Our member Joelle Hatem has produced a video showcasing achievements in women’s rights in Lebanon and examples of what remains to be done.

The video was produced for our training program “Ghayreh 3adtik Bitzeed S3adtik – Feminist Tools for Change” which aims at empowering women with the knowledge, tools and resources to bring about change from a feminist perspective.

The message of the video is simple: Change is possible. We just have to work on it.

If you’d like to us to take the training program to your university, school, organization or group, please write to farah[at]nasawiya.org.

We are taking our training program “Ghayreh 3adtik Bitzeed S3adtik” – Feminist Tools for Change to the road.

After sessions in International College (IC), Saint Joseph University (USJ) – Engineering Faculty (ESIB), Union of Municipalities of Tyre, American University of Beirut (AUB) – Faculty of Health Sciences and scouts group in Harissa, we’re talking to the Secular Club at AUB, a youth group in Tyre and students at the Lebanese American University (LAU).

If you’d like us to bring this training program on gender justice and feminism for social change to your schools, universities, groups, community centers or organizations, call 70 066 880 or write to farah[at]nasawiya.org.

The sessions are free of charge and can accommodate groups of 20 persons and up, depending on the setting and the facilities. The sessions can be given in English, Arabic or French, depending on your choice. The program primarily targets women, but men are welcome too.

What are you waiting for? Jump on the bandwagon and contact us.

Secularism has been a critical demand in Lebanon ever since the declaration of independence. Unable to counter the confessional and sectarian loyalties in the years of the civil war, the question of a secular state rises once again to the fore of political life in Lebanon. This question reflects the need of the Lebanese people to be assured that the present years of civil “peace” will not be interrupted.

Taking place on 25 April 2010, the Laïque Pride march represents a sincere initiative by citizens who would like to have a direct relationship with the state, without a mediator in between. Secularism in a country as diverse as Lebanon represents true coexistence, while the current sectarian system represents a crisis.

Women’s interest in a secular state goes in parallel with their struggle for equality, justice and full citizenship. Women’s call for a secular state goes hand in hand with the demands for protection from family and gender-based violence. Secularism allows women to be emancipated from sectarian laws that effect their lives and choices, including marriage, inheritance, and custody among other issues.

We call upon all concerned citizens, women’s rights NGOs, women from all sects and religions, and women of conforming and non-conforming sexualities to march with us in the Nasawiya feminist block, as we demand a secular state in Lebanon.

For more information on how to join us, contact us on 01-447 192 or write to farah[at]nasawiya.org.

For more information on Laïque Pride, see the event’s Facebook Page.

Arab Techies and Social Media Exchange (SMEX) have teamed up to host a meeting in Lebanon on 11-15 May 2010. The objective is for women techies to meet up, exchange skills and ideas, discuss collaborations, talk about tech from a gender perspective, and network. Our member Nadine Moawad met with Jessica Dheere from SMEX last week and proposed that our new Take Back the Tech / Arabia program which we launched at Nasawiya two weeks ago partner up with the organizers to support young women using technology for social change.

The agenda of the meeting is very flexible. Participants will be proposing different workshops they’d like to give / receive. And together, we can definitely make sure it’s a great empowering feminist meeting. You can read more here and email info@arabtechies.net to participate. The organizers are sponsoring 30 female participants from across the Arab world. Feel free to contact us too, if you have any questions or suggestions.

The main criteria are:

• Woman
• Techie (i.e. works with technology, not only internet technology but also communications, engineering, software, hardware, etc.)
• Arab
• Interested in the intersection of gender and tech
• Able to come to Lebanon from May 11 till May 15

Hurry up and apply. They’re on a rolling deadline – as soon as their openings are filled, they will close.

Please forward this to all of your friends who might be interested.

On this year’s International Women’s Day, over 100 people answered Nasawiya’s call to take to the streets to take back the night. For roughly two hours, feminists made their way from Mar Mikhael, Gemayze to Ain el Mraiseh, marching past bedazzled onlookers, curious drivers who ground to a halt, and wary police cars and officers who trailed the march. They were chanting:

- For freedom, for nationality, a feminist revolution.
- One word, shout out loud, feminism won’t die.
- Feminists against sectarianism, racism, sexism, classism, capitalism, Zionism, rape, harassment, patriarchy.
- For Lebanese women in Tripoli, in Byblos, in Saida, in Tyr, in Beirut… a feminist revolution.
- For Lebanese, Palestinian, Iraqi, Filipino, Sri Lankan women and women of all nationalities, a feminist revolution.

Our words won’t do the event justice. So we thought we’d let these images do the talking instead.

The revolution continues…

Video: Nasawiya International Women’s Day March – 2010

For more videos, check out our YouTube Channel.

Photo Gallery: Nasawiya International Women’s Day March – 2010

For more photos, go to our Facebook Fan Page.