March 10 2005

On Child Safety Program

I’ve always believed that the well-being of the individual reflects on the society as a whole, and a huge part of the well-being of an individual consists of having a balanced, safe and happy childhood. And to achieve this, children must be protected from any kind of abuse and should get the right kind of awareness to inform them of their rights, the negative actions they should report, and most important of all, whom to turn to in case of being victims of physical or sexual abuse.
As Arabs, we know the importance of the well-being of children, but in our countries we lack the supporting programs to spread awareness that help improve the parental behavior and guide children to the helping hand, most important of all, we lack shelters for abused children.
Fortunately things are always improving, as the number of Arab countries that are implementing children safety programs is on the rise. Jordan took the initiative and led the Child Safety Program in the Arab World, providing the first children shelter ever, and launching awareness campaigns. One of the extremely successful campaigns is: *Ajyaluna Campaign (*Arabic for “Our Generations”)

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Ajyaluna is a one year National Awareness Campaign on Child Safety, and is one of the great programs of Jordan River Foundation that aim at improving society, aiding families and protecting both women and children.
Ajyaluna was launched on June 6, 2004, and is being implemented throughout 2004-2005. It tackles child safety issues by promoting dialogue, awareness and understanding through an educational media campaign that will target all levels of the Jordanian society.

Ajyaluna serves as a major channel of communication and information through Jordan River Foundation’s TV commercials (Our Wealth), radio announcements, press advertisements, billboards, awareness lectures and workshops, and television program:Beit Sgheer (Small Home), which highlights positive parenting education, founded in the principles of child development.
It also created Awareness Caravan that will reach most rural area throughout the Kingdom.

I must say that this Child Safety Program and this Ajyaluna campain are very important and really impressive. They deserve our appreciation and support in every possible way. They might sound easy, but there are many difficulties and obstacles that the Jordan River Foundation faces to implement and carry on these programs. One of the huge problems is the financial funding. So, if you care and wish this program succeeds and becomes and idol to other Arab countries to follow, please don’t spare any effort whatsoever in showing your support. You can donate, become a member, or buy one of the lovely and really useful products of the foundation.
You can find more information and details here…

  • P.s. The Jordan River Foundation Website has an Arabic Version available.
    • Category: Arab Societies, Jordan, Women | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 8 2005

    International Women’s Day

    Today marks the International Women’s Day, and this year’s theme is: “Gender equality beyond 2005: Building a more secure future.”

    Many Arab countries celebrate the International Women’s Day, and many have their own national woman day.
    In my personal opinion that is limited to personal experience and some readings and media news here and there, two countries are on the right track as far as women’s rights are concerned: Tunisia and Jordan.
    Tunisia is one of the Arab countries that have given women rights in almost everything. The Tunisian law guarantees the benefits and secures the destiny of women unlike many other countries where women are still struggling to get the basic rights of survival and participation in society.
    And I know, Tunisian women wont settle for what they’ve achieved, they’ll always ask for more… my hearts with you Tunisian men 😉 But really, I think Tunisia deserves being admired for the achievements in this regard.

    As for Jordan, I must also say that women are getting more rights and are entering more fields that were once considered taboo!
    The country’s progress is witnessed by the increased women’s empowerment in many ways, such as women’s quota in the Lower House, the appointment of seven senators in the 40-seat Upper House, the naming of four female ministers in the most recent Cabinet, and the recent appointments in the judiciary, which now has 26 female judges.
    But my favorite achievement is the ongoing project of opening shelters for abused and mistreated women. Something Arab countries lack in general. And I really am very impressed by this great step that will allow women to reject abuse and look for a better life without the fear of ending on the streets. I think all Arab countries should follow Jordan in this.

    The only principle disadvantages Jordanian women have according to the Jordan Times are:
    – The country’s Labor Law does not guarantee women equal pay for equal work.
    – Women are underrepresented in higher management positions in the public sector.
    – Citizenship Law, which allows men to pass on Jordanian citizenship to their foreign wives and children but denies women the same right.
    And I think in no time, Jordan will achieve success in these 3 points as well.

    In Jordan and in observance of International Women’s Day, media institutions have appointed female co-workers to run the institutions for one day.
    As for Tunisia The President Zein El Abidine Ben Ali, congratulated the President of the National Union For the Tunisian Woman with the following speech: (AR), (FR).

