February 2016 Issue 4
Dubai Foundation For Women & Children Publications
She Says The empowerment of women starts from home. Girls should be reminded that they are as capable as their male counterparts. They should grow to believe that they deserve respect, love and every opportunity out there. They should not accept any less. Educational institutions should be a reminder of that, and so does the work field. Women of that sort will not accept violence or any sort of abuse, and if they were exposed to it they won’t allow it to last long. We deal with women who fall as victims of violence every day, and we work day and night to rehabilitate them and regain the sense of self-worth. Sometimes repairing the damage caused requires prolonged rehabilitation processes and years of therapy, and sometimes women simply need a boost of confidence to find the strength that they once had. At a time and day where we are blessed with a country and leadership that is constantly empowering women, we should always remind ourselves of this blessing and recognize that this empowerment is not only career-based, but it also works at home. “Here’s to strong women, may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.”
Afra Al Basti Director General
Content
Hero In the Shadow 1
Orange Campaign
Know it All: Speak Up!
3
5
We’re Social 7
8
Facts & Figures
Humanitarian Patrons
9
10
Hero In the Shadow:
Asma Al Suwaidi 1. What is the nature of your business in the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children? Activities Coordinator
2. What is the reason behind your choice for this job?
I found this post far from routine work, the nature of my personality loves change and creativity, and I enjoy programs and events. It also contributes to humanitarian work in the rehabilitation of cases through the organization of various workshops, which helps to relieve the stress they experience as a result of the experiences they went through.
3. Tell us about the details of a normal day at work?
Before the beginning of each month, I set up weekly schedules for the month, and identify recreational times and dates for the victims, whether beauty treatments, cooking workshops, sports and leisure, and many others, all while communicating with stakeholders. Every morning I contact the supervisor and remind her of the daily program. I respond to emails and make the necessary contacts with the volunteers. After that, I oversee the cases activities. I escort cases to recreational trips and by the end of working hours come back to my office to enter data in the system and prepare the necessary reports.
4. How did your work experience change you?
I realized the blessings around me, and constantly strive to better myself. I learned from the children to enjoy the simplest things and smile in the most difficult circumstances. I also always remember the verse (and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you), no matter what you go through you have to believe that god has a bigger plan for you and patience is key.
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5. What is the impact of your work on your personal life?
I’ve learned to organize my life better. I learned to be flexible in dealing with different personalities. I become calmer and less emotional when I hear complaints. I became a tour guide for my friends to the most important events and recreational areas in the country, I usually choose the place to go out with my friends and make booking arrangements if necessary.
6. How do you feel when work pressure increases and you hear sad stories?
I feel touched and sad to hear the sad stories, and the work pressure disappears by just seeing the smiles on the faces of children and women when the activity or workshop I organized brings joy to their hearts.
7. What do you do to unwind?
I do several different things to restore my activity during work, including reading the Koran, and prayer, walking, relaxing, and doing my hobbies such as drawing and arts. I have noticed that when I paint or do manual work, it helps me a lot to generate new ideas for activities and organize things and relax. To break the routine during weekend leave and annual leave, always on the search for a new adventure or experience I had never previously tried to enjoy and renew my energy to work better.
8. How do you feel when you know you make a difference in the lives of victims of violence every day?
I feel happy and a sense of achievement, especially when I see the smiles on their faces and ask God to support myself and my colleagues to continue doing good.
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s s e n re a w a e s i a r o t ” n n g i e a m p m st wo a C n e i g a at The Walk Jumeirah Beach Residence, and it n g a a r O ence was related to orange color because the United “ t s r l Nations chose the orange color as symbol of Fi ut vio its campaign to end violence against women, o b which is being held every year for over 16 days a starting from the 25th of November, as the The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children organized its first “Orange Campaign” to raise awareness about violence against women for the first time in the UAE under the slogan “Speak Up! Silence Covers Violence”, in conjunction with the United Nations international campaign to eliminate violence against women which runs for 16 days starting from the 25th of November. The campaign used a very innovative way through offering an audio presentation of a story of an abused women inspired by a number of real-life stories about violence against women, in dark atmosphere to give the listener a realistic idea of the suffering experienced by women victims of violence, and encourage participants to not remain silent about violence by resorting to the concerned authorities. Near to five thousand people participated in the Orange Campaign that was organized over three days
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Foundation is working to link its activities to the United Nations activities agenda, especially that which is related to women and children.
