Our Initiatives مبادراتنا
Here are the current feminist initiatives happening in and around Nasawiya:
Ghayreh 3adtik: Feminist Tools for Change
“Ghayreh 3adtik Bitzeed S3adtik” is a training program for women on how to use a feminist analysis to bring about change. Primarily targeted at young women, its objective is to provide them with the knowledge, tools and resources on organizing for change, be it by undertaking legal reform, grassroots pressure, building a community, raising awareness, creating support groups, or running for public office – all from a gender perspective. To book your sessions or find out more, please write to Farah at farah[at]nasawiya.org. Check out the latest news from the Ghayri 3adtik initiative.
Take Back the Tech
As members of the global collective Take Back the Tech, we work on reclaiming information and communication technology (ICT) to promote gender justice. Here are our 5 goals. The TBTT team organizes summer geek camps for girls (ages 15-18). You can learn more about these on: GirlGeekCamp.com and the Girl Geek Camp on Facebook. To learn more about the initiative and/or sign up for upcoming workshops, write to Nadine on n.moawad[at]gmail.com. You can check out all updates from Take Back the Tech here.
Sawt Al Niswa
Sawt Al Niswa (Women’s Voice), is a feminist webspace designed to function as a pool of knowledge. It hosts the various social and political commentaries by women, while questioning the kind of feminist discourse they want to speak and express themselves through. The voice(s) within the website contribute to the construction of an Arab feminist discourse, reflecting a spectrum of Arab realities. To join the editorial team or send contributions, please write to Sara at editor[at]sawtalniswa.com or follow their Facebook page. You can read the latest news about Sawt Al Niswa here.
The Feminist House
Our Feminist House in Beirut is home to daily activities, meetings, and workshops. The House is open every day (except Sundays) from 9am till 8pm and serves as a shared space for all the initiatives. Feminist Discussions take place every Friday and are open-invitation gatherings for members, friends and interested individuals to explore and discuss issues and topics of interest from a feminist perspective. Discussions may revolve around a film, a hot topic, a book, a newspaper article, a law, etc.
To visit us, check out our contact page and the latest House activities here.
The Adventures of Salwa
The Adventures of Salwa is a campaign that raises awareness on sexual harassment through a series of videos and illustrations depicting the daily life of young Salwa. Visit the campaign website here and also follow their Facebook page. Check this link to read the latest news from Salwa on this website. The campaign recently launched a support line that answers calls related to sexual harassment in Lebanon: 76-676368. You can email salwa[at]adventuresofsalwa.com for more information.
Coalitions and Networks
Nasawiya is a member of the Coalition for legalizing the protection of women from family violence in Lebanon. We also co-created and work with Zolah, an Arab Network of Young Feminists to build support for young Arab women activists in the region.
The Gender Databank
The Gender Databank is an online wiki with legal, policy, and procedural information related to gender discrimination in Lebanon. We’ve made it into a wiki so that everyone can contribute with links, references, and knowledge. Feel free to wiki with us! It was just launched in March 2012, so it’s still rather empty. For more info, you can email tqiblawi[at]gmail.com.
International Women’s Day & Labor Day
International Women’s Day (March 8th) is a fixture on Nasawiya’s calendar. Every year, the collective comes up with different actions and events to hold around and on that day to raise awareness about women’s issues and set a reminder of the work that still needs to be done in the name of gender justice. Labor Day (May 1st) is another important day during which the collective celebrates achievements of workers and pushes for further labor-related changes in the name of social justice.
Anti-Racism Movement
The Anti Racism Movement is made up of activists working on documenting and fighting racism in all its forms. Due to many intersecting factors, 250,000 migrant workers in Lebanon are suffering from the ugliest forms of segregation based on their skin color and their working conditions. Racism is obvious through thousands of examples such as the sponsorship system, the labor law which excludes domestic work, the lack of monitoring and accountability in recruitment agencies, the arbitrary detention and segregation policies imposed in restaurants, banks, airlines, public transportation, resorts and more. You can read our posts for updates on related actions and events.
Delete Article 522
Launched on April 2, 2012, the campaign to delete Article 522 from the Lebanese Penal Code works to shed light on the outrageous intersections of law and sexuality in Lebanon. Article 522 allows a rapist to be exonerated of crimes if he marries his victim – not only in the case of rape but also in rape of a minor or disabled person, child molestation, kidnapping, and other cases. We are working to have this law annulled as soon as possible in Lebanon. Check out the website and the Facebook page here, along with #delete522 tweets.
