The “Imam Zein Al-Abidin Mabarra” belonging to “Al-Mabarrat” Charitable Association in Hermel concluded the project “Strengthening Capacities in Reproductive Health and Reducing Gender-Based Violence”, carried out between the charitable association, the United Nations Population Fund and the Ministry of Social Affairs with funding from the Norwegian embassy, where the scope of work extended to cover the Hermel and Ras Baalbek areas in partnership and cooperation with the figures and service providers in the two areas.
The ceremony was attended by the bishop of the Bekaa Elias Rahhal, the mufti of the Hermel area Sheikh Ali Taha, the directors of the Ministry of Social Affairs centres in the Hermel and Ras Baalbek areas, and religious and social figures from the two areas.
The ceremony featured artistic items, then the screening of a film tracing the stages of work on the project and shedding light on the achievements and goals realized over 6 months of work.
The project aimed to enable members of the local community to take decisions, to strengthen social stability and to obtain basic services, in addition to strengthening the institutions' capacities for integration and for strengthening and sustaining the response relating to reducing gender-based violence, reproductive health, family planning and women's empowerment.
In this context training workshops were carried out for service providers - doctors, nurses, figures in the social field and civil associations - who were reached through focus groups to identify and assess the local community's needs, in addition to training a number of young men and women.
A number of productive projects were carried out at the level of the Hermel and Ras Baalbek areas, aiming to empower women economically and to develop their technical and craft skills so as to take advanced roles in society, in addition to training them in producing local preserves with the aim of empowering them economically.
Likewise a play was performed with children with special needs containing an awareness message about violence and discrimination between male and female, and it was presented on the Mabarra's stage.
The ceremony closed with the honouring of the directors of the Ministry of Social Affairs centres and the project's participants and the distribution of certificates of appreciation to them.
