THE MACHREQ/MAGHREB GENDER LINKING AND INFORMATION PROJECT (MACMAG GLIP)

The MACMAG GLIP project provides a platform for exchange of research, analysis, training, capacity building and institutional development on Gender and Development (GAD) throughout the Arab world (www.macmag-glip.org). One of the main components of the GLIP project is the Gender Resource Library. This Library includes over 1456 titles in Arabic, French and English of relevant books, reports and periodicals on women and gender development. It is available directly and on-line to interested students, researchers, practitioners and NGOs.

INDEPENDENT RESOURCES AND INFORMATION SERVICES (IRIS OF Lebanon)

The IRIS project engages with government agencies, NGOs and international organizations on issues of poverty and social developments in Lebanon (www.iris-lebanon.org). IRIS accomplishes this through providing an informative monthly bulletin, an interactive website, training workshops and top quality action-oriented research. IRIS also houses an extensive library collection called the NGOs & Social Development Resource Library. With over 3175 titles in Arabic, French and English, the Library includes books, reports, theses and periodicals on social and political development, civil society, women, gender and other relevant issues. IRIS offers this valuable library service both directly and on-line to researchers, practitioners, students, and NGOs. Furthermore, IRIS brings together Lebanese universities, research institutes, academics and practitioners to encourage networking and collaboration for social development in Lebanon.

WOMEN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (WEEP)

The Women Economic Empowerment Project was initiated in 2000 by the CRTD.A with the support of the British Embassy in Beirut and later on by the Global Fund for Women. Essentially operating in Lebanon, the project also includes capacity building activities in other countries of the region focusing essentially on gender and the economy and gender budgeting (www.crtd.org/weep). The overall purpose of WEEP is to contribute to creating a positive transformation in gender relations through empowering women and building their capacities to become economically independent and form and maintain their own grassroots organizations. WEEP is also linked to CRTD.A Gender and Leadership initiative which seeks to empower women through strengthening leadership skills and practice and through facilitating access to IT training and knowledge.

ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND GENDERED SOCIAL ENTITLEMENTS (ACGEN)

Active Citizenship and Gendered Social Entitlements (ACGEN) is a regional action-research project of CRTD.A implemented in partnership with IDRC. Using Egypt, Lebanon and Palestine as case studies, the research explores the relationship between the state, NGOs and active citizens in bridging the gender gap in key social entitlements namely health, education and social services. (www.crtd.org/acgen)
Some of the key questions raised by the research include:
Who provides services and how? What is the nature of the gender gap?
What is the relationship of communities to state & NGO service providers: Clients or active citizens?
Are NGO services weakening the concept of public goods?
How are experiences of “citizenship,” social inequality and “entitlements” gendered?
This action research is producing a body of knowledge which aims at contributing to policy dialogue on gender and social entitlements in the region.

The Arab Women’s Right to Nationality Campaign

The idea of the Arab Women’s Right to Nationality campaign came about during a regional CRTD.A meeting On March 8th 2002 in response to the concern and commitment expressed by participating NGOs to work across the regional for women’s right to nationality. The campaign was conceived within the framework of the Gender and Citizenship programme. The first phase was in the form of an action-research on Arab Women’s Right to Nationality conducted in seven countries – Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen and Jordan – and national reports for each of these countries were written. Those reports have been compiled in a regional report that was presented in October 2003 at a regional validation meeting in Beirut. The second phase was planned during a regional strategy meeting held in Beirut on November 2004, with representatives of the concerned NGOs as well key actors and stakeholders in the field of gender, citizenship and nationality. A regional and country-based strategy, as well as a regional action plan took off in early 2005.

THE LEBANON DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY (LDG)

The Lebanon Development Gateway (LDG) was launched by CRTD.A in 2003 with the support of the Development Gateway Foundation (www.crtd.org/ldg) The LDG is one of the 55 country gateways worldwide, using Information Communication Technology to contribute to gender equality and social development at the community and national levels. The project has completed its planning phase and is now engaged in starting up its implementation phase which includes the construction of a development knowledge portal (in both Arabic and English) on gender equality and social development with particular focus on the needs an priorities of the LDG stakeholders namely NGOs/CSOs, local municipalities and community centers as well as private sector companies with social responsibility. Current and past events of the project including workshops, meetings with partners and an e-forum can be found online.