What's happening at HSS?
'International Women Day 2017' - Workshop on 'Be bold for Change: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment', March 7 - 11, 2017 in Deir El Ahmar / Lebanon
The International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women for their economic, political and social achievements. In some regions, the day lost its political flavour and became simply an occasion for people to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. In other regions however, the political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. Lebanon is one of the country that celebrate International Women Day as it should by discussing the political and social issues that related to women and by distributing the awareness to the women especially the rural one in our country.
On the occasion of the "International Women's Day 2017” the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung has taken the opportunity to conduct a workshop from 7th to 11th of March 2017 on the theme "Be bold for Change: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment " in cooperation with the 'Women's Association of Deir El Ahmar - WADA'.
The political and social participation of women in Lebanon is confronted with many obstacles that seem insurmountable: a patriarchal culture, a weak state, blocked reforms in politics and law, a discriminatory personality and family law and a firmly established "political familism". In addition, there is a lack of awareness in society about the importance of women's issues and gender inequality.
President of the Lebanese Council of Women adressing the reclamations
The aim of the five-day event was to bring together Lebanese and Syrian women to discuss political and social issues related to women, and to submit knowledge about international conventions, national strategies (e.g. the 'National Strategy Of Lebanese Women 2011-2021') and women's rights. The participation in the "Gender Equality & Women's Rights" campaign, organized by the "Lebanese Council of Women LCW" on 8 March 2017 in Beirut, also served to strengthen the awareness of the women, who awere mainly from the rural region, with regard to the importance of active participation to improve their rights and to free them from discrimination.
The second part of the workshop focused on topics such as health and childhood. According to human rights organizations, thousands of Syrian refugee girls are married in Lebanon. The parents are simply wanting money, food, clothing, and entertainment for their daughters. So the children are married so they leave the household. The participants were enlightened about the health (early pregnancies) and social consequences (such as school drop outs) of early marriage for young girls. Lebanese and Syrian women have taken the opportunity to discuss their problems and to develop ideas for mutual support.
The workshop has created a space of dialogue for women from different communities (local communities of Deir El-Ahmar and Baalbeck as well as Syrian refugees) and religion (Muslims and Christians) to think, discuss and act together to improve women's life.
As part of the common project of "Building Bridges between Communities in the Region of Baalbeck - Deir E Ahmar -Yammouneh" the aim of the workshop was also to strengthen the Christian - Muslim Civil Society dialogue in order to build peace and understanding.