The First Lady of Japan, Her Excellency Mrs. Akie Abe, received a warm greeting from the Syrian women and girls working within the UN Women ‘Oasis 2’
Her Excellency gained perspective on the positive outcomes of the continuous partnership between the Government of Japan and UN WomenDate:
On her first visit to Za’atari refugee camp, The First Lady of Japan, Her Excellency Mrs. Akie Abe, received a warm greeting from the Syrian women and girls working within the UN Women ‘Oasis 2.’ The occasion of the visit allowed H.E Mrs. Abe, to gain a firsthand understanding of UN Women’s work and witness the opportunities that are being provided to women through the continuous support of the Government of Japan.
UN Women Country Representative Mr. Ziad Sheikh accompanied H.E Mrs. Abe on her tour of the facilities, guiding her through the tailoring center, daycare facility, and remedial education block, whilst explaining the mechanisms of the UN Women Oasis empowerment model.
Since 2012, UN Women has progressively opened and operated three ‘Oases for Women and Girls’ in the Za’atari refugee camp and inaugurated One Oasis within Azraq camp, reaching approximately 4000 direct beneficiaries and 16,000 indirect beneficiaries on an annual basis. The four multi-sectoral service centers focus on building the resilience and empowerment of women and girls. The Oases are conceptualized around three building blocks; secure livelihood opportunities provided via cash for work, awareness raising services, Remedial education, leadership and civic engagement initiatives for women.
UN Women provides almost 400 daily cash for work opportunities to women refugees, 110 of which are funded by Japan. The livelihood programs enable women to become economically independent and utilize the skills they receive to graduate into work permits and micro-business opportunities.
The Oases allow women like Ghada Abu Saleh, a Syrian refugee to become empowered through the journey from the Oasis to employment. Ghada began working as a tailor in the UN Women’s Oasis, utilizing the skills she gained and UN Women’s guidance to secure a job in Jerash Garment Factory.
“The Oasis gave me courage, self-confidence, and the skills to be a tailor…enabling me to not only take steps to get the job within the factory but fulfill my family’s needs.” Ghada Abu Saleh, Jerash Garment Factory tailor.
The continuous support of the Government of Japan has enabled women to secure livelihood and recovery opportunities throughout the four Oases, through the funding of initiatives including; Women’s Leadership, Empowerment, Access & Protection in Crisis Response, promoting social cohesion and Enhancing Syrian Women’s Empowerment in Camp Settings.
At the end of the visit, H.E Mrs. Abe received a mosaic plaque handcrafted by the women within the Oasis, to thank her on behalf of UN Women Jordan for her time and the continued support they receive from the Government of Japan.