    Related:

  • Progress Of Arab Women
  • Woman’s Day In Tunisia
  • Kuwait Women Rights Now
  • March 8th(AR)
    • Category: Arab Societies, Jordan, Media, International, Tunisia, Women | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 8 2005

    Confessions

    Inspired by And Far Away…
    1. When it comes to cheating I’m a total loser. I was left in a closed office with my own books for 2 hours and still couldn’t have the courage to open the books and write the answers to my test!
    2. I’m really good and creative at making up excuses 😛
    3. I faked being Miss Jordan once in Germany using a Burger King carton crown turned inside out (it wasn’t my idea though, it was my class’ and teacher’s idea).
    4. I always complain when others drive fast, but I admit that I somehow find myself speeding up when I drive.
    5. I’m easily affected by marketing ads 😛
    6. I’m extremely bad at geography, my teacher gave up hope on me when I marked Russia in the place of England on the test map 😀
    7. I love pampering myself, dropping me at a day spa is way much better than giving me a diamond.
    8. I was known as: the “tearless” lady, but after I left my family, a song with warm melodies or touching lyrics is enough to make me cry even if I was in the middle of a festival (but I’m good at hiding my tears though).
    9. Can’t concentrate on serious work or reading or homework if music’s playing.
    10. Somehow people get the impression that I’m good as a nutrition advisor and keep asking me for ways to get the perfect weight, great part is: my advice always works 🙂
    11. I can win the trust of people so easily, and I never betray them or hurt them even if they became my worst enemies… hmm, it’s so hard for me to trust others.
    12. I always manage to break my glasses one way or the other.
    13. I hate doing anything to get attention or win competition.
    14. This may shock many, but I hate reading, it takes me ages to end a book, UNLESS the book is health, environment, or religion- related or is about a real life incident 😀

    Category: Just Personal | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 7 2005

    Arabic Bread

    Dear fellow bloggers, I would like to proudly announce my success in achieving my nr.1 challenge away from the Middle East: Making Arabic Bread!
    YIPPIEEEEEEE!

    In Tunisia there are three kinds of bread used: baguette (French bread, which is their main used bread) and tabouna bread (which is somehow like Egyptian bread, a bit thicker) and Mlewi bread(kind of between Iranian bread and kmaj bread). They’re all great, very tasty, and I love them, but when I want to eat Middle Eastern food, the whole taste changes if the bread is not the normal fluffy Arabic bread.
    I looked for places that sell Middle Eastern food, and found around 4 restaurants (all Lebanese) that sell that bread. Problem is it’s so damn expensive.
    And since I love cooking, and adore homemade stuff, I decided to try baking my own Arabic bread at home. I knew it might end up as a total failure that could embarrass me and shock my husband, but still, I took the risk and baked it anyway.
    It took me around 4 hours to have the dough perfectly prepared! But I’m telling you, it was worth every second of it. I enjoyed every bit of making it, and while baking, I sat in front of the oven just to make sure I wont miss watching the bread circles rise and puff up 🙂
    The result: it was SO YUMMY!!! Just like the one I know in Jordan. Ah! I could eat and eat and eat nonstop!
    I’m so happy…

    Now my next challenge is: homemade labaneh! A creamy mixture between yogurt and cottage cheese. I know how to make laban (yogurt) and I made it here in Tunisia, but never tried to make labaneh, this weekend hopefully I’ll have the time to make labaneh! And I’ll let you know 🙂

    By the way, if you’re reading this Jalan-Jalan, please tell me if you got the “makdous” recipe. I don’t know why it kept coming back to me all the time. But the last time I sent you the email I didn’t get it back. So please confirm you got it either by leaving a comment here or by emailing me.

    Category: Arab Societies, General, Just Personal | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 4 2005

    As Long As Respectful…

    Just came across our friend Natasha’s post concerning the reactions to the Muslim girl who won the school dress case.
    In her post she drew our attention to a post written by The Big Pharaoh on this subject and noted that what he wrote was really appealing, and more convincing than what Subzero Blue wrote.

    Of course everyone is free to believe what they want to believe, and everyone is free to like or dislike whatever they choose, but after reading Big Pharaoh’s post, and the comments left there, I found myself starting out this post to clear out a main and very important point for the sake of all those who are easily mislead by sarcasm and who fall in the trap of “this is real freedom” strategy.

    No offence, but I actually believe this whole Nudadism example fails to fit the comparison, because of one very important and basic concept Subzero Blue mentioned on his post: “I think everyone should be free to wear whatever they want to wear as long as it’s respectful“. Respectful being that what doesn’t offend social values in general, not that of an individual.
    Going out nude is far away from being compared to the lady’s case, because personally I believe that the act that offends the dignity and the freedom of society as a whole is no longer a personal privacy.
    Having said all that, I’d like to point out that people wear coats that cover the whole body whenever they feel like it, just because what the lady asked to wear was defined as “islamic jilbab” doesn’t mean it will harm society in any way! so it’s not really worth all that fuss and destructive criticizing!!!

