Women's Week report

Women's Week Report

"The Role of Palestinian Women in Shaping their Society"

Monday 14th – 19th Saturday April, 2008

Women’s Week Program (English, German, Arabic)

Monday 14th of April, 2008

9:30-11:15

"Nutrition Balance"

Hana Al-rabadi a nutrition specialist from Jordon, talked about the food pyramid and how to maintain a healthy nutrition program and good eating habits for both the mothers and their family members.

She also spoke about different health issues that concerned diabetes, blood pressure patients and mothers who are still breast feeding. Many questions were raised concerning food dieting and weight control.

11:15-11:30

"The role of the Palestinian women in shaping their society"

Tamara Melhem, director of the women and agriculture project that is supported by the Norwegian government, talked about the different roles of the Palestinian women in contributing to the building of the Palestinian society through out the years. She pointed out the difficulties that were and still facing the Palestinian women and how these difficulties at the end adds up to the sufferings and the big burden the Palestinian woman has to carry.

She also talked about the agricultural project for the village women. This project was created to help the women who stay at home doing house work or baring children. The idea of this project is to invest in those women and teach them how to support their families and be self independent by offering them Green houses to plant, wells to water these plants in order to be self sufficient and independent.

11:30-12:30

"The role of Women in Poland, Norway, Sweden and Finland"

The participation of the EAPPI "Ecumenical Accompanier for Peace in Palestine and Israel" Group from Bethlehem was very appreciated and important for the village women. They spoke about the continuous changing role of women in their societies and showed the difficulties the European women had to face to change her status and fight for her rights.

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Tuesday 15th of April, 2008

10:00-12:30

"Healthy Nutrition for Children"

Simona Shramm, a nurse and a nutrition specialist from Germany, talked about many simple different child healing methods as first aid before consulting a doctor later. She introduced many simple techniques for mothers and children to stay fit and healthy.

Although she was not a Palestinian nurse, the village women were very interested and keen to know more about several health issues. As a result, it was very important to set a date with her on September 2008 to come and talk more with the women about specific family health issues such as: Diabetes, blood pressure problems, different kinds of allergy, and problems of breast feeding.

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Wednesday 16th of April, 2008

9:30-11:15

"Women and Media"

Nancy Atallah, a program presenter in Radio Mawall in Bethlehem, talked about the different radio programs she established to present the social issues in the Palestinian society. She talked about her experience as a Palestinian female broadcaster and her responsibilities toward presenting the real Palestinian culture from its old literature and try to apply it to nowadays life-concept. She also mentioned how important it is to encourage those who are trying to refuse and neglect the Palestinian traditions and how it is vital to rescue the Palestinian culture from many biased superstitious thinking which always have a negative influence on the women status and her role in the Palestinian Society.

Rana AL-araja, director of the Mother and Child program in the Palestine Network News "PNN", Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem, gave an informative description about the PNN and Holy Land Trust work in Bethlehem.

Heba Al-Ama, an editor, from PNN, talked about the role of the women in the Palestinian media, and how it is very vital for the Palestinian women to fight for higher positions in Media to present the women voice and opinion in all life aspects and to be heard globally.

Unfortunately, and because of the geographical location of this village which is surrounded by five settlements, it is so difficult for the local Radio and TV broadcasting stations to reach the village of Nahalin. It would be very necessary to establish such broadcasting stations in Nahalin to stay connected with other villages and cities of the West Bank.

11:30-1:00

"Speaking Problems among Children (0-5 Years)"

After the break, Tagreed Hawwash, a speech therapist in Mennonite School in Hebron, spoke about the importance discovering of early child speaking and hearing difficulties. She gave advises and simple techniques for mothers to follow up with their children at home and specially to those cases who do not require to consult a speech therapist.

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Thursday 17th of April, 2008

9:30-11:15

"Healthy Psychological life for Children"

Kifah Abu Ayash and Majdeh Oudeh, social workers at Mehwar Center for Mother and Child in Beit Sahour, gave an informative description of the work of Mehwar center and described the natural work they do at their center and the kinds of help they offer to women with special needs and to those who have social and family problems.

11:30-1:00

"Osteoporosis"

After the break, Linda Jarayseh, health educator in the Health Center in Beit Sahour, talked about the importance of maintaining healthy ways and eating habits to preserve a good bone skeleton. She also offered many advices for women and mothers to follow to avoid their family members from getting this disease.

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Saturday 19th of April, 2008

9:30-12:00

"Art Workshop"

Gabriela Badour, artist from Bethlehem, introduced an art method to decorate clay vases with beautiful pictures taken from paper napkins.

12:00-1:30

"Potluck Lunch"

We ended the Women's Week with POTLUCK LUNCH where typical homemade Palestinian cuisines were served for almost 30 women from the village.

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A Word to be said:

Throughout this week, many women from the village got the advantage to be introduced to many educated and experienced women who are playing very important roles in shaping the Palestinian society. They also had the advantage to meet with international women to hear about women conditions in Poland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland. In addition, they had the chance to know more about many sensitive women topics, health and social issues.

All lectures and workshops had a positive impact upon all women who attended this week of activities. All events were very useful and interesting for all village mothers, educated women and housewives. The result and outcome of this week was to increase and enlarge Bent Al-reef's activities and expand the circle of beneficiaries from the village of Nahalin and the surroundings.

At the end, I would like to thank all women lecturers for there worthy information and also for the village women for attending this year women's activities.

Special thanks also go to Else Brueker for her continuous support and help to develop and expand the Tent of Nations- Bent Al-reef Educational Center activities and services.

Jihan Nassar,

Project Coordinator

Read the Women’s Week report in German