Gender equality program underway

Italy cooperating with local NGOs

The Italian government is funding a program to enhance gender equality. The Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) is implementing the program in collaboration with the Italian Cooperation Office (ICO). The program includes training MoSA staff as well as different political parties on promoting the involvement of women in social and political life.

The program has a budget of $0.9 million (€700,000).

Lara Daou, Assistant Coordinator at the ICO, said: “We have conducted a workshop titled ‘Towards unifying the concepts and terminology of gender in Lebanon’.”

“As part of the program, we have allocated funds for micro projects proposed by female members of municipal councils across the country, especially in underdeveloped areas,” Daou said. Some 45 projects have been proposed, each with a budget of $10,000. These will be narrowed down to at least 18 projects.

Throughout the program, a nationwide communications campaign targeting women participation in parliamentary elections will be launched. A tender was held in order to appoint a firm that will be in charge of the campaign. Local agency Born Interactive won the contract.

The project is set to be completed in December 2014.