The National Union of Sahrawi Women (Arabic: الاتحاد الوطني للمرأة الصحراوية; Spanish: Unión Nacional de Mujeres Saharauis, UNMS) is the women's wing of the Polisario Front. It was created in 1974, and claims to have 10,000 members, divided between the Sahrawi refugee camps, the Liberated territories, the Moroccan-occupied part of Western Sahara and the Sahrawi diaspora (including for instance Spain, Mauritania or France).
National Organization of Sahrawi Women الاتحاد الوطني للمرأة الصحراوية Unión Nacional de Mujeres Saharauis
The organization is mostly active in the Sahrawirefugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, where it is a powerful force within the POLISARIO and the Sahrawi republic. It is internationally active in organizing support for Sahrawi women and the Sahrawi cause, but also campaigns for women's rights within the exile community and in political decision-making. As a consequence of this, and of the special circumstances of the Western Sahara war years, the situation of Sahrawi women has improved noticeably. There are presently two women in the Sahrawi republic's government, the Minister of Culture Khadijah Hamdi, and the Minister of Education Mariem Salek Hamada.[1]
The UNMS is directed by a "National Committee" of 66 members, elected in the UNMS congress every 5 years. It is subdivided into several departments:
Department of External Relations and Cooperation
Department of Information and Culture
Department of Administration and Organization
Department of Occupied Towns and Emigration
Department of Social Affairs
Department of Health and Family Affairs
Department of Formation
Department of Education
Department of Production
There are also departments for each Wilaya. The national committee is chaired by a Secretary General, elected also in the congresses, who is at the same time member of the Polisario Front national committee.
Keltoum Khayati, a former secretary general of the UNMS, fled to Morocco and is defending the Moroccan position in the conflict.[citation needed]Fatma Mehdi Hassan has been secretary general since 2002.[2]
The UNMS has been a member of the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF)[3] and the General Federation of Arab Women since 1977 and of the Pan-African Women's Organization (PAWO) since 1980.[4]
Objectivesedit
Sectorial workshop during the 5th Congress of the "National Union of Sahrawi Women", at the Sahrawi refugee camps (April 6, 2007).
On the national level, the UNMS objectives are:[5][6]
Sensitize Saharawi women about their role in the struggle for the liberation and independence of the Western Sahara.
Orient women in the social and political fields to improve their level of education and training (literacy campaigns, scholastic and professional training, political seminars, etc.).
Aware women about their social and political rights, to guarantee an effective participation in the present and in the future.
Deepen in the role of the family, specially on educative level, guaranteeing an equal education between boys and girls, with the basis of respect and equality in society.
Concern women about the importance of the prevention on the health field.
Solidarity with our compatriots in the occupied zones, constantly facing the Moroccan aggression, being victims of discrimination and suffering.
On the international level, the UNMS objectives are:[5][6]
Implementation of decisions and strategies concerning women, particularly the "Strategy of Nairobi".
Establishment of security and peace in the world, equality between the sexes as the basis for all progress and development and the reinforcement of human rights and democracy.
Monitoring of the situation of the women worldwide, knowing that all work for the same objectives, despite the religious, political or social situation.
Enhance the relations with as many women's organizations worldwide, with the aim of:
Broaden the base of coalition and solidarity with our people's struggle generally and our women particularly.
Achieve material and financial support for the UNMS projects for woman's formation in the refugee camps.
Denounce War and Racism, in which women and children used to be the first victims.
Denounce the violation of women rights.
Opening session of the 5th Congress of the "National Union of Sahrawi Women", at the Sahrawi refugee camps (April 5, 2007).
^Datos Generales de la República Árabe Saharaui Democrática - Gobierno de la RASD tras el XII Congreso del Frente Polisario - Diciembre de 2007 2012-06-20 at the Wayback Machine(in Spanish)
^Fatma Mehdi 2012-07-30 at the Wayback Machine Mujeresaharauis.es
^. Archived from the original on 2016-10-23. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
Mujeres Saharauis-UNMS UNMS Facebook page (in Spanish)
NUSW page Association pour un Référendum libre et régulier au Sahara Occidental (in English, Spanish, and French)
Asociación de Mujeres Saharauis en España (in Spanish)
New generation of Saharawi woman ready to go Appeal of the "Western Sahara Campaign UK" on the 4th Congress of the NUSW
“La planificación familiar no es una prioridad, intentan aniquilarnos como pueblo” Interview at Spanish newspaper Diagonal with Fatma El-Mehdi, UNMS Secretary General (in Spanish)
Fatma El Mehdi at CUNY Center for Peace, Culture and Politics Video of a Fatma El Mehdi's conference in New York City
December 02, 2023
