In recent years, conflicts and wars have continued to drag the civilian population into the most extreme forms of violence, and women are directly affected by these human tragedies. "Traditionally, war is seen as an event that concerns only men - most often alone to bear arms and to fight" (Thébaud, 2014). To counter this traditional approach that takes a male and elitist point of view, the seminar "Women’s experience in cities in conflict" will bring together academics, young researchers and civil society actors from 14 to 15 May, 2018 in Beirut, Lebanon. Among the participants, several representatives of the IEMEd, CAWTAR and the RUSEMEG -founding members of our Foundation- will be present.This event aims to highlight the role of women in these situations and to show the diversity of their experiences as victims and actors of conflict. 

Thus, wars and their repercussions will be apprehended from the point of view of the women who lived them or live, study, accompany their heritage through art, urbanism, education, history, psychology and inclusive citizenship. 

The seminar will examine the perception of conflict by women by taking concrete examples such as the case of Lebanese women. What do they experience physically and emotionally? What effects do conflicts have on women’s identities? 

The seminar is organized by the Euro-Mediterranean University and Scientific Network on Gender and Women (RUSEMEG) within the framework of the Axis 1 "Strengthening the capacities of equality actors" of the project “Women for the future in the Mediterranean”, funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (MAEDI). It is in synergy with the mission of the Foundation and with the project "Developing Women’s Empowerment" labelled by the Union for the Mediterranean. 

For more information, make sure to check the file enclosed. 

Photograph: © Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com