The Union of Relief and Development Associations in Lebanon (URDA) participated in the 2024 Global Aid Empowerment Conference, which was held over five days in the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C., organized by the Global Women’s Institute at George Washington University.
The conference highlighted the sharing of research related to aid empowerment projects, reviewed achievements made over the past six years, and discussed future development strategies, such as enhancing cooperation, achieving sustainability, and ensuring the continuous distribution of aid to reach the most vulnerable groups.
During the conference, Jihan Kaisi, URDA’s Executive Director, presented a talk on how to integrate strategies for reducing the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse into URDA’s systems and procedures. She also shared practical insights and real-world examples of the positive impact of the Aid Empowerment Project through case studies.
In her speech, Kaisi noted that “What sets the research on the Aid Empowerment Project apart is that it did not remain merely written documents. URDA has ensured the safety of women and girls during aid distribution, provided safe spaces for them, and raised awareness about their rights.” She added, “Empowering women is a key element in achieving global progress, and URDA focuses on protecting and empowering women; this approach, in short, saves lives.”
In this context, URDA expresses its pride in the fruitful partnership it shares with the Global Women’s Institute at George Washington University, which began six years ago. This partnership focuses on empowering women and localizing efforts to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in the humanitarian field.