WLP Lebanon/Collective for Research and Training on Development-Action:

After three months of its approval, the recent decree number 4186 that gives foreign husbands and children of Lebanese women a courtesy residency is now in force. Claiming Equal Citizenship Campaign has been monitoring the decree implementation, since its endorsement by the Cabinet on April 21^st and release in the official gazette on June 9.

Continue Reading

Tomorrow, September 4, women’s rights activist and One Million Signatures campaign member Shiva Nazar Ahari is scheduled to stand trial for charges including “assembly and collusion to commit a crime,” “propaganda against the regime,” and moharebeh, or “enmity against God,” the last of which can carry a penalty of death.

Continue Reading

Snippets from the Launch of WLP’s Political Participation Manual in Manama, Bahrain

I have just returned from Manama where I took part in the launch of the Leading to Action, WLP’s Political Participation Manual, the second of such events after Beirut last July. The Bahrain Women Association, our partners in Bahrain, organized this event as part of a national their workshop on women’s political participation. As shared with us last week, by our dear colleague Wajeeha from BWA, the group is gearing up towards the upcoming elections which will be held in Bahrain in October 2010.

Continue Reading

Bahraini parliamentary election is to be held by the end of October 2010. Preparations are in full swing for women to participate in the election as voters and candidates.

Continue Reading

Anyone who looks at the Egyptian feminist struggle for both the issues of national liberation or for women’s issues, such as lacking access to the judiciary, in the beginning of the second decade in the third millennium would wonder. This right was not granted by appointing the first female judge, counselor Tahany Al-Jebali in 2003, or the subsequent appointment of several female judges in many judicial specializations in the period of 2007-2008. Despite the significance of these steps, they do not represent an integrated system that allows women to be promoted to the judiciary, starting with appointment to the state council that up till now is limited to male graduates only.

Continue Reading

In a recent New York Times op-ed “When Arabs Tweet” (July 22), Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of Lebanon’s The Daily Star, discussed the upsurge in the use of digital technologies and social networking for political ends by young Arabs and the support for this trend by the U.S. government. In the piece, Mr. Khouri rightly noted that the U.S. would be wise to align its approach to anti-democratic regimes in the Middle East with its support for democracy promotion at the grassroots level. However, his argument that digital technologies and social networking give only the illusion of activism ignores both their recent track record and their future potential. Now, this is not to be naïve. Sending text messages and posting videos to Youtube will not bring down authoritarian regimes. But, these technologies are key tools of modern mobilization.

Continue Reading

FWID’s Statement Concerning Counselor Adel Farghali’s Press Release

The Forum for Women in Development expresses its deepest sorrow for the shocking and offensive statement by Counselor Adel Farghali, the chairman of the committee discussing the appointment of women in the State Council. Counselor Farghali said that the experience of female judges has proven a failure, which contradicts the truth. A lot of people as well as the reality itself have witnessed the efficiency and commitment of women in the positions they have occupied.

Continue Reading

Coming up in the first week of August, Sisterhood Is Global Institute/Jordan and WLP are launching the second Youth Tech Festival for 150 youth from across Jordan with a focus on preparing youth to participate in upcoming elections in November 2010. I am really excited to see what the outcomes of this year’s Youth Tech Festival will be! Last year’s Youth Tech Festival in Jordan was a resounding success as youth created campaigns and videos to combat violence against women. This year the participating youth will create independent projects with a focus on women’s political participation, reconvening in the fall to share their work and to celebrate. (Make sure to check back to see samples of their work.) It’s pretty amazing to see the creative initiatives these young activists come up with when they are inspired to lead change in their communities.

Continue Reading

Insights from the country’s 2010 municipal elections

Women’s political representation and participation in Lebanon is probably one of the lowest in the MENA region (itself not one of the highest globally) as the combination of patriarchy and confessionalism form a potent obstacle towards women’s public and political participation in Lebanon.

Continue Reading

Breaking New Ground:
Elham Al-Qasimi

Nationality: United Arab Emirates

Born in 1982. High school in UAE. Bachelor’s degree from American University, Dubai. Master’s degree from London School of Economics. Internship with Overseas Development Institute. Jobs with J P Morgan and then Impetus Trust. Quit to concentrate on North Pole expedition. More at elhamalqasimi.com.

Wow!

On April 23, Elham Al-Qasimi became the first Arab woman to reach the North Pole.

Continue Reading

Activists Hold a Popular Mock Tribunal for Equality

Hundreds of women, men and children gathered on the famous Beirut Corniche last Sunday June, 20, and held what was called a “Popular Mock Court for Women’s Right to Nationality.”

Continue Reading

The UN recently reaffirmed its commitment to increasing women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict-resolution with specific targets set for the organization’s police force: By 2014 the UN hopes to double the number of women serving globally as UN police officers (UNPOL). In response to the UN’s call, Bangladesh plans to send an additional 10,000 female officers.

Continue Reading