15 March 2011 – With the support and in the presence of UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas and UNIFIL Director of Mission Support Mr. Girish Sinha, the Mission’s National Staff Union, Gender Unit and Focal Point for Women organized an event entitled “Work Related Challenges in Changing Environment” to mark and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the International Women’s Day on 15 March 2011.

In an address launching the ceremony, Major-General Asarta reflected on UNIFIL’s commitment to gender equality, noting that “when we speak about gender and peacekeeping, we need to ensure women's equal participation in maintaining and building peace.” He highlighted the need for peacekeepers to be aware that women and men experience conflict differently and therefore understand peace differently. “Recognizing and integrating these differences – known as gender perspectives – into all aspects of our mandate, is essential for the success of UNIFIL’s peacekeeping efforts,“ the Force Commander said.

“To meet these goals,” the General stated, “UNIFIL has spearheaded a number of civil affairs and CIMIC activities aimed at women’s economic empowerment. In addition, UNIFIL troop-contributing countries have done their best to deploy female soldiers.” He ended by calling on men and women alike “to continue to join efforts, to further advance gender equality,” noting that “only by advancing the status of women can we hope to achieve the sustainable, peaceful and just society promised in the United Nations charter.”

Our guest speakers included members from The Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB): entrepreneurs, executive directors as well as pioneers in the Lebanese Business Society. UNIFIL valued very highly the introductory remarks given by the LLWB president, Ms. Hanan Saab. Not only did she thank UNIFIL for “the immense contributions and the positive impact they have imprinted on this part of Lebanon and its community” but also went to describe the struggle of women in general and of Lebanese women in particular, emphasizing that, despite the many challenges and the changing environment, they have proven their significant value in the economic sphere.

UNIFIL participants were very motivated and inspired by the presentations of the LLWB members, namely Ms. Ranna El Chmaitelly, founder of the Little Engineer company, and Ms. Najah Jaroush Abdouni, creator of Tassamin enterprise. Both provided most valuable insights into the difficulties faced by some women entrepreneurs but also the prestige gained as a result of their unique endeavours.

The Chairperson of the National Staff Union thanked the LLWB for sharing their valuable experience, concluding that “it is now important to say that one half of the human race cannot win by keeping the other half one step behind”, adding that “UNIFIL has provided its staff the impetus to move forward towards achieving an ideal state … and to prove worthy of being called a peacekeeper”.

This is first time in UNIFIL history to observe the International Women Day, therefore it constituted a precedent and a good practice that the mission will be keen to follow in the future particularly with the participation of Lebanese women groups.