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HIGHLIGHTS OF NEWA'S ACTIVITIES
- Since the first issue of "KENJIT"
in April, NEWA has undertaken certain important activities.
Among these activities are: organizing a forum that was held
on May 26, 2003 at the Ghion Hotel. The purpose of the meeting
was to discuss on a proposal submitted by seven delegates entrusted
to explore mechanism for a sustainable cooperation between women
in government and women in NGOs. All the constituent member
organizations of the Network, women in government and NGOs,
including several concerned groups and individuals attended
the meeting. The meeting adjourned with a decision agreement
to hold another secession for further deliberation on the proposal.
- On July 15th NEWA' s coordinator participated
in an IGAD-NGOs/CSOs discussion held in Nairobi (Kenya). The
purpose of the meeting was to establish a forum of government
representatives and indigenous NGOs/CSO's from the IGAD member
states.
The objectives of the FORUM are to: enhance the interface between
NGO'S /CSO and IGAD; promote the objective of the NGO's /CSO
in the sub-region including the issue of capacity building;
and address the IGAD priority areas such as HIV/AIDS, food security
etc. NEWA was elected to the regional steering committee, which
comprises of fourteen NGOs/CSOs and seven government representatives.
- This August NEWA attended the annual women
conference held in Mekele (Tigray region) organized by the Women's
Affairs Bureau at the prime minister's office. In attendance
were regional women bureaus, focal persons from sectoral ministries,
regional women associations and women in NGOs. The conference
discussed the progress made and the challenges faced by women
last year and what the future focus of attention should be to
strengthen the gains made and achieve greater results. NEWA
submitted a report on the Network's activities at this conference.
- On July 29,2003, NEWA attended an inauguration
ceremony of a project in Addis Ababa Kolfe Keranyo sub city
organized by Women and Children Development Organization (WCDO),
a constituent member organization of the Network. This is an
integrated environmental, sanitation, water supply and biogas
development project. The project benefits 237 households or
more than 1,185 people residents out which 65% are women and
children. The Finnish Embassy covered eighty- nine percent of
the total Birr 215,421.96 project cost while the balance came
from the community and WCDO.
- Among NEWA's objective is to build the capacity
of its constituent members through training programs. A questioner
that helps to identify and assess the common needs of constituent
members was produced and disseminated by the Network to all
members. Face to face discussions with each individual member
organization were conducted to help the Network understand their
needs better.
- Information and data are being compiled to
produce a directory of NEWA's constituent members.
- NEWA has hired a consultant to work on an
annotated bibliography of books, Journals, and research papers
on women from 1995 to the present. Grant in the amount of Birr
42,700 for the project has been secured from UNDP.
- NEWA is in the process constructing a website
that can be accessed at "WWW. NEWA. INFO" The website
provides background information about policies and laws concerning
women in Ethiopia. It features profiles of NEWA's constituent
members, their activities as well as lead articles from KENJIT,
NEWA's quarterly newsletter. The website will carry news and
information centered on women and gender related matters. It
will also host poems, short stories, opinions, interviews that
highlight women's activities and efforts to narrow the gender
gap.
- NEWA has strengthened its office by hiring
additional stuff. In July this year it has hired an administrator,
a program officer and a publication communication officer.
- In early September NEWA will begin its
"GENDER TALK"--- a bimonthly forum where invited speakers
of different experiences and levels of expertise on gender related
matters will lead discussions on a variety of gender related
issues with women organizations. The first guest of "GENDER
TALK" will be the Mayor of Addis Ababa, Mr Arkebe Oqubay.
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