Cooperation promotes peace, even if armed conflicts persist

The Spanish cooperation in action. Transformative alliances for the promotion of the rights of rural Palestinian and Jordanian women with disabilities were the focus of the international conference organized by the Foundation for Social Promotion, chaired by Hispano-Lebanese Jumana Trad Yunes. The event took place at the Casa árabe in Madrid and brought together representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECID), the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), as well as organizations working in Palestine and Jordan.

Acknowledging the ongoing war in the Middle East, a general consensus emerged that international cooperation, deemed essential for peace, cannot be disregarded.

The conference, organized by the Social Foundation through its Middle East Studies Center (CEMO), highlighted the role of civil society in promoting gender equality as a human right in Palestine and Jordan.

Suzan Sahori, director of Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans, presented her organization as a fair trade entity dedicated to supporting female artisans across Palestine. She praised Palestinian women as a silent force preserving traditions and sustaining their communities. In discussing rural women, Sahori emphasized their pivotal role in upholding local crafts and agriculture while facing significant challenges in accessing economic opportunities.

Anni Medzhagopian, director of the Jordanian organization Al Hussein Society, recognized the multiple discriminations faced by Jordanian women with disabilities, hampering their access to education, employment, and decision-making.

In response, her organization has been actively working in refugee camps in Jordan to empower women with disabilities towards greater autonomy for resilient communities and inclusive development.

The conference also featured contributions from Miguel Moro Aguilar, director of Casa árabe, and Jesús Ángel Celada, an ambassador promoting disability rights. Amb. Celada shared Spain’s recent abolition of sterilizing disabled women, underscoring the imperative of respecting human rights.

Miriam Ciscar, Deputy Director of AECID’s Feminist Cooperation, outlined their transformative strategy addressing gender inequalities through structural changes and equitable resource redistribution.

Lastly, Raúl Compés, director of CIHEAM, warned of looming crises in Mediterranean countries, necessitating stronger multilateral cooperation mechanisms for regional stability and prosperity.

Gema Talavín, in charge of social promotion projects in Palestine and Jordan, reviewed the Foundation’s 30-year journey towards empowering women through international cooperation and civil society engagement.

During the breaks, participants were struck by the comparison of global international cooperation funding to the cost of a single F16 plane, first presented by former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.