Strengthening Networks through Knowledge Sharing

Nearly 150 participants from several Arab countries gathered in Tunis on December 15-16, 2007, for the sixth annual meeting of the Arab Network for Gender and Development “@nged” held by the Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR) to present results of its MEPI-funded project on Arab Women and Local Governance.

This meeting, called “Strengthening Partnerships and Networks through Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices,” was opened by the Tunisian Minister of Women, Childhood and the Elderly, Mrs. Sara Kanoun Al Jarraya, and attended by CAWTAR’s partners, including MEPI and other donors, as well as scholars and activists in the fields of gender empowerment and governance.

In her opening remarks, Minister Jarraya called for local organizations working on reform initiatives to “partner and network with regional and international entities, not only for funding purposes but mainly to learn from and acquire best practices.”

One organization that has been striving to build better networks is CAWTAR.  Over the last three years CAWTAR has used its MEPI-funded project to promote representation of Arab women at local and municipal assemblies, as well as initiatives of civil society organizations and women’s grassroots organizations to reinforce their effective participation in decision-making in local governance.

CAWTAR Executive Director Dr. Soukeina Bouraoui said the project aims at “increasing the effective participation of women in local government through the creation of an independent regional network of women’s activists and organizations in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Yemen.”  

CAWTAR’s major achievements include the identification of regional perceptions related to governance and women’s leadership, and the fostering of direct dialogue between women leaders, NGOs, and civil society activists at the local level. The network has been monitoring key developments in favor of women voting and candidacy rights as opportunities for change region wide.

CAWTAR also has conducted five national studies on women and local governance in Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Yemen in partnership with five advocacy nationally-based groups. The studies have shown that the political, social, and economic realities affecting the nature and contribution of women as leaders, voters, and candidates at the local level are low and do not always correspond to ideological intent.

The studies demonstrate that political parties’ support of women candidacy is inadequate.  Additionally, there is a troubling lack of an integrated media strategy to highlight the effective role of women and their contribution as leaders and candidates. They also elaborated several useful lessons and starting points for organizing awareness, empowerment and advocacy programs in this field.

These studies can be considered a useful source of information for researchers, media, advocacy groups, donors, governmental, and non-governmental organizations who seek a specialized analysis of the participation of Arab women in each of subject countries.