The joint MDG-F (Millennium Development Goals – Fund) Programme “Conflict Prevention and Peace Building program in North Lebanon” developed and supported jointly by UNFPA, UNRWA, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, and UNESCO, aims to implement pre-emptive measures to curb further escalation of tensions between key marginalized communities in North Lebanon, which play a critical role in the political and social stability of the country. The programme focuses mainly on promoting participation and civic empowerment as well as strengthening civil society, in particular by involving youth and women, regardless of affiliation or religious confession, as agents of change.
UNFPA is entrusted with the Gender component of this joint program targeting vulnerable women and girls such as Palestinian women, female heads of households, women affected by the July-August 2006 and by Nahr El Bared crisis in 2007, as well as women of low socio-economic status.
UNFPA is leading the Women and Leadership initiative, in partnership with a number of partners and stakeholders and with the collaboration of local NGOs and civil society groups working in the targeted areas. As part of this initiative and guided by UNFPA, local authorities and municipalities in the selected communities are engaged in supporting strengthening of existing women networks and committees, and in promoting their participation in local development within the spirit of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. Local NGOs and Women Coalitions and groups are partaking in providing outreach sessions on gender equality and support mainly on protection against and prevention of gender based violence.
Recently, UNFPA supported the undertaking of two training workshops targeting women leaders in Tebbaneh/Jabal Mohsen as well as Nahr el Bared/Baddawi Palestinian camps and their surrounding Lebanese villages. These trainings provided participants with the knowledge, information, and skills on gender equality matters in various spheres (i.e. social, protection, economic, participation, etc.) and enabled them to transfer this know-how to other women within their respective communities. In addition, thorough the follow up and coaching mechanism with the women leaders contributed to sensitizing community leaders and conservative groups on gender equality concepts.
