Resource center

Project webapge:
UNDP focuses on gender equality and women's empowerment not only as human rights, but also because they are a pathway to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development.

Organisation website:
In brief: "The Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) was established on 9 August 1973 pursuant to the Economic and Social Council's resolution 1818 (LV). The purpose of setting up the Commission was to raise the level of economic activity in member countries and strengthen cooperation among them. It was also intended to meet the need of the countries in Western Asia for the services of a regional economic commission to promote the development efforts in the region.
In recognition of the social component of its work, the Commission was entrusted with new responsibilities in the social field by virtue of Economic and Social Council resolution 69/ 1985 of July 1985. Its name therefore became the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).
ESCWA has been located in a number of Arab capitals. It started in Beirut (1974- 1982), moved to Baghdad (1982- 1991), then to Amman (1991- 1997), and returned to Beirut in 1997, its permanent headquarter."

Organisation website:
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide by:

Strengthening the wealth creating capacity of our members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community
Creating innovative and effective change in the business culture
Building strategic alliances, coalitions and affiliations
Transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers

Project webpage:
Promoting Women's Participation in the Economic and Public Sectors in North Lebanon
Project by René Moawad Foundation; The webpage assembles the project summary with
key results

Organisation website:
Association profile available in 2 languages. ( English, Arabic). In brief : "Women in Information Technology (WIT) is a Lebanese non-profit association established in 1 July 2005 and launched in 14 June 2006. It is dedicated to inspire more women to be willing and able to use the new technologies as a tool for their empowerment.WIT serves as a platform for professional women to share and exchange information, toggle issues of concern, implement strategies and search for opportunities with the purpose of strengthening the capacity of all women through the usage of ICT."

Organisation website:
Equal Rights Advocates is a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting and expanding economic and educational access and opportunities for women and girls.

Equal Opportunity
ERA works to eradicate illegal discriminatory practices that deny women advancement opportunities, equal compensation, and access to certain occupations.

Respectful and Safe Treatment
ERA demands that employers provide women with a work environment that is free of sexual harassment and in compliance with health and safety laws.

Work and Family Balance
ERA enforces family and medical leave and pregnancy protection laws, and is active in the effort to establish paid family and medical leave.

Organisation website:
Platform profile available in 3 languages. ( English, Arabic and Dansk). In brief : "WoMen Dialogue is a platform for cooperation and debate on gender and women's rights issues, and for the exchange of knowledge between Danish and Arab civil society. It is provided by KVINFO, the Danish Centre for Information on Gender, Equality and Ethnicity. The site primarily informs about joint partnership activities, but also presents relevant news from Denmark and the Middle East on legal reform processes and community development related to gender, equality and women's rights. "

Organisation website:
Founded in 2009, Bridging the Divide is an innovative non-profit featuring a model that directly connects the American public to local grassroots organizations and activists working overseas on behalf of peace, rights issues, and the promotion of good governance. Bridging the Divide seeks to make meaningful and sustainable advances in global security and justice through:

Direct Engagement: Bridging the Divide seeks to help transform how Americans engage with those less fortunate overseas by connecting them directly with local communities and activist leaders in conflict-affected areas in the Middle East. Through social media and networking technologies, Bridging the Divide facilitates knowledge-sharing about advocacy efforts, and the exchange of financial resources between Americans and on-the-ground organizations overseas.

Smarter Funding: Providing long-term and steady funding to local peace and justice organizations in conflict zones allows them to take the lead in solving their own problems. This results in heightened local ownership and longer-term sustainability.

Accountability: Bridging the Divide promotes good organizational practices through evaluation and certification of organizations overseas. Through technical assistance and regular evaluations of governance, management, and operations, partner organizations improve their accountability and credibility.
Founded in 2009, Bridging the Divide is an innovative non-profit featuring a model that directly connects the American public to local grassroots organizations and activists working overseas on behalf of peace, rights issues, and the promotion of good governance. Bridging the Divide seeks to make meaningful and sustainable advances in global security and justice through:

Direct Engagement: Bridging the Divide seeks to help transform how Americans engage with those less fortunate overseas by connecting them directly with local communities and activist leaders in conflict-affected areas in the Middle East. Through social media and networking technologies, Bridging the Divide facilitates knowledge-sharing about advocacy efforts, and the exchange of financial resources between Americans and on-the-ground organizations overseas.

Smarter Funding: Providing long-term and steady funding to local peace and justice organizations in conflict zones allows them to take the lead in solving their own problems. This results in heightened local ownership and longer-term sustainability.

Accountability: Bridging the Divide promotes good organizational practices through evaluation and certification of organizations overseas. Through technical assistance and regular evaluations of governance, management, and operations, partner organizations improve their accountability and credibility.

Organisation website:
The Arab International Women's Forum stands unique as the first and only non-profit organisation set up in London to link Arab business and professional women in the 22 Arab countries with each other and with their counterparts in the international community

Launched in 2001, AIWF, as an independent non profit organisation, serves as the voice of Arab women; showcasing their development, promoting cross cultural diversity and creating greater public awareness of women's success and prospects in the Arab world.

It provides an important networking opportunity where women can build their knowledge, develop their business and career potential and promote their respective organisations. It is through Building Bridges, Building Business that AIWF will best offer its members, now in more than 45 countries, value-added service and contribute further to prosperity in our respective communities.

Project webpage:
In 1996, Lebanon ratified, with reservations, an international covenant regarding women's rights known as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This Convention sets out, in a comprehensive, legally binding form, internationally accepted principles on the rights of women. It further commits States Parties to take all appropriate measures, to ensure the full development and advancement of women and to guarantee them the enjoyment of the fundamental rights and freedoms to which they are entitled, on a basis of equality with men. Moreover, the Convention requires that Governments work to eliminate discrimination against women in public life as well as in private life. Indeed, according to the Convention, women must be as free as men to make choices not only in political and legal sphere, but also in such areas as marriage, the home and family life in general.

To implement women's rights, as stated in the Convention, the establishment of official and non-governmental monitoring mechanisms (national and international) helps ensure that goals are being reached and that legal rights and duties of women are recognized, understood and enforced.

The Lebanese government submitted, in 1999, its initial report regarding the progress made on the implementation of the Convention in its country, to the international monitoring treaty body known as the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW Committee). Non-governmental organizations are also encouraged to submit a parallel report in conformity with the guidelines set by the CEDAW Committee.

In this respect, the Lebanese NGO Forum, an umbrella organization of various NGOs distributed geographically throughout the Lebanese territory has set a permanent monitoring mechanism entitled Women's Rights Monitor.

This project aims at helping NGOs monitor women's rights and implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Lebanon by establishing a platform for co-ordination that will, at the national and regional levels:

- Provide information about the Convention and the CEDAW Committee

- Provide guidelines in view of helping NGOs to write their report to the CEDAW Committee

- Establish a set of baseline data regarding women's rights in Lebanon in accordance with the guidelines of the CEDAW

- Elaborate a permanent report regarding women's situation in Lebanon, based on the compiled data

- Establish a bibliography on the subject of women's rights and facilitate the exchange of information and documentation

- Provide a mailing list of participating NGOs