Voice of Libyan Women
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| Abbreviation | VLW |
|---|---|
| Founder | Alaa Murabit |
Key people | Alaa Murabit, Kholoud Htewash, Najat Dau, Ahmed AlShaibi, Nadia El Fallah, Sara Barka, Salsabil Zantouti, Khalifa El Sherif, Haneen Khalid. |
| Volunteers | 600 |
| Website | vlwlibya.org | noor.vlwlibya.org |
The Voice of Libyan Women (VLW) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in order to advance and protect women's rights in Libya. VLW is headquartered in Tripoli and has branch offices in Zawia and Misrata.[1] VLW is still very much a youth-led organization which continues to advocate for women's development[2] and to challenge the prevailing norms of Libyan society.[3] VLW works to spread information at a national level by creating local teams made up both of individuals and organizations.[4]
The VLW was founded in August 2011 in response to the February 17 Libyan revolution.[2] It was founded in Tripoli by Alaa Murabit, a young doctor and women's rights activist.[5] Murabit was in her last year of medical school and after the revolution, she felt that there was a "window of opportunity for women in Libya."[4] By November, the group had organized the first-ever International Women's Conference in Libya.[6] Also, within a very short amount of time, the VLW had created a women's center in Tripoli and was offering classes.[5]
Murabit shared that VLW attempted to use "proven international models" for their group, but found only closed doors in conservative, largely Sunni Arab populated Libya.[7] By modifying their approach and using peaceful interpretations of Islam in their work, they found a greater voice among both men and women.[7] VLW's approach, using religion to "gain local-level support," has been a unique way to enact change in Libya.