    Britain did a very brave and fair step that I find very civilized, and would like to congratulate them for the courage of fulfilling real democracy and being fair to their own citizens. I really respect them for that and I just hate it when people make civilized steps look so wrong, and uncivilized ones look really impressive!

  • Another interesting post on the subject: Drubbed By The Jilbab
    • Category: General, Media, International, Religion, Women | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 3 2005

    State Of Mind…

    If you think you are beaten, you are;
    If you think you dare not, you don’t!
    If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t,
    It’s almost certain you won’t.

    If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost;
    For out in the world we find
    Success begins with a fellow’s will;
    It’s all in the state of mind!

    If you think you’re outclassed, you are;
    You’ve got to think high to rise.
    You’ve got to be sure of yourself
    Before you ‘ll ever win the prize.

    Life’s battles don’t always go
    To the stronger or faster man;
    But sooner or later the man who wins
    Is the person who thinks he can!

    -Author Unknown-

    Category: Art & Literature, General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 2 2005

    Lesson Of The Day:

    “Sometimes forgetting is more painful than remembering”. – a taxi driver.

    Category: General | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 2 2005

    Jordanian Prisoners On Strike In Israel

    Jordanian prisoners in Israel began a hunger strike on Tuesday. They also issued a statement demanding their release and insisting they would not rescind regardless of consequences.
    “Obtaining the release of the prisoners has always been the government’s top priority and main objective,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Rajab Sukayri said. Details…

    I really hope all of them will get back to their families and homes safe and sound, and that they’ll be granted freedom before anyone’s health condition is threatened by the strike.

    Category: Jordan, Palestine | LEAVE A COMMENT
    March 1 2005

    A Journey In Preserving The Palestinian Identity

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    Established 1979, El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe aimed at reviving Palestinian music and dance folklore as a part of the national identity.
    They succeeded in preserving old songs and dances, such as the “dabke,” a traditional dance form popular among Arabs of the Middle East, using traditional Arab instruments like oud, nai, and tabla.

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    A very interesting paragraph related to El-Funoun on This Week In Palestine caught my attention: “At the time, Israeli leaders liked to think and to publicly announce that Palestinians did not exist as a nation; and, to fulfill the prophecy, they attempted to destroy and/or confiscate the indigenous Palestinian culture, heritage, tradition, history and identity, if not explicitly then through convoluted schemes and arbitrary “laws.” Flight attendants on board Israel’s airline El Al were issued Palestinian embroidered costumes; the golden Dome of the Rock was prominently flashed on every Israeli travel brochure; hummus and falafel were served as traditional Israeli cuisine; a myriad of Arab-Palestinian slang expressions entered the Israeli idiom as native talk; and of course the colors of the Palestinian flag were not allowed to be combined in any shape or form, even on a painting. Any slight assertion of Palestinian identity was severely punished”.
    I’m so happy that El-Funoun never gave up and kept fighting to protect the Palestinian Identity from fading away despite all the difficulties they faced from the occupation, which did not spare any effort in holding them back.

    To counter the marginalization and alienation of Palestinian children and youth through music and dance expression, El-Funoun decided to form the Youth Troupe(Bara’em):
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    25 dancers (both females and males) aged 8 – 15 are carefully selected by El-Funoun choreographers according to their artistic talent and promising devotion to learn and develop.

    I must say I am so proud of El-Funoun, and I truly wish them the best of luck to continue their great mission in preserving and promoting the Palestinian Identity.

    For more information about El-Funoun, their contacts, their photo gallery, their video clips, and much more, visit their -breathtaking- official website which is available in both Arabic and English.

    Category: Arab Societies, Art & Literature, General, Palestine | LEAVE A COMMENT
    February 28 2005

    On Sharon’s Visit To Tunisia

    As many of you already know, the Tunisian President invited Sharon to attend the World Summit on the Information Society. Sharon accepted the invitation and he will be in Tunis in November 2005.

    The invitation was announced last week, I didn’t post anything about it because I was waiting for the confirmation through media. Now that it’s confirmed, let’s take a look at the very few reactions I could find as covered by media and the blogosphere:
    Arabic, French & English.

    That’s all I was able to find, the whole thing seems to be not very well covered, neither by press, nor TV, not even the net. Anyway, if there are any updates I could get my hands on, I will make sure to post them here.

    Category: Arab Societies, Media, International, Palestine, Tunisia | LEAVE A COMMENT