Talk:Lina AbiRafeh

Proposed Changes to Lead Section

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Hello,

I'd like to start a discussion regarding appropriate changes to this page. I'd appreciate any insight into the following changes for the lead section.

Specific text to be added or removed:

Remove:

Lina AbiRafeh is a gender rights activist, author, and the Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University.

Add:

Dr. Lina AbiRafeh is an Arab-American feminist activist and author.  Her focus is on gender issues in development and humanitarian contexts. In particular, she has worked to end sexual violence in humanitarian emergencies – conflict, post-conflict, and natural disaster – with various United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations.

She speaks and publishes on a range of gender issues. She has stated that her work ethos is to “find new ways to end violence against women – engaging non-traditional actors in their collective responsibility: to ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere, all the time.”

* Reason for the change: Lina is no longer the ED of the Arab Institute for Women. Would suggest adding Dr. to her title. Would also suggest additional detail here regarding her career.

* References supporting change: https://www.thnk.org/community/people/lina-abirafeh/

Thank you so much! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 19:10, 30 December 2022 (UTC)

We don't put people's "dr" in the lede. Nor do we quote what people say about themselves. I'm going to make some edits, incorporating what I think is reasonable from what you've put in there. CT55555(talk) 22:54, 30 December 2022 (UTC)

Understood, thank you for your reply and continued edits! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 22:56, 30 December 2022 (UTC)

If you have sources that tell us when she had the executive director job, that would be helpful. I assume you have a conflict of interest and that is why you are asking via the talk page, and if so, thank you for doing it this way, it is the best way. CT55555(talk) 22:58, 30 December 2022 (UTC)

You are correct, there is a COI. I'm sharing these sources regarding her ED position.

https://www.mei.edu/profile/lina-abirafeh - started position in 2015

https://womensmediacenter.com/shesource/expert/lina-abirafeh-phd - held position for seven years

Thank you again for your assistance! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 17:29, 31 December 2022 (UTC)

Proposed Changes to Education Section

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Hello,

Thank you for the assistance and guidance thus far in making changes to this page. I'd appreciate any insight into the following changes for the education section.

First, I would ask if the section title could be amended to read "Early life and education". I would propose keeping all existing language, and incorporating additional text as follows. Original text is underlined for reference.

AbiRafeh's father is Lebanese Druze and her mother is a Palestinian Christian. Her parents met in Lebanon, where interfaith marriage was illegal, but they married in spite of this prohibition. (Footnote 1 below)

AbiRafeh was born in Beirut, but moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after her father, a civil engineer, was put in charge of large scale construction projects, including the King Khalid International Airport, during the First National Development Plan (1970–1975).

During her time in Riyadh, she experienced a first-hand example of government restrictions on womens’ freedom when her mother, a professional with an advanced degree in pharmacy, was forbidden from working and unable to leave their home unless accompanied by her husband. (Footnote 2 below)

AbiRafeh has a master’s degree in international economics and development from the Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). (Existing footnote) She completed her PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2008, her thesis focusing on gender based violence in humanitarian aid in conflict and post-conflict zones. (Existing footnote) and published “Gender and International Aid in Afghanistan: The Politics and Effects of Intervention” based on her research.

* References supporting change:

Footnote 1: https://www.annahar.com/english/article/908700-naya-lina-abirafeh-an-influential-rearsercher-in-gender-policy

Footnote 2: https://impakter.com/shape-your-future-with-lina-abirafeh/

Footnote 3: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/

Again, thank you and look forward to receiving your thoughts! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 01:04, 11 January 2023 (UTC)

I added her parent's nationality, the source does not speak of their religion or marriage controversy.

I added her mother's occupation, but the interview doesn't exactly support what you ask for. It says she could not leave the house, but does not say why.

Is there something incorrect about her education that you are asking to change? CT55555(talk) 01:13, 11 January 2023 (UTC)

Hello @CT55555, thanks for your quick reply! There is nothing incorrect about her education as it currently stands, I would just suggest the addition of her published book that was based on her PhD research. The book is already referenced in another instance on the page. Pennepasta12345 (talk) 01:21, 11 January 2023 (UTC)

I added mention of the book in the lede (introduction section) which is the normal thing to do.

I hope you understand that I'm only willing to edit this article as per wikipedia norms, so I think I've done that now. CT55555(talk) 01:28, 11 January 2023 (UTC)

Understood, again, really appreciate your willingness to work through my suggested changes! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 01:33, 11 January 2023 (UTC)

Proposed Changes to Career Section

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Hello,

I'm seeking input and collaboration on the following proposed changes to the career section of this page to add more detail and description to the existing text. I would propose keeping all existing language, and incorporating additional text as follows. Original text is underlined for reference.

