This is a recording of the M&E Thursday Talk from August 10th, 2017 as the GAGE Consortium led a discussion on “Using Technology to Engage Adolescents in Peacebuilding in the Middle East.“
M&E Thursday Talk – Using Technology to Engage Adolescents in Peacebuilding in the Middle East from DME for Peace on Vimeo.
Adolescents in conflict-affected contexts are increasingly recognized as key actors in peacebuilding and conflict resolution processes. How can we help young people to build a sustainable and gender responsive peace by involving them in research and programs that are tailored to their capabilities and preferred change mechanisms? In this webinar, program implementers and researchers working with, and for, male and female adolescents and youth shared their experiences of using new technologies to help gather and share evidence on adolescent well-being and facilitate peacebuilding processes in conflict affected communities.
During the webinar, members of the GAGE Consortium shared insights on best practices and the research ethics of using new technology-based research, programming and communication tools with and for adolescents which have potential for empowerment and tackling restrictive gender norms.
About the Speakers:
Nicola Jones is the Director of the UK government-funded nine-year global mixed methods Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence research programme. Her expertise lies in the intersection of gender, age and social inclusion and social protection. Nicola has conducted a wide range of policy research projects in East Africa, Asia and the Middle East, including recent mixed methods studies on child marriage in Ethiopia, gender-based violence in South Asia and cash transfers to support Palestine and Syrian refugees.
Ingrid Gercama is a visual anthropologist who works in the field of public health, gender and protection in post-conflict affected countries in the Middle East, (West) Africa and Latin America. She has a particular interest in conducting participatory action oriented research focussed on enhancing community engagement, youth participation and ultimately, positive change. Ingrid is a research fellow with the GAGE programme.
Eva Kaplan is an Innovation Specialist at UNICEF, where she is building a network of innovation labs providing youth with the technology, training, and incentives to solve problems they identify in their communities. Eva has worked with UNICEF since 2010. An economist by training, Eva previously founded an NGO in Kenya that worked with the national network of libraries to promote new ways of accessing information.
Jad Esber is a co-founder at the Arab Innovation Network, a volunteer-run initiative encouraging Arab youth to use their knowledge, skills, and resources for industry-relevant innovation. Jad is also a mechanical engineer working with Google, helping to develop the YouTube creator ecosystem in the Middle East & North Africa. More on Jad @ www.jad.me.
Charles Holmquist is the Program Director for Search for Common Ground in Lebanon, and oversees its overall programming in Lebanon, providing strategic guidance and ensuring program quality. Prior to this, Charles served in leadership roles for Search in the Democratic Republic of Congo, notably as Conflict Sensitivity Program Manager, Youth Engagement Coordinator and Acting Head of Goma Office. He has experience in designing and managing peacebuilding programs in complex emergencies. He holds an MA in International Politics from the University of Manchester, and speaks English, French and Swedish fluently.
Organisational bios:
Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) is a nine-year longitudinal research programme generating evidence on what works to transform the lives of adolescent girls in the Global South. GAGE is funded by UK aid from the UK government. Visit www.gage.odi.org.uk for more information.
The Arab Innovation Network is a volunteer-run youth initiative that aims to foster innovation in the Arab region. A registered charity in the UK and a member of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, AIN’s activities include an annual conference (AINAC) targeting underserved communities across the Arab region and a number of community-led initiatives as part of their student societies across the region. To find out more, check out www.arabinnovation.net and join AINAC 2017 in Khartoum this November!