In a world of increasing complexity, it is easy for people to believe that they cannot make a difference, and that any single or small action of an individual will not only go unnoticed, it will make little if any difference to the millions of people who find themselves in need. Fortunately, there are also people who are living proof that this is not always the case. Nashwa Abdulkarim is a UN Volunteer from Aleppo in Syria. She is a rural women’s specialist who works to empower communities in Syria’s Jabal Al Hoss, one of the poorest regions in Syria. In late November she will leave Syria and fly to Morocco where she will accept an award on behalf of a young woman who was a beneficiary of a UNDP project. “This woman took a microfinance loan and was transformed into an entrepreneur,” said Nashwa. “Now she has paid for her family’s education and housing.” This is one of the many success stories that were related at the first UNV Retreat and Training on gender that was held in Damascus from 23-25 November.
The retreat was also the scene for the signing of a historic agreement between the UNV Programme and FIRDOS, the Fund for Integrated Rural Development in Syria. An ambitious project, titled “Volunteering Support to the MDGs through Population Advocacy and Interactive Theatre”, to bring developmental information and education to the poorest of Syrian rural communities through a traveling theatre group was initiated. A group of actors, all Volunteers, will present a series of theatrical shows in remote communities. Audience participation will be enthusiastically encouraged and in this way it is hoped that the plays themselves can be used to raise issues and plant ideas in the minds of the spectators. In regions where illiteracy rates are high, activities that can be shared without the need for reading and writing are extremely important tools for development work.
UN Volunteers are a precious resource. They work to promote social change and empower development. Rarely in the spotlight, they appreciate that each individual or team action can make change and bring the most valuable resources to the poorest communities – possibilities and the hope of change. Through the work of UNVs in Syria, rural families are able to increase their income through their own, self-devised income generating plans, funded by a village microfinance project. Refugees and asylum seekers, arriving in a steady flow from Iraq and other neighboring countries in the region, are put into the hands of UNVs working for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Syrian People’s Assembly is actively pursuing a policy of empowering women in politics while maintaining a gender balance, with the essential support of a team of UNVs.
At the UNV Retreat, gender was the word of the day. ‘Gender’ refers not to the biological differences between men and women but the social differences between them. It relates to the way power and opportunity is allocated between men and women and varies according to many factors including race, religion and society. The Volunteers were led through a series of exercises by the workshop facilitator, Omar Traboulsi, from the Collective for Research and Training on Development Action (CRTDA), a non-government organization for development, based in Lebanon. They discussed and developed ways in which ‘gender mainstreaming’ could be used to ensure that UNV initiatives will effectively target those most in need, whether they are men or women.
In Syria, as in many countries, women are often burdened with a much higher workload than men, due to a combination of work and family commitments, and UNVs work to educate and enhance awareness that the burdens of work, life and family need to be more equitable. According to lawyer Shaza Hajli a UNV working with the UNHCR, education, like development, begins at home. “I went home and told my brothers all about gender,” she said. “We talked about the need for women to have choices, not just be forced into roles because of tradition.” She acknowledged that it isn’t always easy. “There are some people here who have a negative attitude,” acknowledged Shaza “But that is why education and training and talking about issues is so important.” Amin Al-Hariri, working with the Disaster Management Team wished that his boss could have attended the seminar. “He is the decision maker in our office,” said Amin. “I wish he could be here because this retreat has shown us ways to make our projects more effective.”
But it wasn’t just the training that made this retreat a success. It wasn’t the team dinner at the Opaline restaurant either, although apparently some of the UNVs are lucky that dancing is not a part of their mandate. The networking between participants was far and away the most valuable element of the 3-day session, according to almost all of the volunteers. “It was a great chance to learn about other projects and exchange ideas,” said Nashwa Abdulkarim. “It would be great if we were invited to attend workshops held by other UN agencies, I know it would help us do our jobs better.” Huda Hassan, a legal researcher with the People’s Assembly project agreed. “I had never spoken in public before,” she said. “This retreat has been a great way to meet other UNVs, improve our knowledge and the way we do things and at the same time, to also work on improving ourselves!”
The last word goes to the UNV Programme Officer, Stefano Cordella. “The retreat certainly met my expectations. I hope in the future we can ensure funding for this kind of thing to be a regular way for UNVs to meet and exchange ideas, discuss problems, issues and solutions. It also affirms that even the smallest contribution can make positive change.”
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Achievements First UNV Retreat and Training on Gender
Achievements First UNV Retreat and Training on Gender