Mainstreaming GEnder Dimension Into WAter Resources Development and Management in the MEDiterranean Region.

The Partner / Lebanon

Other Partners
Organization:
René Moawad Foundation (RMF)
Type of Organization: Non-Governmental Organisation
Address
RENE MOAWAD FOUNDATION 844, rue Alfred Naccache, Achrafieh, Beyrouth BP: 468 - Hazmieh Lebanon
Phone
+ 961 1613367 / 8 / 9
Fax
+ 961 1613370
E-mail
send mail
Web
go to web site

The René Moawad Foundation is a Lebanese non-profit, non-governmental organization that was created on November 22nd 1990, one year after the assassination of the President René Moawad. Since its creation by his spouse, MP Nayla Moawad, the RMF planned and implemented several developmental projects in order to address the most difficult problems of the country. Since its inception, RMF has collaborated closely with other local and national organisations. Along with these organisations, RMF has identified common concerns and interests in mainstreaming social issues such as gender and development through projects targeting women, ensuring that current initiatives aim at empowering women, increasing their participation in decision-making, and thus initiating a process of positive transformation.

Launched in 1993, the Literacy and Vocational Training Programme for Women at the RMF provides essential training, information and technical assistance services to hundreds of adult and youth in the rural and peri-urban areas of North Lebanon. The RMF targets these women in order to challenge illiteracy prevailing in their circles, and enable them economically thanks to marketable professional skills that will help them improve the financial level of their families.

Since 1999, in the context of gender awareness, RMF in partnership with the Center for Research and Training on Development (CRTD) engaged in a series of training workshops for gender mainstreaming. RMF representatives participated in the regional training sessions by attending 5 workshops organized by CRTD in Beirut, Morocco, and Egypt, including: Training of Trainers; Qualitative Tools of Research; Advocacy; Gender and Strategic Planning; Communication; Economic Literacy. In addition, RMF is involved in a local gender training that is organised jointly with CRTD. Several local workshops were conducted on gender and development targeting field staff working with a number of NGOs operating in North Lebanon in addition to gender training to RMF staff.

In 1997, RMF developed a programme for promoting political participation of Lebanese women. This programme was implemented in partnership with the European Union, the Fundación Promoción Social de la Cultura (FPSC), and the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI)-Spanish Government. The beneficiaries are university students and professors, the media, and liberal professions. The RMF has held a series of conferences and workshops and trainings for grass root organizations in various regions concerning the political participation of the Lebanese women. Parallel to a nation wide TV advertising campaign, the RMF also launched a new Website under the domain name related to the project.

The RMF is currently implementing a project on training, capacity building and technical training for rural women, groups and associations in underprivileged regions of Lebanon. This national initiative funded by the IFAD through the Council for Development and Reconstruction builds on the previous experiences of the RMF and includes a new dimension to its gender related projects in linking gender with water management in rural areas. The RMF will implement several income-generating activities and will focus on creating linkages between women organizations and groups with other organizations as well as with the market.

 

National Collaborators:

Delphine Compain

Natacha Akora

Nayla Aoun


Delphine Compain
Natacha Akora
Nayla Aoun