national, union, sahrawi, women, arabic, الاتحاد, الوطني, للمرأة, الصحراوية, spanish, unión, nacional, mujeres, saharauis, unms, women, wing, polisario, front, created, 1974, claims, have, members, divided, between, sahrawi, refugee, camps, liberated, territor. The National Union of Sahrawi Women Arabic الاتحاد الوطني للمرأة الصحراوية Spanish Union Nacional de Mujeres Saharauis UNMS is the women s wing of the Polisario Front It was created in 1974 and claims to have 10 000 members divided between the Sahrawi refugee camps the Liberated territories the Moroccan occupied part of Western Sahara and the Sahrawi diaspora including for instance Spain Mauritania or France National Organization of Sahrawi Womenالاتحاد الوطني للمرأة الصحراويةUnion Nacional de Mujeres SaharauisFormation1974TypeNetwork for Sahrawi refugee womenHeadquartersSahrawi refugee campsLocationTindouf AlgeriaOfficial languageHassaniya SpanishGeneral SecretaryFatma MehdiWebsitemujeressaharauisunms wbr org Contents 1 Organization 2 Objectives 3 Congresses 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksOrganization editThe organization is mostly active in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf Algeria where it is a powerful force within the POLISARIO and the Sahrawi republic It is internationally active in organizing support for Sahrawi women and the Sahrawi cause but also campaigns for women s rights within the exile community and in political decision making As a consequence of this and of the special circumstances of the Western Sahara war years the situation of Sahrawi women has improved noticeably There are presently two women in the Sahrawi republic s government the Minister of Culture Khadijah Hamdi and the Minister of Education Mariem Salek Hamada 1 The UNMS is directed by a National Committee of 66 members elected in the UNMS congress every 5 years It is subdivided into several departments Department of External Relations and Cooperation Department of Information and Culture Department of Administration and Organization Department of Occupied Towns and Emigration Department of Social Affairs Department of Health and Family Affairs Department of Formation Department of Education Department of ProductionThere are also departments for each Wilaya The national committee is chaired by a Secretary General elected also in the congresses who is at the same time member of the Polisario Front national committee Keltoum Khayati a former secretary general of the UNMS fled to Morocco and is defending the Moroccan position in the conflict citation needed Fatma Mehdi Hassan has been secretary general since 2002 2 The UNMS has been a member of the Women s International Democratic Federation WIDF 3 and the General Federation of Arab Women since 1977 and of the Pan African Women s Organization PAWO since 1980 4 Objectives edit nbsp Sectorial workshop during the 5th Congress of the National Union of Sahrawi Women at the Sahrawi refugee camps April 6 2007 On the national level the UNMS objectives are 5 6 Sensitize Saharawi women about their role in the struggle for the liberation and independence of the Western Sahara Orient women in the social and political fields to improve their level of education and training literacy campaigns scholastic and professional training political seminars etc Aware women about their social and political rights to guarantee an effective participation in the present and in the future Deepen in the role of the family specially on educative level guaranteeing an equal education between boys and girls with the basis of respect and equality in society Concern women about the importance of the prevention on the health field Solidarity with our compatriots in the occupied zones constantly facing the Moroccan aggression being victims of discrimination and suffering On the international level the UNMS objectives are 5 6 Implementation of decisions and strategies concerning women particularly the Strategy of Nairobi Establishment of security and peace in the world equality between the sexes as the basis for all progress and development and the reinforcement of human rights and democracy Monitoring of the situation of the women worldwide knowing that all work for the same objectives despite the religious political or social situation Enhance the relations with as many women s organizations worldwide with the aim of Broaden the base of coalition and solidarity with our people s struggle generally and our women particularly Achieve material and financial support for the UNMS projects for woman s formation in the refugee camps Denounce War and Racism in which women and children used to be the first victims Denounce the violation of women rights nbsp Opening session of the 5th Congress of the National Union of Sahrawi Women at the Sahrawi refugee camps April 5 2007 Congresses edit1st Congress Martyr Jueta Hadda Laulad March 23 25 1985 2nd Congress Martyr Jnaza Ayad February 24 26 1990 3rd Congress Martyr Batul Sidi Sidali February 24 26 1996 4th Congress Martyr Fatimatu Ahmed Salem Baad March 29 31 2002 5th Congress Martyr Maimuna Abdallahi Mohamed Lamin April 5 7 2007 6th Congress Sahrawi women perpetuating the Gdeim Izik spirit April 20 24 2011 See also editSahrawi Youth Union Sahrawi Trade UnionReferences edit Datos Generales de la Republica Arabe Saharaui Democratica Gobierno de la RASD tras el XII Congreso del Frente Polisario Diciembre de 2007 Archived 2012 06 20 at the Wayback Machine in Spanish Fatma Mehdi Archived 2012 07 30 at the Wayback Machine Mujeresaharauis es Union Nationale des Femmes Sahraouies Archived from the original on 2016 10 23 Retrieved 2010 10 14 National Union of Saharawi Women ARSO org a b National Union of Saharawi Women a b UNMS Archived 2016 03 03 at the Wayback Machine in Spanish External links editMujeres Saharauis UNMS UNMS Facebook page in Spanish NUSW page Association pour un Referendum libre et regulier au Sahara Occidental in English Spanish and French UNMS page Asociacion de Mujeres Saharauis en Espana in Spanish New generation of Saharawi woman ready to go Appeal of the Western Sahara Campaign UK on the 4th Congress of the NUSW La planificacion familiar no es una prioridad intentan aniquilarnos como pueblo Interview at Spanish newspaper Diagonal with Fatma El Mehdi UNMS Secretary General in Spanish Fatma El Mehdi at CUNY Center for Peace Culture and Politics Video of a Fatma El Mehdi s conference in New York City Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Union of Sahrawi Women amp oldid 1184826815, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
