women,” “good governance,” “conflict resolution and the dialogue of civilizations” as well as other such concepts shoved down people’s throats by funders.
Organizations in Lebanon are not new, they were one of the foundations of sectarian pastoral institutions shortly before Lebanon’s independence and the withdrawal of foreign forces in 1946. They also flourished during the war to compensate for the breakdown of the state. But after 1990, and with the rise of structural economic policies globally accompanied by the gradual withdrawal of the welfare state, civil organizations proliferated dramatically. Funds from international donors started pouring in to address the social repercussions of structural changes that occurred in state institutions.The number of associations registered, according to the Law of Associations, reached 5,623 in 2007. If we exclude from this figure political parties, clubs, scouts and family ties in addition to fictitious or inactive associations then the number would range between 1,200 to 1,500 organizations, according to the 2010 civil society organizations directory.
Open Job Opportunities
Civil society organizations’ fields of activity have varied over the past few years and so have the approaches they take, ranging from charity to services and development. Funding increased and the donors multiplied. This created new job opportunities that are rarely found in the public and private sectors especially for medium-qualified and highly-qualified young people.
For example, the number of job vacancies on the website Lebanon Support (a civil society portal) sometimes reaches about 800 positions, according to the executive director Bassem Chit.
The civil organizations sector brought with it new kinds of professions that are not recognized in the public and private sectors, including human rights trainer, facilitator and advocacy officer. Some Lebanese universities have started to provide disciplines for these jobs to respond to market demand.
As with the private sector, this sector has witnessed a decline in labor earnings… though hidden in its “non-profit” cloak.
It is hard to count the number of employees in these organizations because only a small percentage of them have work contracts that are registered with social security. And even if they have contracts, they often work for short periods of time (depending on the length of the projects), and herein lies the problem. The civil society organizations sector is characterized by an absolute lack of job security and stability.
Chit said that while donors used to operate based on programs which lasted longer and needed a medium-term strategy, the current trend is to fund short-term projects and rely on contractors to cut labor cost.
Maya (not her real name) has ten years experience in civil society organizations, during which she moved between seven different organizations (the longest period she spent at one organization was a year and a half). Throughout those years she only received social security benefits for two years, therefore she was deprived of a large chunk of end of service indemnity. She admits that she has recurring anxiety about funding running out or the project ending. She remembers an incident that happened when she used to work for an organization concerned with women’s rights on a program addressing women’s economic rights, including social security. She says that she felt embarrassed working on this campaign: “How did we have the nerve to work for women’s social security at a time when the organization consisted mostly of women who lacked social security?”
Zeina (not her real name) has worked at many organizations since 2003. She believes that the basic offense lies in the manipulation of concepts and values which legitimizes many violations at work. She explains: “One can not ask for a raise or adhere to certain working hours or calculate overtime… because one’s work is divided between the job and volunteering.”
She says that at one of her jobs she was signing papers stating that her monthly salary was $900 while in reality she was receiving $700. When she complained about it the executive director justified it by saying that the association takes from employees’ salaries to pay for office expenses that were not taken into consideration by the funder in the budget.
Zeina’s case apparently is not unique. Based on the interviews we conducted, the problem is a common one in these organizations even if the excuses differ. Walid (not his real name), for example, has been working for a year at an association concerned with women’s rights. He says that part of his salary was deducted to pay social security contributions in full, including the employer’s contribution!
Zeina says that the problem she experienced most at work was the large number of tasks she was assigned that went beyond the scope of her “job,” under the pretext that part of the work is volunteer-based.
Farah remembers her first work experience in an organization concerned with refugee issues. When she asked her director about working hours, the director responded firmly: “There are no work hours here, we’re all volunteers.” Farah said she couldn’t stay for a long time in this organization as “employees” were on average putting in about 12 hours work a day in addition to working weekends, which was the normal trend. Of course there is no overtime pay because “the funder pays based on the tasks performed, not the hours of work,” says Maya.
The violations do not stop there, according to the editor of the Lebanese Observatory for the rights of Workers and Employees, Ahmad al-Dirani. He says that in addition to the problem of not having contracts and workers being deprived of social security and set work hours, most organizations do not have a mechanism for wage increases and most workers did not get the wage increase that was passed recently.Furthermore, under the pretext of being secular, some civil society organizations do not commit to all the official religious holidays and do not give vacations. In the last organization where Zeina worked, which was concerned with legal and human rights issues, she was allowed eight days of vacation annually instead of 15 – a clear violation of labor law.
