MECC Continues Its Awareness Sessions on Gender Equality in Lebanon

Towards a More Just Society

As part of raising awareness about the concept of gender equality and encouraging joint work, the Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches, in cooperation with the ABAAD foundation for gender equality, implemented a gender-based violence (GBV) session titled “Sharing is Power”. It was held during the previous month of June, at the hall of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese in the region of Sabtieh, Beirut. Participants were women and men from different nationalities, were invited to the session wish aimed to highlight gender identities and roles through a series of interactive activities.

Thus, men were given tasks socially associated with women and women were given tasks socially associated with men. By using this method, gender roles were switched and men and women felt closer to each other. For instance, men were given the task of piercing zucchini while women repaired woodcuts. By the end of the activity men and women were sensitized about the importance of thinking about Gender and gender roles in order to build healthy families and teach their children about Gender equality.

Another approach that was used during the session is to encourage participants, especially men, to speak about their emotions by teaching them ways of expressing them, through speaking and active listening, drawing and coloring, practicing hobbies, and spending time with families and friends.