Libya: confidence& hope

Souad Khalifa is a really special women’s rights activist. She encourages other Libyan women to gain economic independence and acquire social skills for the job market – and is doing so in the middle of a civil war. She is spreading hope in dark times. Khalifa sits on the management board of the Women’s Development and Training Centre in Hay al-Andalus – the first of 10 centres that are being set up in Libya with support from GIZ on behalf of BMZ and the EU.

At these centres, women can take courses in sewing and tailoring and learn how to build their self-confidence at work, for instance through computer classes, presentation courses or English lessons. The participants have also accepted some job orders, including making bed sheets for hospitals. Twenty-six textile processing trainers are already sharing what they know. In April 2019, some of the women even showcased pieces of clothing that they had designed and manufactured at an international textiles fair in Tunisia. ‘It’s about so much more than putting women in front of a sewing machine here,’ says Khalifa. ‘It’s a process of raising awareness and about teaching women to develop confidence in their own skills.’ 

You can also read the interview with Manfred van Eckert here.

The centre in Hay al-Andalus, a district of Tripoli, is part of a larger programme aiming to bring about improvements within municipalities in Libya. When the central government falters because of the political climate, it is up to municipalities to care for people. The aim is to ensure that they gain or retain an ability to operate, even in difficult times, for instance through economic stimulus measures, training, better water supply, new sports facilities – or women’s training centres. Municipalities are selected using criteria defined with Libyan partners and commissioning parties. This means that GIZ is only working in places where other implementing organisations are not already operating to avoid duplication. Some 17 municipalities throughout the country are taking part at the moment. More than 1.4 million people will potentially be reached as a result.

The public is involved in deciding where the need is greatest. More than 1,000 residents participated in dialogue forums where they took joint decisions about which measures are important to improving basic public services. Approximately 1,200 projects big and small were selected by the end of 2019; more than 100 of them are under way. For instance, 16 municipalities already have environmental laboratories where they can test drinking water and food quality. And while one women’s centre is already up and running, nine others are in the process of being set up. An e-learning centre has also been created to offer young people courses in subjects like photography and writing.

The special thing about this project is that GIZ is managing measures remotely from neighbouring Tunisia because of the security situation. National staff are working in Libya itself. This approach is delivering significant progress despite the war. Souad Khalifa also completed her training in Tunis and took what she learned back to Libya with her. She is considered a shining example in Libya because of her dedication to the cause of women’s empowerment.