Despite the human rights approach adopted by most civil society organizations, you find a lot of discriminatory practices between employees, whether in hiring or employment conditions. “We have the foreigner complex,” says Maya with a bitter smile. She says that during her work she came across many cases of discrimination between the “locals” and the foreigners. “With the same job description and indentical tasks and qualifications required, there was a $300 difference in wages between a French employee and myself, even though she did not know Arabic.”
Al-Dirani believes that the working conditions of civic association employees are still a lot worse, even though they enjoy job stability due to the flow of funds from religious and sectarian institutions.
Jinan is a nurse at a medical clinic that belongs to a religious organization. She has been working for five years for minimum wage, she has no work contract and does not receive social security benefits or health insurance and not even her yearly vacation.
Samia is in no better a situation. She’s been working for six years in an organization that belongs to a prominent political personality and there too “working hours depend on the work that needs to be done.” She indicates also that she does not have social security or private insurance.
Volunteering… or Cheap Labor?
Most of these violations take place under the guise of volunteering. The United Nations Volunteer Program defines volunteer work as “contributions that individuals make as non-profit, non-wage… action for the well-being of their neighbours, and society at large.”
If we step away from the idealism of this definition and we look at the dynamics of work and relationships between people inside organizations it becomes clear that volunteering has become in many cases synonymous with cheap labor.
The way money is dealt with in these NGOs is made evident in the examples that Walid cited about his work in this field. He saw how money is generously spent on hotels and taxis, so he did not have the audacity to convince target populations, most of them from poor and marginalized areas, to volunteer.
Who’s the Boss?
Labor relations in this field are no doubt ambiguous. The identity of the worker is lost between volunteering and working and the role of the employer is not clearly defined and is lost between the board of directors, the executive director and the funder.
If legally the employer is the administrative body then actual power is likely to lie in the hands of the executive director who is hired by an organization to be in charge of personnel management and to perform daily tasks. That is, the executive director is the decision-maker when it come to the terms and working conditions of the rest of the employees.
For Zeina, the executive director is the boss, meaning he is the person with whom she negotiates for her labor rights while “the role of the administrative body in this respect is often marginal.”
Walid points out that despite the direct daily relationship with his executive director, the funder bears a huge responsibility whether directly or indirectly in terms of determining working conditions.
Based on her experience in dealing with donors, Zeina stressed that in the best case scenario, some funders force management to sign model contracts (that include tasks, duration of contract and salary) but without determining the hours of work, social security, end of service indemnity and mechanisms for complaints.Maya is sure that most funders do not observe the working conditions at the organizations they deal with and even if they notice violations at work, they turn a blind eye.
It appears then that work relationships are three-pronged and consist of the employee, management and funder. The last party might seem absent but has a lot of influence. If exploitation of workers in the private sector involves reducing their share of added value for the benefit of increasing the corporation’s capital and the investors’ profits, exploitation in civil society organizations consists of reducing labor costs (wages and social security) to invest in projects and activities in order to compete with other organizations and attract more funding.
The ambiguity of labor relationships and the resulting “invisible” exploitation are not the only obstacles to organizing this sector and defending the rights of its workers. The problem also lies in the workers’ way of thinking and the logic of their work that relies on dialogue to “resolve conflicts” and the “we all benefit and no one loses” mentality regardless of who has the authority and the capital.
The question therefore remains, are employees of NGOs who are used to legalizing conflict and diluting it able to engage in a battle to defend their labor rights?
This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.
The Social Good Summit is where big ideas meet new media to create innovative solutions. Held during UN Week, the Social Good Summit unites a dynamic community of global leaders to discuss a big idea: the power of innovative thinking and technology to solve our greatest challenges. This September, we want YOU to join the conversation with leaders and citizens from around the globe. The most innovative technologists, influential minds and passionate activists will come together with one shared goal: to unlock the potential of new media and technology to make the world a better place, and then to translate that potential into action.
This year’s Social Good Summit will be more engaging than ever. People from around the world, in both the developed and the developing world, will unite in person and online to participate in The Global Conversation – the world’s largest conversation on how technology can grow communities and improve life for all of us as we move toward being a networked society. The Social Good Summit in New York City takes place September 22 – 24, 2012, but this is just the beginning of the global conversation.
