| Name of the winning practice:
2002 / 405 Women's Contribution in Sustainable Rural
Development, Lebanon
Contact:
Mrs. Dunia Baroud El Khoury
Harf Al Deir
Deir El Ahmar
Lebanon
Tel: 961-3-622369
Fax 961-9-912627
Email: dgkhoury@yahoo.com
Lebanon is located in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Israel and Syria covering 10,400 square kilometres. Deir El Ahmar,
with a population of 55,000, is part of the Bekaa Valley which was ravaged
by over two decades of war. People in this area face myriad economic
hardships where per capita income is US$ 50 per month and the emigration
level is very high. In 1991, a group of women voluntarily got together to
establish an NGO (WADA) aiming at sustainable rural development, through
economic, financial and political empowerment. The objectives of the NGO
include building the capacity of rural women to launch awareness programmes
in environmental management, healthcare and eco-tourism. The municipality
provided them with 1.5 hectares of fertile land. "The Rural Development
Centre", was established and incorporates playgrounds, theatres, day-care
centre, a training and production centre for women, multi-purpose hall and
a local library. The programmes have gone a long way in building women's
capacity to respond to day-to-day challenges. Agro-food products were
cultivated and handcraft businesses started. Their products are sold
locally as well as exported (total sales in 2001 were US$ 50,000).
Educational and training programmes have been conducted for women in the
areas of health care, environment protection and tourism promotion. WADA
collaborated with organisations representing various sectors of the
community to help solve pressing problems and is a member of the ''Lebanese
Women's Council'' whose basic principle is to advocate gender equality and
raise legal awareness on women's rights. WADA has since formed partnerships
involving local authorities, civil society, private sector and
international organizations
|
|
