Sunday, April 26, 2009

UAE: Al-Khaleej Studies Center Panel on Women's Organizations

In April 2009, Al-Khaleej Studies Center organized a panel on the reality of women organizations in the UAE and ways to increase their effectiveness and outreach to all society sectors especially youth, to channel their interests towards volunteerism and more civic activism. The panel was chaired by our own Dr. Fatema Al Sayegh and included opinions of several UAE women leaders and activists. Participants in the panel included:

Ahlam Al Lamki, GWU
Amal Belhoul, Psychologist, ‘Watani’ program. (Watani means my country)
Amira Tariam, Editor of Kul Al Usra magazine
Halima Shikshik, RAK Women Organization
Moza Al Taghi, RAK Women Organization
Dr. Hessa Lootah, Professor, UAE University
Sarah bin Karam, Head of Sharjah Women Organziation
Salma Al Junaibi, GWU
Afra Al Mansouri, Head of Family Development Foundation, Shahama
Fatima Al Qubeisi, Family Development Foundation, Al Wathba
Sheikha Majd Saud Al Qassimi, Deputy Director of Sharjah Women Union

The session concluded with the following recommendations:

- Allocate a political seat that represents women organizations that would rotate every 2 or 4 years
- The importance of spreading a culture of social work and increase contact with youth
- Focus on studies and statistics that identify flaws in the work of the organizations as well as proper mechanisms to address these flaws.
- Strengthen relationships between different organizations and create a real partnership between civil society and non-profit organizations
- One women union that would be the umbrella of all women organizations in the country
- More media attention to the role and activities of women organizations

No comments: