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 Maghreb Arabe Presse The King of Morocco was in Casablanca Wednesday to inaugurate a drop-in support center for female victims of violence. The facility is part of King Mohammed VI’s agenda to make women’s issues as important as men’s.
The support center, which cost 6 million dirhams, or $693,000, includes a library, a reception area, a multipurpose hall, workshops, an infirmary, a hosting space, a kitchen and other outbuildings.
It will give legal assistance and psychological support for the women.
The facility is part of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH).
Source: Maghreb Arabe Presse
King Mohammed VI’s sister, Princess Lalla Meryem, received an award from the World Women Leaders Association in Paris Thursday evening. The Princess won the prize for her work on womens’ issues in her country, Morocco.
 Maghreb Arabe Presse “Such a distinction is all the more important as it is granted, as today, to a country from the South,” Princess Lalla Meryem said.
Simone Veil, former speaker of the European Parliament and member of the Académie Française, personally handed Lalla Meryem the award after Nicole Barbin, the association’s chairwoman paid tribute to her.
“In all areas, the struggle of women is part of their condition, but there is one in which they invest their energy, imagination and affection. It is the education of children who tomorrow will support a changing world, “the Princess said in her acceptance speech.
“Be assured, ladies and gentlemen, that this trophy is now presented to me through my person, is dedicated to all those in our country are convinced that the world we want for our children is a world of peace , tolerance and dialogue in respect for differences and similarities of the statement.”
Lalla Meryem won the award over many other distinguished women, some of whom were once presented with the Legion of Honor, France’s highest decoration.
The Association was founded in 2000 “to highlight the women of responsibility and solidarity to promote the role and impact of women in society in order to boost the value of complementarity between men and women can strive for a harmonious mix of powers.”
Sources: Maghreb Arabe Presse, La Matin
On Friday, Saudi Arabian newspapers ran on their front pages a photograph of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Crown Prince Sultan posing with a large group of women, all of whom with their faces uncovered.
 AFP/Getty Images The picture has ignited controversy in ultra-conservative Kingdom where the mixing of the genders is strictly prohibited – and here are the two most powerful men in that country posing with women.
It is not known when the photograph was taken, but it may have happened several weeks ago during a seminar on health and the community in the southwestern city of Najran.
The photograph was published in several leading newspapers including Okaz, Ashahrq al-Awsat and Al-Watan. These publications each have a close link to senior members of the House of Saud.
Publication of this picture has sparked a debate on the mixing of the sexes, especially if the women’s faces are not covered. In Saudi Arabia, women are required to have their faces covered in public, as enforced by religious police.
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz is known for trying to lighten up his Kingdom’s strict religious laws. He recently fired a cleric for criticizing a new co-ed university that is set to open in Saudi Arabia.
Source: AFP
A couple of days after beginning the Palestinian version of her Madrasati initiative, Queen Rania of Jordan launched Tuesday the Madrasati Palestine Women’s Network. It is meant to have women donate money, whether in a group or individually, which would help fund the school campaign.
 Petra News Agency The inauguration took place at Basman Palace during a luncheon. At one point, the Queen went up to the podium and thanked the women for their generosity, and emphasized the need for better schools in East Jerusalem.
“10 thousand children in Jerusalem didn’t go to school today, and they won’t be going this year,” she said.
“Imagine your son’s or daughter’s future diminished by the occupation, their education limited by the occupation, their house threatened by the occupation, and their land taken by the occupation.
“We think a lot about securing our children’s futures, but, in Jerusalem, there is no safety or security.”
Also during the luncheon, a film was shown about the troubled state of education in the Arab section of the city.
The event was attended by such prominent Arab women as Lebanese singer, Majida Roumi and Al Arabiya Presenter, Muntaha Ramahi.
The network will expand to various parts of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region.
Source: Jordan News Agency
 Terra Noticias Queen Sofia of Spain spent Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she visited several organizations and projects for women and met with the country’s President. It was all to see how Spanish aid is helping Ethiopians, and Sofia promised them more funding to help them get out of extreme poverty.
During her day in Ethiopia, the Queen stopped by a health center, a charity that trains women, and a battered women’s shelter.
At the charity, called Good Samaritan, Queen Sofia was briefed on how it trains young women living on the streets to be hairdressers, cooks, and child care givers. The women gave the Queen a party where they made Spanish cuisine, as taught by charity workers from Spain.
 Terra Noticias Next, Sofia went to the women’s shelter where another party was given in her honor. But what the Queen would most likely remember is consoling a woman still psychologically scarred from being buried alive by her husband. She comforted the woman with gestures and by speaking softly.
She then later met with Ethiopian President Girma Woldegiorgis. During talks with him, Queen Sofia praised how the country has been developing from the aid from Spain. But at the same time, she told Woldegiorgis that if there were a direct flight from Madrid to Addis Ababa, relations between the two countries would be stronger.
The Queen also told reporters that Spain would help Ethiopia in its health sector.
Already Spain sets aside 40 million euros to help combat poverty in the East African nation. It also gives an additional 5 million euros via the United Nations to help improve its people’s health.
78 percent of Ethiopians live on less than $2 dollars a day. It is plagued with malnutrition, AIDS and tuberculosis.
