Mellissa Riddle is an International Relations professional, supporting a Chairman as Chief of Staff in the EU and the Middle East. Having studied and worked in several countries, Mellissa's exposure to global cultures is extensive. Whats more, her curiosity and passion for learning are boundless.

During a program at Harvard, Mellissa Riddle studied Middle Eastern culture through religious context and social studies. Additionally, Mellissa's time living in Israel and the UAE have inspired her to reconsider the divisive conflicts and lack of resolution existing within the region. It was this inquiry which lead Mellissa to seek social entrepreneurs and to expand her advocation for human rights. Mellissa shared one of the social programs she examined, which serves to address the regions cultural divide; Women Reborn in a Muslim Palestinian village in Northern Israel is a program funded by a grant from the Clark Charitable Trust in England. Women Reborn reflects an ongoing collaboration among local Muslim women, Jewish Israeli feminists, and internationals.

About Women Reborn

Women Reborn indicates one effort to construct conditions of “positive peace” in context of an ongoing conflict. The notion of positive peace has grassroots activities like economic development and advocacy that contribute to creating stable, just and peaceful societies. Women Reborn illustrates some of the specific ways in which women make a unique contribution to peace building efforts.

Impact of the Program

Women Reborn has served over 250 women in empowerment, skills training, and vocational courses. An estimated 1,500 women have participated in community events, field trips, lectures, and community organizing activities in Fureidis and two neighboring villages.

Impact on participants and their family members
It is evident that the women have increased in self-confidence, ability to participate in domestic decision-making, independence, and personal mobility.

Impact on Fureidis and surrounding communities
Women Reborn has started to have an economic and social impact in the broader community. With their successful venture into electoral politics at the end of the first year, the women established themselves as a force for change.

Impact on Israeli society

While there is no way to measure the impact of Women Reborn on Israeli society as a whole, it is clear that it is having an impact on the Israeli women’s movement. The women of Fureidis have increased their visibility and participation in women’s activities across the country, and have begun to play leadership roles outside of their community.

Read more about Women Reborn Program at SHIN (http://www.shin-women-equality.org.il/?page_id=24).