Dear All: Nisswa and Development organisation would like to announce the launch of its Working Group on Family Laws in the Arab Countries. Background on NAD: NAD is a virtual organisation that is international and non-governmental. It is an Arab initiative with no political affiliation. Its main concern is gender and sustainable development theories and practices inside and outside the Arab region. Its members are international and regional, institutions and individuals, who participate actively in the different processes of the organisation work. The main aims of the organisation to be fulfilled on the long term are: � Redefining the Arab world in search for sustainability: an engendered perspective on economic, social, and political history; � Evolve the gender and sustainable development (GASD) discourse in the region through a resourceful international network with respect to local knowledge; � Support an active role of local civil society in the process of regional and international development; � Engage the business world in the discourse of GASD and invite it to take a socio-conscious perspective; � Strengthen the synergies between theories and practices; � Build a regional agenda for GASD issues to be implemented locally and advocated internationally, � Contribute to the construction of a just global world that is sensitive to Arab issues and causes; � Support existing local activities; � Gather and disseminate information to empower the locals and inform the international community . NAD will seek to fulfill its aims through different programmes and activities that will evolve with time. Family Law Working Group: The birth of this working groups is a result of Diwan NAD (programmes think-tank) that addresses different themes and threads seeking to fulfill NAD's mission. The history of the family laws campaign in the Arab states goes back to the roots of the women's movement in this region. It is a vital issue that touches women's rights in its most profound sense and it reflects the disparity between women and men in the microcell of society . In legal terms, it puts women in a position of total dependence on their male relative, economically and politically. Yet it also imposes on this male to fulfill all financial needs of the family. This is what we read in the codes but we know that there is much more to gender issues than the written words of law. As you may imagine there are many layers to "Family Laws" that need an extensive work that we are hoping to uncover at least partly through this initiative. Our intent is to give an analytical view of gender and family laws in the region but also to look into ways of action and strategies to achieve change. There are already some NAD members who have joined the initiative: academics, activists, lawyers, politicians, and students. We invite all of you who are familiar with gender issues in the Arab region to join our work. Even if you are not particularly familiar with the family laws we still need your in put. Contact us at to join or to inquire further, write to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you in advance for your support and please forward this message to other interested constituencies. Shukran, Lamis Alshejni ================================================== Nisswa and Development Organisation (NAD) Tel/Fax: + 39 06 68212631 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URL: http://nadnet.org "Together for a sustainable development, gender equality, and a just globalisation" ==================================================
