Nisaa Network, the multi-media platform empowering women

Nisaa Network’s brand new website is the central platform of a consortium of media outlets, civil society organizations and leading personalities, who collaborate to create and share inspirational, gender-inclusive media content; enhance the voice of women in the public sphere; and foster their career perspectives in the media.

Nisaa Broadcasting Corporation and the Womanity Foundation, in partnership with Bank al Etihad of Jordan, are launching Nisaa Network, a ground-breaking multi-media platform and collaborative network that features inspiring reports on the role of women in society and offers empowering services to women.

The unveiling of Nisaa Network will be celebrated on 3 May 2016 in Amman (Jordan) in the presence of Ms. Maysoun Odeh Gangat, Co-founder and Managing Director of the Nisaa Broadcasting Corporation, Ms. Antonella Notari Vischer, Executive Director of the Womanity Foundation, Dr. Salma Nims, Secretary General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) and Ms. Nadia Al Saed, General Manager of Al Etihad Bank.
The first media organisations to join the consortium are the Jordanian Farah Al Nas, a radio station for young people and local communities, launched in July 2008 by HRH Princess Basma of Jordan. The station is uniquely managed by young people, aims to give a voice to youth and act as a vehicle for them to express their opinions and to raise local issues for their communities. (www.farahalnas.jo); and Mosaïque FM, the most popular private radio in Tunisia, with a large young audience and a commitment to democracy and quality programming, starring among its journalist Khalil Laameri, who recently obtained the prestigious Mohamed Guelbi et Hechmi Troudi Award for freedom of expression (www.mosaiquefm.net); Banat Wa Bass, a website, radio station and community fully operated by and for women, founded by the social entrepreneur and Ashoka Fellow Amani El Tunsi, which provide a space for educated girls and women to discuss silenced topics and to receive guidance on specific challenges (http://banatwbass.com ); Ro’ya TV in Amman, Jordan, part of Al-Sayegh Group with a vision to establish a quality media platform with modern content that lives up to the expectations of Arab audience in the 21st century (www.roya.tv).

Other partners are the America Mid-East Educational and Training Services (AMIEAST), engaged in international education, training and development activities in the Middle East and North Africa (www.amideast.org); the Palestinian Businesswomen’s Association (ASALA), a non-governmental organization that empowers women who have limited resources to realize their economic and social rights by using a holistic approach to development in accordance with their needs (www.asala-pal.org); and Deutsche Welle, the international broadcaster based in Germany who have lent strategic support to the project from its outset (www.dw.com).

Maysoun Odeh Gangat, Managing Director of Radio Nisaa declared: “Through this new network, we aim to replicate our impact in the region and worldwide in advancing women through media. Radio Nisaa’s work has created a different reality for women through radio programming and content. Our success has led us to partner again with the Womanity Foundation and local and regional organizations to emulate this experience. We are confident that Nisaa Network will expand rapidly and engage a numerous audience in the region and the world”.

Womanity’s Executive Director Antonella Notari Vischer added: “Womanity is proud to be associated with the pioneering work of Nisaa since 2009: initially in establishing the first commercial women-run radio in the Middle East, Radio Nisaa FM, and now in convening and engaging a regional alliance of partners to create a new media platform and to promote strong, gender-inclusive practices in journalism. We expect to see a rise in quality of media productions that feature women’s contributions to social and economic progress, as well as a rise in women’s career advancement in the media industry, for everyone’s benefit.”

Nisaa Network is proud to have the following outstanding professionals on its Advisory Committee:
Ms. Raja Al Dahmani, Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (Tunisia)
Ms. Nadia Al Saeed, CEO of Bank al Etihad (Jordan)
Ms. Honey Al Sayed, Media Consultant & Lecturer, USA
Ms. Abir Oreibi, CEO, The Lift Conference, Switzerland
HE Dr. Sabri Saidam, Palestinian Minister of Education and Higher Education (Palestine)
Mr. Mohammed Shamma, Journalist and Media Trainer on Gender Issues (Jordan)
Ms. Antonella Notari Vischer, Executive Director of The Womanity Foundation (Switzerland)
Ms. Verena Wendisch, Regional Coordinator Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan of DW Akademie, (Germany)

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Information to Editors:
The presentation of Nisaa Network will take place at the Amman Holiday Inn, Jordan on May 3, 2016, 7:00 -9:00 pm. 
Nisaa Network is a project of the Womanity Foundation and the Nisaa Broadcasting Corporation, house of the much acclaimed Radio Nisaa FM. http://www.nisaanetwork.net/ Radio Nisaa FM is based in Ramallah and broadcasts throughout the Palestinian Territories. It provides a voice to women, promotes their empowerment, transforms the perception of women’s role in their society and underlines their social engagement, successes and creativity. www.radionisaa.ps 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nisaa.network/ – Twitter: @Nisaa Network – Hashtag: #NisaaNetwork

Contact details:
Maysoun Odeh Gangat
Managing Director, Nisaa Broadcasting Corporation Ramallah, Palestine
Email: m.gangat@radionisaa.ps – T: +97022951983 – M: +970 595922207
Antonella Notari Vischer
Executive Director, The Womanity Foundation – Geneva, Switzerland
Email: info@womanity.org – T: +41 22 544 39 60