Women's Training Centre opens in Hay al-Andalus with European Union and German support
On Wednesday, Mr. Alan Bugeja, the European Union Ambassador to Libya, Mr. Oliver Owcza, the German Ambassador to Libya, Dr. Milad al-Taher, the Minister of Local Governance, and the Mayor of Hay al-Andalus, Mr. Mohammad Ftaisi, inaugurated the Women’s Training and Development Centre in Hay al-Andalus, Tripoli, the first of a series of training centres to be opened in selected number of Libyan municipalities.
EU Ambassador Alan Bugeja and German Ambassador Oliver Owcza:
“We are glad to see today a concrete example of how the European Union is supporting the economic empowerment of Libyan women at the municipal level. This is the first of ten centres which will open this year. As we approach International Women's Day 2019 we can’t stress enough how important a role Libyan women play in building a stable, democratic and prosperous Libya.”
The multi-purpose centre was recognised as a priority by the local Hay al-Andalus administration, and was consequently refurbished and equipped with sewing machines and furniture as part of the Support to Municipalities programme, an EU-German initiative. No less than 10 such centres have been identified by Libyan municipalities as part of this programme.
Beyond the physical investment, the centre provides women with a space for vocational training, personal and skills development. As part of this programme, women benefited from intensive training in the textile sector, for their own economic empowerment, but also to teach other women in Hay al-Andalus, to become active in design, tailoring and sewing.
Ms. Souad:
“My life has changed tremendously! I feel confident with the knowledge that I have gained through the training. This allows me to give back to my community, as I can transfer the experience to others in the centre”.
The centre functions as a venue for sports, recreational activities and intercommunity exchange. With the view to ensuring ownership, women are being supported to set up a self-managed supervisory model at the centre, to cater activities to the needs of their community and to oversee the day-to-day management of the centre. To this end, the women are trained technically and pedagogically to assume their roles as community leaders via the Hay al-Andalus centre.
The Hay al-Andalus Women Training and Development Centre initiative, is part of the “Support to municipalities” programme, that is funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The programme, implemented by the GIZ, supports 17 Libyan partner municipalities in ensuring better service provision at local level and increasing access for most vulnerable groups, including women and migrants.
(Source: EU)
