الأحد، 27 مارس 2011

Marie Assaad: Activist, Anthropologist, Inspiration


Tuesday August 31, 2010 the staff of the World Office had the pleasure of meeting with Marie Assaad, a 
remarkable woman and long-time member of the YWCA, who has been involved in the women’s movement for many decades and continues to rally on to this day. 

Marie Assaad, 87 years old, is an anthropologist, activist, and one of the earliest social scientists writing on the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Marie began her work on FGM in the 1950s and was one of the first women to focus research on FGM in Egypt and Northern Africa. In 1979, Ms. Assaad undertook a landmark study on FGM in her home country Egypt and highlighted its negative effects. 

Marie’s works was not only scientific but was also faith based, as from an early age she was involved in the ecumenical movement through the World YWCA. She was a member of her local YWCA of Egypt from the age of 13, and in 1947 represented the movement at the second World Conference of Christian Youth in Oslo. Marie then went on to work at the World Office in Geneva as Programme Assistant in the Youth Department from 1952 to 1953. 

Her ecumenical work did not end with her tenure at the World Office and she much later in 1980 went on to become the first woman appointed to the executive structures of the World Council of Churches (WCC). As the first female Deputy General Secretary, Marie faced many challenges but these did not hinder her from achieving her goals. Throughout her years at the WCC, she worked with the Christian Medical Commission and as a member of the working committee within the Department for the Cooperation of Men and Women in Church, Family and Society.

Marie’s many achievements include co authoring the pamphlet series “Seeds” with long-time colleague and friend Judith Bruce, Senior Associate and Policy Analyst with the Population Council's Poverty, Gender, and Youth program. “Seeds” written by these two women who hold a world of experience in communities was initiated to provide information about innovative and practical program ideas that can be developed to address the economic roles and needs of low income women.

During her visit to the World YWCA, Marie shared her wisdom gained throughout her many years of service. She noted that it is only through collective wisdom and dialogue that conflict resolution and peace can be achieved. Marie explained how women must have passion for the issues they wish to tackle – it is this passion that can sustain the response. Marie told the World YWCA staff that much of what she knows today she owes to the women she worked with in Egypt, who were the poorest of the poor. 

Although Marie is not closely involved with development work as she once was, she continues to inspire and motivate others. She is encouraged by the fact that half of the world’s population are young people and she continues to mentor and encourage them. She reinforces the fact that collective wisdom is important and that we must strive to build a community of love.

http://www.worldywca.org/YWCA-News/World-YWCA-and-Member-Associations-News/Marie-Assaad-Activist-Anthropologist-Inspiration

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