Deadline: 30-Nov-21
The 2021-22 Supporting Arab Women at the Table (SAWT) Regional Fellowship Program is inviting women from Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen to apply to its first Cohort to form a collective working towards gender-inclusive peace and security policies.
The SAWT project is funded by the European Union (EU) with the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI) as the lead partner and implemented through a consortium of partners consisting of the Center for Inclusive Business and Leadership for Women (CIBLW) in Lebanon with a regional scope, the Iraqi Al-Amal Association in Iraq, Together We Build It in Libya, the Culture and Free Thought Association in Palestine, and the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies in Yemen.
The fellowship program aims at increasing the meaningful participation of women in peace and security policy-making across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It will support leading roles that women activists and advocates are playing for more gender-inclusive peace and security policies. Moreover, it will provide platforms for activists and leaders from different sectors to share experiences and contribute to collective mobilizing for a more inclusive peace and security agenda in Libya, Yemen, Palestine and Iraq.
Note: This program is fully funded and covers all expenses.
Objectives
The objectives of the nine-month SAWT fellowship are:
- Equip women with the tools and leadership skills needed to advance an inclusive peace and security agenda.
- Establish a network of advocates from different areas of expertise who can lobby for more inclusive peace and security platforms.
- Create tables for dialogue and circles of influence that cut across generations, geographical boundaries, and disciplines focused on an inclusive peace and security agenda.
- Challenge existing peace and security platforms that exclude women’s voices and that are not representative of the lived experiences of women.
- Position women as leaders who can influence peace and security through their personal narratives and experiences.
- Mobilize multi-sector national and transnational coalitions of women’s groups and allies to promote an inclusive vision for peace and security.
- Connect women from the region with institutions and actors in the EU and internationally to advance inclusive policies for peace and security.
Why SAWT?
Their aim is to facilitate an inclusive women-owned indigenous approach for what inclusive peace and security looks like and capitalize on women and women’s associations efforts to achieve that. They recognize that they are already challenging the state’s hegemony over decision-making circles and a collective effort is needed to mobilize more stakeholders in support of inclusive peace and security. The SAWT fellowship is an opportunity for learning, networking, and growing the tables for dialogue to be more inclusive of women and women’s rights.
Fellowship Design
The modules are designed as a journey of learning, networking, and taking collective actions. They are aimed at influencing existing tables and dialogues on peace and security, as well as creating new tables and dialogue opportunities for a more inclusive peace and security.
- Capturing local experiences and narratives on conflict and insecurity
- Connecting with others and expanding the table through circles of influence nationally and regionally
- Maintaining a network of mentors and advocates who speak out in platforms across the region and internationally
At the end of the program, fellows are expected to:
- Gain a fresh outlook on key concepts of inclusive peace and security.
- Form working groups as tables or circles of influence in their own countries
- Strategize on how to challenge the state’s narratives and agenda of peace and security.
- Strategize how collectively to work towards more inclusive policies.
- Commit to joining a coalition and network of advocates for inclusive peace and security.
Eligibility Criteria
- Women from Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Syria and Yemen above the age of 21 who can exhibit experience and / or leadership working on inclusive peace and security policies for women through: 1- civil society or community-based associations activism, 2- academia, 3- law, 4- business, and 5- journalism.
- They recognize efforts in the public, private, and non-profit sectors as well as media and academia which contribute to inclusive peace and security policies. They cast a wide net on the definition of peace and security. The aim is to facilitate an inclusive women-owned indigenous approach for a feminist and inclusive peace looks like.
- Participants will be asked to submit (in Arabic)
- A two-page resume
- A motivation letter explaining eligibility to participate
- A letter of recommendation or any relevant documentation to showcase experience (for example: media clippings, project reports, or audio-visual content)
- A personal development plan
For more information, visit https://www.aub.edu.lb/cibl/sawt/Pages/default.aspx
