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Rabat – The 2015 Orange Foundation Women for Change prize went to Nora Belhcen Fitzgerald from Morocco and Khedija El Madani from Tunisia. The two women are activists for equality and economic independence for women.
Nora Belhcen Fitzgerald won the judges’ prize and received 25,000 euros as assistance to help women in poor conditions establish their own culinary micro-enterprise.
Nora is founder and president of the Amal Association for Culinary Art. The Association seeks to help marginalized women have confidence in themselves and be economically independent.
Khedija El Madani of Tunisia won the Internet users’ prize with 20,000 votes. She received 25,000 euros from the Orange Foundation to help her efforts combating discriminatory practices against women.
El Madani is a founder and President of the “Association pour la vigilance et l’égalité des chances” (Avec), which seeks to ensure equal social development opportunities for men and women, including improving access to education, healthcare, and employment.
A voting competition between five projects submitted by five women was held between September 15 and October 20. These women are from Egypt, Spain, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia.
The five candidates are presidents of NGOs operating for women in difficult conditions. Their activities include women’s rights, women’s socio-professional status, victims of sexual abuse, and education for disabled women.
The Women for Change prize is awarded by the Orange Foundation and the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society, in partnership with Marie Claire magazine.
The other three candidates obtained 5,000 euros each to support the implementation of their projects.
Lily Fouad Attallah, from Egypt, is the General Director of the Development Association for Empowering Special Needs. She will conduct trainings for 20 teacher-trainers who will then help 20 young females with impaired eyesight become integrated in the educational system.
Rocio Nieto of Spain is a founder and president of the Association for the Prevention, Rehabilitation and Support for Prostitutes. He organization will help sexually abused women by training six former victims who will then create a proximity network and respond to urgent cases.
Nour Al Emam of Jordan is a member of the Arab Women Media Center, which will sensitize Jordanians to issue of women’s rights. She will shoot a documentary film on women unemployment and on discrimination in the workplace.
The prizes were awarded by Christine Albanel, the Orange Foundation Executive Director and Vice President, Jacqueline Franjou, President of the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society, and Marianne Mairess, Editor in Chief of Marie Claire magazine.
Edited by Timothy Filla