The platform presents a sound track about a woman who is telling her touching story about how she was exposed to violence and how she got her life back, as to raise awareness about the types of violence against women and stressing on the necessity of contacting the concerned entities for help through the helpline 800111, whether they were victims or they are in touch with the victims. The story presented all types of violence against women which includes verbal, physical, sexual and financial, and that the woman can decide to keep silent about the violence she is facing for the good of her family but she found out in the
end that she was wrong and she should have faced the problem, instead of remaining silent.
In addition to the interactive platform the campaign also included brochures that included useful information and statistics about the different social, psychological and economical effects of violence against women on the victims and the whole society, in addition to the awarenessmessages through social using the hashtags #OrangeTheWorld and #SpeakUpAE. The main objective of the foundation is to end the causes of violence against women to provide a healthy environment for raising children and not differentiate between women subjected to violence and their life partners, where DFWAC is working on the rehabilitation of the couple psychologically and socially to stop the violence and overcome its effects, and separation is the last resort in such cases.
HE Afra Al Basti - Director General of the foudnation.
4 Hussain Fahmy’s participation during the campaign.
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@DFWAC The Egyptian Actor Hussein Fahmy visit DFWAC’s orange campaign platform in the JBR in Dubai. #orangetheworld #SpeakUpAE #Dubai #UAE
@DFWAC The JBR lights up in Orange to support the Orange Campaign to eliminate violence against women #orangetheworld #SpeakUpAE #Dubai #UAE
@ghayasultan Witness the experience inside the Orange box. #orangetheworld #SpeakUpAE #16days #unwomen @unwomen@moiuae
@M_BinTheneya Pampering her with “luxury” to silence her against your violence is a “cheap” act! #SpeakUpAE #orangetheworld
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@Mouna_ElHaimoud Visiting today @DFWAC orange campaign in Dubai. Amazing initiative Thank u @M_ BinTheneya #orangetheworld #SpeakUpAE
7.3%
No
52.7%
29%
47.3%
Yes
Yes
No
92.7%
Yes
Do you know anyone who has experienced violence or abuse?
20%
45.7%
No
Would you speak up it if was happening close to you?
25.8%
8.5%
71%
Have you experienced violence in your life time.
Took Action Against the Abuser Left Him / Them Talked to someone close to me Kept it to myself
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Facts& Figures
Summary of 4th Quarter 2015 Statistics on DFWAC Internal & External Clients October , November , December Number of New Clients Internal External
21
Category of Violence Internal
205
External
Domestic Violence
4
88
Human Trafficking
1
-
Child Abuse
3
2
Others
13
115
Type of Clients Type of Clients
Internal
External
Nationality National
6
57
Expatriate
15
148
Gender Male
2
18
Female
19
187
Referred by
Internal
External
Dubai Police
16
-
Embassy/Consulate
2
1
Self
2
191
Relative
1
7
Friends
_
3
School
_
2
Hospital
_
3
Age Category 18 Children less than
10
6
Adults
11
199
Types of Abuse Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse Emotional/Verbal Abuse
9
8
40
4
6
11
60
Neglect/Deprivation
11
75
Financial Abuse
8
55
Internal Clients Clients who entered and received in-house shelter and support services at the Foundation
External Clients Clients who received support services without shelter. * Victims exposed to more than one type of abuse; hence the difference in numbers
Humanitarian
Patrons
10
Humanitarian
Patrons
11
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+9714 2871177 info@dfwac.ae
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