Sources: Ethiopian News, Think Spain, EFE
On Monday, Dutch Crown Princess Maxima was in Amsterdam to inaugurate the third annual WOMEN International Inc. Festival. 
This event focuses on the potential of women, lasting all this week. It includes talk shows, speeddate sessions, workshops and an extensive cultural program in film, theater, cabaret, art, fashion and a market.
Maxima arrived at around 8pm local time, just hours after returning from the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Though she was a bit jetlagged, the Princess was all smiles.
Maxima met with some of the women who are participating in WOMEN Inc. She listened to their stories of struggles in life, especially settling the Netherlands. This is something Maxima can relate to, having relocated from Argentina to New York to Holland after marrying Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in 2002.
 AP Photo/Seth Wenig Yesterday in New York, Sweden’s Princess Madeleine was at the United Nations event, “Engaging Philanthropy to Promote Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment”. She was with numerous other high-profiled women at the three hour event, including actress Geena Davis and Sarah, the Duchess of York.
Although the Princess did not make any speeches or speak the press, her presence exuded volumes as she has been getting involved in many social issues lately. That includes her mother, Queen Silvia’s charity, the World Childhood Foundation, which aims to secure the lives of children around the world. Madeleine has visited many countries that benefit from WCF and spent last fall promoting it in the United States.
A Saudi Arabian Princess is outraged over her country’s practice of child marriage, where a young girl is married off to a much older man. Princess Adela bint Abdullah, the influential daughter of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, had this to say about the practice.
“I, personally, and many specialists in social and education fields, share the opinion” that it is in violation of children’s rights, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported.
“A child has the right to live her childhood and not be forced to get married. Even an adult would not accept that.”
The Princess said this after a 12 year-old girl suddenly dropped her divorce petition from her 80 year-old husband. She had accused her husband of rape, but now says she wants to obey the wishes of her father.
Saudi Arabia has no laws against child marriage. However human rights groups are trying to set a minimum marriage law to 16 or older.
The Queen of Norway spent Tuesday at an Oslo Crisis Center for women and children. She met with the shelter’s administrators and the people who are staying there for Christmas. 
Upon arriving, Queen Sonja was greeted by the center’s manager, Inger-Lise Larsen Walmsness. The manager briefed the Queen for a half-hour before the two moved on touring the shelter.
The Queen eventually went to the center’s main room, where 25 women and children were decorating a gingerbread. Sonja sat down and helped them with their handiwork. She certainly has some experience with gingerbread – last week, the Norwegian royal family distributed Christmas pictures of them making a gingerbread house.
Before leaving, Queen Sonja was given a tour of the children’s room. An eleven year-old girl at the shelter gave her a collage as a thank you for visiting.
The Oslo Crisis Center is the oldest such place in Norway. It is also the largest, with 86 beds. This is the shelter’s 31st year.
As patron of LOKK, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was on hand to open the “Nordic Women Against Violence 2009″ conference in Copenhagen Friday. She gave a speech to start off the conference. 
“It gives me great pleasure to open our conference,” she said “For the 16th time, “Nordic Women Against Violence” provides a framework for exchange of experience among volunteers and staff from shelters throughout the North. An important provision, because domestic violence is a worldwide problem.
“Everyone has the right to listen to,” the Crown Princess continued. “And everyone is entitled to a life without violence. It is therefore essential that the women and children exposed to domestic violence have the opportunity to seek safety, counseling and care. The shelters have provided the framework for a dedicated and voluntary efforts, as in the past three decades have been crucial.
“It is in the Nordic countries to create a general understanding that domestic violence is never acceptable. And that domestic violence can never be justified.”
Mary went on to talk about her experience visiting homeless shelters in Denmark and its territories.
“I have visited various shelters in both Denmark and Greenland. Everywhere I have been impressed with the struggle of women struggling to get back to a life without violence – a fight that requires a force that can not be overestimated. Meanwhile, everywhere I been impressed by the dedicated efforts made by employees and volunteers. It is clear that the shelters have generated a high degree of professional expertise – for example in working with children.”
The Crown Princess then pointed out how the children of domestic violence are effected and how they are helped by her organization, the Mary Foundation.
“Children in abusive families often live socially isolated and cut off from the safe environment we normally associate with the word “home”. In recent years there has been more focus on children’s special needs in relation to the experience of violence. And now in more of the active child educators at shelters. More to show children that violence no longer need to be a secret in the family, as they must bear alone. And more to tell them that no one – neither children or adults – to live with violence.
“By the Mary Foundation, we have had the pleasure to contribute to this effort. We have from 2008 distributed backpacks to children in shelters in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. These backpacks are a very small step. They are a simple idea and a symbolic gesture. Above all, they are a practical marker to the children that they have reached a crucial turning point in their lives: From now on they will be seen, heard and recognized.”
Crown Princess Mary also spoke of how the economy is forcing some women to stay in abusive relationships, and how domestic violence is more prevalent in Denmark than expected.
But Mary spoke of optimism of having such a gathering taking place Friday to tackle this issue.
“It is nice today to see your great appearance. To see so many dedicated and targeted forces unite in a common cause: Together to shed light on a complex issue. Together to focus on people who live socially isolated and cut off from the community. And together to help move the boundaries, break taboos, create debate and find solutions to the kind of social isolation, such as domestic violence leads to.”
With that, the conference began.
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