| Country: |
Lebanon |
|
Organization: |
Lebanese Girl Scout Association |
| Address: |
Alec Manoukian Center, Wetwet street
Sanayeh, Beirut
Lebanon |
| Tel: |
(961-3) 283 048 |
| Fax: |
(961-1) 691 054 |
| E-mail: |
ael@Lebanesegirlscouts.org |
| Coverage: |
National (800 members)
Operates in 12 schools in Beirut, Zahle, Metn. |
| Objectives: |
Objectives pertaining to young women’s issues:
1. Empowering girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens who are able to make positive contributions to their local and wider communities;
2. Supporting young people, especially girls and young women, as they face the challenges of today’s world;
3. Uniting and building confidence in girls and young women so that they may expect to live in a more just and equitable society.
|
| Approach: |
Raising awareness; advocacy; and training. |
| Intervention Sectors: |
1. Education: ICT literacy.
2. Employment: Orientation sessions.
3. Health: Family planning; nutrition education; sexual & reproductive health; HIV-AIDS; anti-tobacco campaign.
4. Disabled young women: Educational programs; rights and participation; integration opportunities.
5. Environment: Environmental awareness; waste management.
6. Young women’s rights: Equal opportunities; gender based violence.
7. Capacity building: Leadership development; enabling environment.
8. Political leadership: Good citizenship.
|
| Leadership: |
Percentage of young women’s membership: 12.5%
Young women in leadership positions: 75%
Young women’s participation at decision-making levels, as follows:
As board members-->30%
As committee members-->60%
As partners in program planning and decision-making-->90%
As participants and volunteers -->100%
|
| Networking: |
Partners at the national level:
1.Scouting Organizations;
2.Red Cross;
3.Mouvement Social;
4.Girl Guide Association;
5.Jeunesse Anti Drogue (JAD);
Partners at the regional level: Girl scout organizations in the Arab region.
Partners at the international level:
1.“ Clean up the Mediterranean ”;
2.Girl scouting organizations that are members of WAGGGS.
Member in the following platforms:
1. National / Regional platforms: Federation Nationale des Guides et des Eclaireuses du Liban, and Arab Bureau of WAGGGS.
2. International platforms: World Association of the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). |
| Involvement: |
Involvement in designing, implementing and evaluating national youth policies:
Member of a consortium of NGOs advocating for national youth policies in Lebanon, which was organized by Save the Children Federation in collaboration with UNESCO and the Ministry of Youth. |
| Guidelines/ Participation: |
Young Women Participation:
1.As beneficiaries;
2.As decision-makers who are involved in program planning and delivery;
3.As facilitators and trainers of others.
Existing policies and guidelines to ensure young women’s participation:
1. Leadership training programs;
2. Guidelines and policies to insure their integration in decision-making;
3. Encouragement and support.
Challenges facing young women’s participation in leadership:
1. Competing priorities in the lives of young women;
2. Young women prefer joining mixed civil society organizations.
|
| Project: |
Building World Citizenship: Culture and Heritage. |
| Objectives: |
This project was launched by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and aimed at motivating members to become more responsible citizens. |
| Brief: |
The project lasted for five years (1997-2002) corresponding to the five districts (muhafazat) of Lebanon. The activities focused on exploring new Lebanese regions, and in serving within these communities. For reporting purposes, participants resorted to new creative methods and developed new interests in theatre, handicrafts, traditional arts, and in audio-visual techniques. |
| Duration: |
1997 – 2002 |
| Location: |
On a national scale across the five districts of Lebanon. |
| Target Group: |
800 members participated in this project, among whom, 100 young women leaders (17 years and above) who were involved in this project as key decision makers as they were responsible for program planning and delivery. |
| Challenges: |
The young leaders (17-24) were challenged to work in new environments, and learned how to plan and implement long-term projects, which enhanced their leadership skills. |
| Results: |
Participants had the opportunity to cross borders and discover Lebanon’s cultural history. |
| Project 2: |
Recruiting and Training Young Women Members. |
| Objectives: |
1. Increasing membership in girl scouting by expanding the services of the association to new communities;
2. Training and involving young women at all levels of leadership and decision-making.
|
| Brief: |
Through a comprehensive training curricula, a qualified team of trainers (commissioners) recruits and trains new leaders. The new recruits are trained with relevant leadership skills and with information on current world trends affecting girls and young women, and are involved in program planning and implementation. |
| Duration: |
2002 – ongoing |
| Location: |
Throughout the different branches of the association, in Beirut, Metn and Zahle. |
| Target Group: |
The program is operated by and for young women who are involved as:
1. Commissioners (22 years old and above) who are responsible for planning and implementing training programs;
2. Trainees and program participants (17-24 years old), who are mostly university students.
|
| Challenges: |
Lack of interest in voluntarism among young women. |
| Project 3: |
Our Rights, Our Responsibilities: “ The Right to be Me, The Right to be Heard ”. |
| Objectives: |
1. Educating girls and young women and deepening their knowledge of rights and responsibilities;
2. Empowering girls and young women to deal effectively with rights issues and to look at democracy in all aspects of their lives. |
| Brief: |
The connection between rights and responsibilities is an important one for young women as they work out their own values, of right and wrong, and their commitments.“The right to be me, the right to be heard” were chosen as the sub-themes for 2002-2003.“The right to be me” is about being yourself, but also not being judgmental. It is about recognizing the right to be different as long as you are responsible. “The right to be heard” is about working out better ways to express oneself to family, friends and in the community, and to understand the principles of democracy. At the first stage, facilitators (17 years and above) will learn about democratic values and will identify new appropriate ways to voice their opinions. They will also explore their own individualities and will be trained on communicating and working on the issues with the younger group. Through this project, young women and children will consider their rights and responsibilities and will enjoy many ways of expressing their individuality. |
| Duration: |
2002 – 2005 |
| Location: |
Throughout the different branches of the association, in Beirut, Metn and Zahle. |
| Target Group: |
1. Young women who are involved at the first stage as program participants and at the second stage as facilitators and trainers of others;
2. Children as program participants. |
| Results: |
Results to be achieved:
This is an empowering experience for young women, who often feel that their opinions and potential contributions are dismissed or even ignored because of their age. It is also a particularly valuable experience for girls and young women, who often are encouraged to think of themselves as providers, or worse still, objects for admiration and possession, rather than individuals with rights and potential. |
