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SHASHAT is a formally registered NGO in
Palestine whose focus is on women’s cinema and the social and
cultural implications of women’s representations. Its Board of
Directors is made of women and men active in the field of
culture, academia and development. President of the Board
(affiliations are for identification) is Samira Hassassian,
Chief Program Officer at the Bethlehem Peace Center; Vice
President is Ayman Annimer, Director of Najah FM at An-Najah
University; Board Secretary is Adila Laidi, former Director of
the Sakakini Cultural Center in Ramallah; Treasurer is Hanan
Khalaf, Program Officer at MAP-UK. Other Board members include
well-known feminist writer and poet Dr. Faiha Abdel-Hadi;
Birzeit University engineering professor Dr. Mirvat Bulbul, and
development professional, Rana al-Malki . Dr. Alia Arasoughly,
established feminist filmmaker, sociologist of culture and media
development professional, is the Director General. SHASHAT is
based in Ramallah, Palestine, but in its commitment to reach
under-represented areas it has established partnerships in
Nablus with An-Najah National University and in Bethlehem with
the Bethlehem Peace Center. We hope in the future to do so in
Gaza and Jerusalem.
Gender inequity in Palestine is grounded in popular
cultural perceptions of women held by the public, policy-makers
and most of the institutions whose decisions have
a
profound impact on Palestinian life. Culture and media play a
significant role in forming and influencing popular cultural
attitudes and public opinion on women and their social status.
They can also play a transforming role and be an interventionary
agent in changing cultural stereotypes about women. They can
legitimize alternative values and practices which promote equal
rights for men and women and access of women to essential social
and economic services and opportunities as well as creative
expression which can contribute to their growth, dignity and the
improvement of the quality of their lives.
Showcasing and creating alternative gender portrayals as well as
critiquing existing ones is one step in challenging social
perceptions of the role of men and women in society and the
respective far-reaching values attached to these roles which
impact all areas of Palestinian life. Intervening in gender
values which are taken for granted and legitimated through
on-going cultural reproduction can be challenged by the
critiquing of these images in addition to showcasing and
creating alternative images of being men and women. Women’s
access to self-expression, creativity and decision-making in the
cultural field are essential components of democratic
development promoting equity and growth and dignity for all
citizens - men and women. This has been clearly outlined in the
Beijing Platform for Action (1995,
paragraph 33).
In order to intervene in gender representations
we are focusing on 4-areas of work:
1.
SHASHAT’s Women’s Film Festival in Palestine:
Showcase
the creativity of women filmmakers and alternative portrayals of
women
by
Palestinian, Arab and international women filmmakers.
2. Capacity
Building of Palestinian Women Filmmakers:
a. Workshops,
Training & Master Classes.
b. Production
Support.
c. Promoting
Participation in Festivals and Symposia.
3. School
Gender Media Literacy
Outreach Program:
Some of the
festival films will be used in the Gender Media Literacy
Outreach Program for Schools.
4. Cultural
Outreach:
a. Book and
Video Library in three sites – Shashat\Ramallah, An-Najah
National University\Nablus and Bethlehem Peace Center\Bethlehem.
b. Research &
Publication.
c. Cine-Club
“Film Conversations.”
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