On September 24, 2012 the Social Good Summit is coming to China and Kenya. Key leaders and citizens of Beijing and Nairobi will unite and explore the same themes that inspired the birth of the Social Good Summit. You’ll hear directly from these countries via Livestream, and can witness the live intersection of New York, Nairobi and Beijing on Monday morning from the stage of the 92Y in New York City.
The 2012 Social Good Summit is brought to you by Mashable, 92nd Street Y, the United Nations Foundation, Ericsson, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
You can take action by joining this global conversation:
-Attend the Social Good Summit in New York City from September 22 -24
-Organize or attend a Social Good Summit Meetup in your own hometown or anywhere around the world as part of The Global Conversation
-Watch the Summit on YouTube and interact in real-time with the Social Good Summit community via social media with the hashtag #SGSglobal
SHARE Beirut is a weekend-long public, free and non-commercial hybrid event blending an Internet culture and technology related daytime conference with dynamic cutting-edge music festival by night. It will bring together hundreds of passionate people, forward-thinkers, cultural creatives, activists and artists from Lebanon as all around the world for talks and parties in 72 hours of powerful gathering to share ideas, knowledge and creativity.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
It’s about understanding and celebrating Internet culture and all the aspects of open, decentralized and accessible forms of communication, exchange and creation. It’s about empowerment of individuals and networking of like-minded people. It’s about setting the values and new standards that will prevent any kind of oppression, censorship and surveillance for future generations. It’s about understanding alternative economic, cultural and educational models. It’s about Internet ecology and struggles to protect Internet as open and free territory for all of us. It’s about energizing sub-cultural groups and praising diversity that these cultures are bringing. It’s about promoting open access to software, hardware, information, knowledge, science, government, design and almost everything else that can be open. It’s about sharing. It’s about how to do it yourself. But mostly, it’s about cats doing flips, birds flying over the moon and robots making biiips.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN?
During the 3 days of the conference Beirut will become the world’s epicenter in exchanging progressive ideas and knowledge on Internet culture, society, technology, music and new media. The lectures and talks will be given by leading international stars in these fields, world-class bloggers and artists who will educate the audience on new forms of activism and approaches in using advanced technologies and the latest tools to create, influence and affect. Discussions will delve deep into the underground of the Internet subcultures and explore groups that fight for digital and human rights, free information flow and access, improving transparency, and protecting the privacy of fellow peers and residents. The event will be accompanied by an intensive music program, which will be simultaneously organized in several well-selected clubs and alternative venues in Beirut. Contributors and visitors who obtain one of 1500 unique free wristbands will get access to both day and night events where many local, regional and international artists will perform for audiences who will share vibes and energy to celebrate the Internet as open and free territory for all.
WHEN WILL IT TAKE PLACE?
From 5th to 7th of October (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) 2012.
Get ready and don’t plan anything else for this weekend. 🙂
Yes. Even though the main venue is huge and several clubs are on board, capacity is limited, so it is important that you register for the event. Around 1500 unique wristbands will give access to over 80 talks, exhibitions, concerts and DJ sets, so we encourage you to register as quickly as you can. Moreover, we encourage you to contribute and help us make this event even better.
WHERE WILL IT TAKE PLACE?
Main conference venue is Solea V in Beirut – a dazzling and very hip venue promising to host large events, dripping with atmosphere. The center boasts a huge skylight, and an indoor tree under high ceilings. Night program venues, clubs and program are soon to be announced, so be sure to subscribe to the newsletter.
Location: Jisr el Wati, next to Jaguar Dealership Sin El-Fil Capacity: 1500 people
IF YOU ARE A COMPANY OR FOUNDATION
We are not looking for sponsors, we are trying to find partners who will share our vision of creating social and cultural impact on society. Check our presentation (pdf) and contact us
IF YOU ARE A GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION
Issues and topics that we are addressing are important for every system and society. Freedom of speech, ecology of media, internet neutrality, privacy and transparency should be on the list of priorities of any responsible government. Check our presentation (pdf) and contact us
IF YOU ARE AN ACTIVIST Contact us. We will try to help as much as we can in your activities. We can create this event together, give you opportunity to spend 3 days with an international expert in your field of work, give you a space and time to present yourself or even try to fundraise for your activities.
