BAAKLINE, Lebanon - As President George Bush visits the Middle East this week, more than 250 women are spreading their own message for peace – on bicycles.
The "Follow the Women" bike tour kicked off in the mountains outside of Beirut on May 4 with women pedaling from nearly 30 countries, including Turkey, Iran, Europe, and the US. The group is cycling through Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and the West Bank. The tour ends in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem on Thursday, May 15.
"We're hoping to dispel the myth that this region is only full of conflicts. We want to tell stories of the hospitality and the love of the people," says the tour's founder, Detta Regan of Berkshire, England. This year she's cycling with her two grown daughters, Pippa and Becky. "Meeting the people and watching how welcoming they are is always the best part."
Making its fourth annual tour of the Middle East, "Follow the Women" is not a race. It's not even about cycling for many participants – some learned to ride just to come on the trip.
It's become a means of intercultural dialogue, a forum on two-wheels allowing women to learn firsthand about life in the Middle East. As there are no Israeli cyclists, some participants say it should not be marketed as a solidarity ride, or peace tour, because it's not bringing women from different sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict together.
But three-time tour veteran Wiaam Youssef couldn't wait for the group to wheel into her home country of Syria. "Americans and Westerners have stereotypes about women here. They think they don't participate in any social activities. I'm part of changing those stereotypes and providing a new image. This bike ride is a form of peaceful protest against such stereotypes."
Ms. Youssef, who like many of the Arab participants biked in the 75-degree F. heat wearing long sleeves and a head scarf, sees empowerment of women as crucial to helping the region.
"I believe in women taking a role to make peace in the area," Youssef adds. It's a perspective shared by most in the group: that dialogue by people like themselves, and not politicians behind closed doors, is the key to improving relations between countries and laying a foundation for peace.
As a youth organizer, Ms. Regan schedules conferences and exchanges between Arab and European students. This tour is an unpaid project, but, according to her daughter Becky, it is what she lives "24/7."
The next step for Regan is a conference, possibly held in Turkey, which would focus on women and conflict in the Middle East. The Turkish team is one of the largest, with 20 riders. Their ride is sponsored by the wife of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ermine.
The Turkish women are cycling not only in the name of dialogue but in the memory of an Italian artist, Pippa Bacca, who was found raped and murdered in Turkey last month. Ms. Bacca was hitchhiking from Italy to Israel wearing a wedding dress, as part of her own "Brides on Tour" campaign. The cyclists have tied strips of wedding veils to their helmets and one woman will ride the last leg of the trip in a wedding dress "symbolically" finishing Bacca's trip.
"'Follow the Women' doesn't end with the last day of biking," Regan says. "Our hope is that it will inspire women to return home and actively work to end the conflicts of the region."
By Iman Azzi Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
Showing posts with label stereotypes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stereotypes. Show all posts
Monday, May 12, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Morocco: Ministry report finds women stereotyped by Moroccan media
Moroccan media do not accurately reflect the evolution of women's social status and lack any clear strategy on women's issues: so concluded a government ministry study released Monday (April 14th) in Rabat. Titled "Moroccan Media: Facts and Prospects," the report determined that the government's political message is inconsistent with the image of women conveyed by television programmes, advertising and newspapers in the Kingdom.
"In Morocco, the role of women in the political, economic and cultural fields has known a rapid evolution [but] their image in the media has not registered any significant transformation," Minister for Social Development, Family and Solidarity Nouzha Skelli noted with regret.
Her department commissioned the analysis and found that images associating women with household and family life prevail in the media. Such sexist stereotypes undermine the dignity of women, the ministry study says. In advertisements, women are shown as housewives whereas men are presented as chairmen, executives, businessmen and doctors. Newspapers rarely address themes relating to violence against women and sexual harassment, focusing instead on subjects of greater interest to men: politics, economics and sports. Broadcast television is no better.
Since television shows produced in Morocco dominate the airwaves during the holy month of Ramadan, the study evaluated their portrayal of women to better assess societal attitudes.
Analysts found that the Moroccan programmes degraded women, particularly the way in which they minimised the role of women's associations in the fight against sex-related violence. The study found, however, that a new generation of directors and scriptwriters is conveying a more progressive image of women.
While media experts do not deny these findings, they defend themselves by calling attention to their efforts to show a more accurate image of women.
"Morocco now has the institutional means to frame the image of women in the media, support it and make sure that it is fair and balanced, thus reflecting the new roles played by women in Moroccan society," media specialist Nadia Mhidi explained.
The country's press union agrees that the media must present a balanced image of women. "Our union endeavours to promote a media culture that denounces all forms of discrimination and objectively and professionally defends women," National Union of Moroccan Press chief Mohamed Moujahid told Magharebia.
"Some low-profile media unfortunately present stereotyped images of women by exploiting their bodies. This is a commercial treatment that we must challenge," he added.
The media must not ignore the achievements of women who dramatically contribute to developing society, Minister Skelli maintains, but should instead establish a media culture based on real gender-equality. Her ministry's recommendations, such as putting more women in decision-making roles in the media and creating awareness campaigns, will frame a multi-sector action plan. The goal: to fill the gap between the media's image of women and the part they actually play in society.
"Morocco has launched many reforms, strategies and schemes to effectively support women and improve their status; the media must sustain this reality," the minister said.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat
"In Morocco, the role of women in the political, economic and cultural fields has known a rapid evolution [but] their image in the media has not registered any significant transformation," Minister for Social Development, Family and Solidarity Nouzha Skelli noted with regret.
Her department commissioned the analysis and found that images associating women with household and family life prevail in the media. Such sexist stereotypes undermine the dignity of women, the ministry study says. In advertisements, women are shown as housewives whereas men are presented as chairmen, executives, businessmen and doctors. Newspapers rarely address themes relating to violence against women and sexual harassment, focusing instead on subjects of greater interest to men: politics, economics and sports. Broadcast television is no better.
Since television shows produced in Morocco dominate the airwaves during the holy month of Ramadan, the study evaluated their portrayal of women to better assess societal attitudes.
Analysts found that the Moroccan programmes degraded women, particularly the way in which they minimised the role of women's associations in the fight against sex-related violence. The study found, however, that a new generation of directors and scriptwriters is conveying a more progressive image of women.
While media experts do not deny these findings, they defend themselves by calling attention to their efforts to show a more accurate image of women.
"Morocco now has the institutional means to frame the image of women in the media, support it and make sure that it is fair and balanced, thus reflecting the new roles played by women in Moroccan society," media specialist Nadia Mhidi explained.
The country's press union agrees that the media must present a balanced image of women. "Our union endeavours to promote a media culture that denounces all forms of discrimination and objectively and professionally defends women," National Union of Moroccan Press chief Mohamed Moujahid told Magharebia.
"Some low-profile media unfortunately present stereotyped images of women by exploiting their bodies. This is a commercial treatment that we must challenge," he added.
The media must not ignore the achievements of women who dramatically contribute to developing society, Minister Skelli maintains, but should instead establish a media culture based on real gender-equality. Her ministry's recommendations, such as putting more women in decision-making roles in the media and creating awareness campaigns, will frame a multi-sector action plan. The goal: to fill the gap between the media's image of women and the part they actually play in society.
"Morocco has launched many reforms, strategies and schemes to effectively support women and improve their status; the media must sustain this reality," the minister said.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat
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