June 4 , 2008

Sustainable Development Needs the Creation of Gender Roles

“In order to witness sustainable development, a subjective reality for the interpretation and understanding of gender roles, rights and duties has to be created,” Mrs. Vera Baboun, a lecturer of English Literature at Bethlehem University, argues in her paper presented in a conference in Jordan.

Mrs. Baboun's paper entitled “The Role of Academic Institutions and Professional Societies toward the Sustainable Development of Arab Women” was among the 54 papers chosen to be presented in the Arab Women in Academic Sciences and Technology: Towards Sustainable Development Conference held in the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid , Jordan in the period between 28-30 April.

Mrs. Baboun's paper concentrated upon the role of professional societies in creating transformed systems, structures, and relationships and the role of academic institutions in generating the means for curricular transformation where gender education is introduced. The results of her paper included: “The need for creating a transformation in the family systems and structures, community relationships, and the curriculum on school and university levels are essential for having sustainable development in a society.” Mrs. Baboun concluded.

The Jordan University of Science and Technology ( JUST ) organized the conference in collaboration with the Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS) under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah. Among the aims of this conference was to create a forum for exchange of ideas and experiences on issues related to women in academic sciences and technology. Women scientists and academics from around the Arab world presented papers and research discussing different issues such as health, technology, gender, and science, etc.

“It is an important experience through which I met different women scientists and academics with different academic backgrounds and experiences,” Mrs. Baboun reflected upon her experience in the conference. “It was a great honor to be the only Palestinian academic representing a Palestinian university,” she added.