In celebration of International Women’s Day, I am writing to share with you our launch of the Pioneers and Leaders HUB. The Hub was launched by the Women as Partners in Progress (WPP) Project, within the Gibran Chair for Values and Peace at the University of Maryland. It is a knowledge center about Arab women designed to acknowledge and support the advancement of Arab women’s progress by Arab women pioneers, leaders, and civil society organizations.
The critical significance of this Hub is that for the first time a Hub has been created on Women’s Leadership in the Arab World. For the first time, Directories have been compiled of Arab Women Pioneers, Leaders, and Organizations supporting women in 15 countries across the Arab World. These Directories of 213 women pioneers, women leaders, and organizations tell a collective story of brave women overcoming barriers, being role models, carving paths, being the shoulders for others to advance; breaking glass ceilings; and exemplifying values of progress, peace and human rights for all; inspiring others; and challenging and shifting mindsets of what is possible.
As boundary breaking ministers, senators, parliamentarians, judges, lawyers, scientists, heads of organizations, presidents and deans of universities, social entrepreneurs, business entrepreneurs, CEOs, architects, artists, writers, journalists, and media leaders, they have enriched and advanced their societies. These Directories also attest to the countries in the Arab World where women and men allies have struggled to create a supportive environment, within which women’s efforts can break barriers. Women pioneers and leaders have managed to thrive and advance the progress of other women and men, as well as advance the progress within societies. There is also much research on the Hub, including materials used in Knowledge Seminars in Morocco, Jordan, and Kuwait, a Progress Report matrix with longitudinal research on gender and other socio-economic sectors in 12 countries, and a Bibliography with over 200 research publications about Arab women.
This is a tool for networking and empowerment, feel free to disseminate this Hub by sharing this link: http://pioneersandleaders.org with your colleagues and within your network of organizations.
With my best regards,
May A. Rihani
Director
The George and Lisa Zakhem Kahlil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
University of Maryland
3103 Chincoteague Hall
7401 Preinkert Drive
301-405-6391
mrihani@umd.edu
Twitter: @GibranChair