IF YOU ARE ARTIST, MUSICIAN, BLOGGER, NEW MEDIA MAKER Do something together with us. We will organize a lot of collaborative activities before, during and after Share Beirut: remixing, crowd-designing, filmmaking, street art and interventions, flash mobs.
Here you can check some of our previous activities:
Gender Equality and Development looks at the facts and trends surrounding the various dimensions of gender equality in the context of the development process: although many women around the world continue to struggle with gender-based disadvantages, much has changed for the better and at a more rapid pace than ever before. But that progress needs to be expanded, protected, and deepened.
While development has closed some gender gaps—in educational enrollment, life expectancy, and labor force participation—other gaps persist, including excess deaths of girls and women, disparities in girls’ schooling, unequal access to economic opportunities, and differences in voice in households and society.
The report argues that gender equality is a core development objective in its own right. It is also smart economics. Greater gender equality can enhance productivity, improve development outcomes for the next generation, and make institutions more representative. For more information about this landmark report, visit worldbank.org/wdr2012. For more data, visit the World Bank Data on Gender site.
The Lady Doth Protest: Mapping Feminist Movements, Moments, and Mobilisations. Women have long participated in and led a wide variety of protests, feminist and otherwise. Their historical participation in movements against, for example, colonialism and militarism; for equal rights and civil liberties; on livelihood issues and against capitalist expansion has routinely thrown up questions about feminist knowledge, praxis, and personal-public life. More recently, the visibility of women on a global scale in the ‘Arab spring’, the North American ‘occupy’ movement and activist marches like the ‘Slut Walk’ and ‘Muff March’ phenomena, makes revisiting debates on women and protest apposite. At the same time, the ‘war on terror’, the so-called death of multiculturalism in Europe, the racialization of religion, and women’s global participation in fundamentalist mobilisations and armed struggle raises new questions concerning the interstices between race, religion, class, sexuality and citizenship. These questions that feminism(s) needs to (re)consider whilst contextualising women in protest and protest more generally lie at the heart of this conference theme. We seek to critically reflect upon the concept of feminist protest – its discourse, image and impact, and to examine the possibility of creative feminist engagement across a spectrum of moments, movements and mobilisations.
We conceive of the term ‘protest’ in its widest sense as both formal and quotidian contentious action existing in a variety of practices including activism, critical pedagogies, literature, film, technologies, art and aesthetics – all of which coalesce around the challenge they mount to multiple hegemonies. By unpacking the concept of protest and expanding existing notions of the political through a feminist lens, we seek to understand how feminist protest, in particular, responds to and emerges within/in spite of, the challenges of our contemporary world. In exploring feminism’s relationship with a wide variety of contemporary concerns, social movements and across a range of disciplines, we invite papers from across the arts, humanities and social sciences, that aim to address the possibilities and complexities of feminist mobilisation within the socio-cultural, political, economic, and pedagogic specificities of the temporal spaces we currently find ourselves in. Topics may include, but are by no means limited to:
• Women and protest: theoretical, historical, and contemporaneous concerns;
• Sexual and gendered economies of neoliberalism, recession, and austerity;
• Gender, securitization, counterterrorism, and nationalism(s);
• The impacts of new forms of (transnational) activism and protest politics on feminism; connecting theory and practice;
• Critical pedagogy and feminist scholarship in times of continuity and change;
• The poetics of protest: literature, music, film, and art;
• Race, Class, Gender and the State;
• Spirituality, Faith, and Religion;
• Feminist temporalities in protest;
• The language and rhetoric of protests, movements and feminist mobility;
• Non or anti-feminist protest;
• Sexuality and protest, and heteronationalisms
Please send panel proposals (600 words) and 250 word abstracts for twenty-minute papers to the conference organisers at: conf2013@fwsa.org.uk
Panels proposals should be sent by 30 September, 2012 and individual paper submissions by 30 October, 2012. To have more information follow the link http://www.fwsaconference.co.uk/
IN THE patriarchal societies of the Arab world, quite a few women are getting noticed for flouting conventional gender norms. There’s Saudi Arabia’s Manal al-Sharif, who lost her job and came under great pressure for driving a car and putting a video of it on YouTube; Sheikha Mayassa Al Thani, a powerful art patron in Qatar; and Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, a globe-trotting minister of foreign trade for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). And later this year the region will see its first museum dedicated to the accomplishments of women.
