I used to think that I cannot help a man in an emergency. But after I learned how to address gender sensitivities in the first aid training, I know nothing will stop me from helping whoever is in need in the future,” said Najah, a participant n the Solidarity for Equality Training (SET) series in first aid training.
With the participation of 90 Jordanian and Syrian young men and women, Solidarity for Equality Training (SET) series in first aid was concluded, as part of the Harat Al Ouneh (Supportive Neighborhoods) youth initiative, in cooperation with the Jordan Paramedic Society (JPS), from 9 to 26 August 2021. SET is part of the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) ongoing efforts to accommodate youth priorities, and help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan.
SET was designed to meet basic health needs in local communities, aimed to increase participants’ understanding of the leading cause of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and boost their ability to work together to address GBV, and gender challenges and needs within their communities.
SET focused on; protection, youth crisis management, gender response during a crisis, and basics in carrying out initiatives. In addition, the training touches on youth interest and engagement in gender discussions.
The “Harat Al Ouneh” initiative comes as a reflection of the strong belief of ARDD in the importance of investing in youth, and to promote the values of volunteerism and leadership for a better future for them and their communities, and to work to empower young people to find creative solutions to the challenges raised by the Covid-19 pandemic, and to strengthen neighborhood solidarity with the aim of helping families meet their needs, and to amplify the communities’ voices.
“Harat Al Ouneh” initiative was launched by Jordan NGOs Forum (JONAF) as part of its COVID-19 response plan in 2020, this series of training comes as part of the “Empowering Each Other” project, which is implemented by ARDD in partnership with UN Women and with the support of the Australian Government. The project seeks to empower women and increase their access to justice, by expanding their role in combating gender-based violence while recognizing the role of men as change-makers in supporting women.