AbiRafeh spent over 25 years working in development and humanitarian fields. (Footnote 1 below) She has worked for the United Nation and other international organizations on gender-based violence prevention and response in humanitarian and emergency settings. She has taken assignments to Afghanistan, Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and other countries. (Existing footnote)

After receiving her master’s degree, she spent four years with the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Following her tenure with the World Bank, she worked with Catholic Relief Services on gender rights in Morocco, and with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. (Footnote 2 below)

AbiRafeh worked in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2006. She has critiqued western obsession with how Afghan women dress. She has also critiqued the humanitarian aid system for neglecting the needs of men and drawn links between that neglect and increased rates of gender based violence in Afghanistan.  

She worked as Country Director of Women for Women International, an international NGO based in Washington, D.C. and then as an independent consultant and gender advisor with the International Women’s Forum (IWF), Afghan Center, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and others. (Footnote 3 below)

She later became the Senior Gender Officer and Head of the Gender Section at the Joint Electoral Management Body Secretariat (JEMBS) in the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) where she engaged women in all aspects of Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections. (Footnote 4 below)

For seven years, starting in 2015, she was the executive director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University. (Existing footnote)

*References supporting change:

Footnote 1: https://www.thnk.org/community/people/lina-abirafeh/

Footnote 2: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/

Footnote 3: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/

Footnote 4: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/

Thank you, and looking forward to receiving feedback! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 02:48, 12 January 2023 (UTC)

Hello,

I'd like to update this request with the most current version of Lina AbiRafeh's career summary. These proposed changes clarify the timeline of her career and focus on key events (I am asking to remove the piece on Afghan women and dress, as it is not fully representative of her work).

Proposed section updates:

AbiRafeh spent over 25 years working in development and humanitarian fields. (https://www.thnk.org/community/people/lina-abirafeh/) She has worked for the United Nations and other international organizations on gender-based violence prevention and response in humanitarian and emergency settings. She has taken assignments in Afghanistan, Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and other countries. (https://www.mei.edu/profile/lina-abirafeh)

After receiving her master’s degree, she worked with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Following, she worked with Catholic Relief Services on gender rights in Morocco. She also had a four-year tenure with the World Bank in Washington, D.C. (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/)

She worked as Country Director of Women for Women International in Afghanistan, an international NGO. (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/)

She later became the Senior Gender Officer and Head of the Gender Section at the Joint Electoral Management Body Secretariat (JEMBS) in the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) where she engaged women in all aspects of Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections. (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/)

From 2015 to 2022, AbiRafeh was the Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University – based in New York and Lebanon. She currently serves as their senior advisor.

Thank you, and looking forward to receiving feedback! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 14:11, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

I encourage you to specifically state if there is an error or omission in the current text. CT55555(talk) 14:24, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

Sure! I can provide more clarity here from the existing text.

Current text: AbiRafeh has worked with various United Nations and humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea.

Omission of detail. I do feel this current text does not provide the length of tenure or a description of what her work entailed. Would suggest to change to the following:

AbiRafeh spent over 25 years working in development and humanitarian fields. (https://www.thnk.org/community/people/lina-abirafeh/) She has worked for the United Nations and other international organizations on gender-based violence prevention and response in humanitarian and emergency settings. She has taken assignments in Afghanistan, Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and other countries. (https://www.mei.edu/profile/lina-abirafeh

Current text: For seven years, starting in 2015, she was the executive director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University.

Omission of detail. Would suggest clarying her exact dates of tenure and adding that is currently the Institute's senior advisor.

From 2015 to 2022, AbiRafeh was the Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University – based in New York and Lebanon. She currently serves as their senior advisor.

Current text: She has critiqued western obsession with how Afghan women dress. She has also critiqued the humanitarian aid system for neglecting the needs of men and drawn links between that neglect and increased rates of gender based violence in Afghanistan.

Error. This text is not indicative of the purpose of her work in Afghanistan. These were her positions in Afghanistan:

She worked as Country Director of Women for Women International in Afghanistan, an international NGO. (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/)

She later became the Senior Gender Officer and Head of the Gender Section at the Joint Electoral Management Body Secretariat (JEMBS) in the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) where she engaged women in all aspects of Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections. (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/)

The additional text below provides information on any omissions at large from her career section.

After receiving her master’s degree, she worked with the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. Following, she worked with Catholic Relief Services on gender rights in Morocco. She also had a four-year tenure with the World Bank in Washington, D.C. (https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18122/)

Thank you for your quick response and suggestions! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 14:58, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion:

• Lina Abirafeh.jpg

Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 08:53, 12 February 2023 (UTC)

Proposed Changes to Awards Section

Hello,

Based on a recent fellowship award, there is currently an omission to this section.

I would propose adding: AbiRafeh holds a 2023-24 Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship. (https://www.cfr.org/fellowships/international-affairs-fellowship#chapter-title-0-6)

Thank you for considering the proposed edit! