Dr.Sabine Machl Talks to Nisaa FM About Female Solidarity, Rule of Law, and the Work of UN Women in Palestine.
Dr Sabine Machl, UN Women Special Representative, talks to Nisaa FM about her work with UN Women in Palestine.
"Solidarity is very important. Women in different places and different situations face different issues, but the important point is that we should all have opportunities regardless of whether we are born a boy or a girl. We all have to work together to achieve that"
Dr Mechl started her career as a linguist and a lawyer, initially studying English and Russian before recieving a PHD in Law. She worked with the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the EU before joining the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women in 2012 just two years after it was established in 2010. She was attracted to the organisation because of its mandate, particularly its cooperative nature and how it works with other UN agencies to tackle issues relating to gender.
The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women has three offices in Palestine; in Gaza,The West Bank and East Jerusalerm. They work to uphold womens rights and ensure justice, as well as being involved in projects to economically and politically empower women. The UN cooperates with the governing bodies in palestine, the Ministry of Women's Affairs and the police, among others.
In her interview, Dr Mechl discusses some of the UN's work with law enforcement and is keen to point out the importance of the Rule of Law in protecting women's rights. She praises Palestine for being one of the few countries to bring in specialised prosecuters to deal with violence cases- Palestine currenty has 28 specially trained prosecutors- and the the police force have been cooperating with the UN to bring in more female officers.
Dr Mechl is hopeful about the recent commitments to tackle women's issues in Palestine, such as the recent Gender Stragey, but also warns that it must be translated into effective action to make a difference. She notes " there is alot on paper but it has yet to be implemented".
When asked for her advice for women, Dr Mechl's answer is simple "solidarity". She believes strongly that change can only come about when we work together, regardless of our differences.
listen to her interview here:
https://soundcloud.com/radionisaa96fm/interview-with-sabine