The Women at Work project will encourage young women in the region and the UK to explore different career options and challenge perceptions and stereotypes of the types of careers that are suitable for women. Through a series of activities we will establish links between professional bodies in the region and the UK. We will identify and work with women role models who will talk about their experiences as women in non- traditional careers and encourage and challenge attitudes among young people in the region to consider alternative employment paths. Project activities will include: exchange visits between professional women in NENA and the UK; awareness-raising activities in schools and universities; project photo exhibition to tour in the UK and the region; and regional networking events.

Who is involved in this project?
Architects from Palestine, scientists from Syria, businesswomen from Jordan, film-makers from Tunisia, sportswomen from Morocco, judges from Egypt, IT professionals from Lebanon and their counterparts from the UK.

How can W@W help you?

			Encourage you to consider different career options
			Introduce you to a network of influential professional women, with years of experience and valuable insights into the world of work
			Give you the opportunity to spend a day with a professional woman to learn more about the world of work  what is it like being a women working in a profession where women are in the minority, how do they support one another, what has the experience taught them and what can you learn from it.
			Provide you with a forum to debate non-traditional career options

Main Activities

			Exchange visits between professional women in the region and the UK.
			Providing opportunities for young women to spend a day with successful professional women to allow them to experience what it’s really like to be an architect, a scientist, a judge etc
			Interviews and discussion sessions with women who have chosen to enter careers where women are under-represented to discuss and encourage the next generation of women to consider different career options.
			Networking regional events for professionals from the region and the UK.
			Regional conference to bring together influencers and policy makers from the regional and the UK to share project experience and to develop plans for the implementation of the Convention of Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) recommendations and equality legislation.

Exchange Visits
In 2007 professional women working in the field of architecture from Palestine and Business entrepreneurs from Jordan visited their counterparts in the UK. In 2008, women working in the field of film making (Tunisia), Information Technology (Lebanon), judiciary (Egypt), pharmaceuticals scientists (Syria), and sports (Morocco) will have the opportunity for similar visits to exchange views, experiences and challenges of working in non-traditional careers with their UK counterparts.

Watch the Women at Work documentary and listen to feedback from the project participants.

Do you want to be informed or involved?

If you would like to find out more information or would like to be involved in one of the projects activities please contact us at general.enquiries@lb.britishcouncil.org