The Women’s Museum of the United Arab Emirates is the creation of Rafia Obaid Ghubash, an academic, psychiatrist and former president of the Arabian Gulf University, who campaigns for women’s education. Her aim is to educate visitors—locals, expats and tourists—that Emirati women have enjoyed more power and influence than is recognised. She also wants to re-connect the fast-moving modern Emirates with its history and tradition. The three-storey museum is determinedly contemporary: traditional jewellery hangs suspended in minimalist cases; material wraps a stylised mannequin; worn housework tools are displayed alongside artwork by modern female Emirati artists.
Dr Ghubash declined a free site in Bastakya (an official Dubai heritage district), preferring to buy one in Deira, Dubai’s old nexus of souks. She sold off some commercial property she owned to finance the museum herself, at a cost of around $4m, and plans to seek sponsors for its projects and exhibitions. She explains that her mother taught her that womanhood need not equal subservience. Speaking in the museum to the sounds of saws and final touches, her iPhone headphones threading through her fingers like worry beads, Dr Ghubash recalls her mother telling her: “You have to learn that your rights are born with you. Don’t think the government or a man or your husband will give you a right. It’s inside you, just practise it.”
This belief emanates from the art and artefacts on permanent display, from photographs to literature, mosaics, paintings and objects. They tell the stories of Sheikhas operating as peacemakers and dynastic linchpins, women who became pioneers in education and business, and also poets (“When you say Shakespeare, we would say Ousha Bint Khalifa”, says Dr Ghubash). Emirati women today are much better off, she adds, because many of them are now able to go to school and work, which enables financial independence. Dr Ghubash sees these changes as the legacy of Sheikh Zayeed of Abu Dhabi, who was president of the UAE from its foundation in 1971 to his death in 2004.
For Dr Ghubash the appreciation of history and tradition in rapidly developed societies like the UAE isn’t just good cross-generational manners, but mentally healthy. “Those who keep their tradition in dealing with modernity will be healthier than those who take out their tradition,” she explains. “Globalisation is an umbrella to use in part of your life but not all of your life.” When talking of Dubai’s near-famine years during the second world war and the six months of every year the men spent away pearl fishing, she asks, “Who was running society? Just recently you can see us but we were behind the door all the time.”
She accepts that there is a dual attitude to Arab women. “Part of the tradition is kind to women. But part is very negative. Those who are not educated just utilise the negative part.” Now female UAE graduates outnumber males two to one. Dr Ghubash wants to reach those young women, and help them appreciate the achievements of earlier female generations. “They are educated, they become powerful, you see them everywhere but there is something missing.” She also wants to close the distance between non-Arabs and locals. “Foreigners are the majority here. They know nothing about our society. You live with us and you don’t know us.”
Dr Ghubash hopes locals will feel a sense of pride, and visitors will have a richer understanding of the Emirates as a place where women have played important roles in politics, business and education. The message of the museum, she says, is that “everything from your past is important to you.”
the International day for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is on October 13… bloggers, activists, UN agencies, academics, National Institutions, Non Governmental Organizations, are encouraged to take part of the celebrations, and to organize events ….
Here is the snapshot of what we can do:
So you want to Step Up for Disaster Risk Reduction? Here are a few ideas and suggestions that can help you promote and commemorate the International Day for Disaster Reduction!
What can you do?
SUBMIT news, events, stories, images, and videos of outstanding action by women and girls in disaster prevention, recovery and risk reduction or by someone whose accomplishments you wish to spotlight.
Showcase what women and girls are doing to contribute to disaster resilience.
Organize public events to increase understanding of gender concerns in DRR processes.
Lobby national and local governments as well as community leaders and decision makers, academia, and international organizations to ‘Step Up’.
Mobilize the public at large to demand changes to the socio-cultural/political framework that exacerbates the exclusion of women and their vulnerabilities.
Encourage men and boys to get involved.
Think Big – Gender equality and risk reduction principles must guide all aspects of disaster mitigation, response and reconstruction.
Get The Facts – Gender analysis is needed to direct aid and plan for full and equitable recovery. Nothing in disaster work is “gender neutral.”
Work With Grassroots Women – Women’s community organizations have insight, information, experience, networks, and resources vital to increasing disaster resilience.
Resist Stereotypes – Base all initiatives on knowledge of difference and specific cultural, economic, political, and sexual contexts, not on false generalities.
Respect and develop the capacities of women and girls.
.png){kind=icon}
Ritachemaly's Blog 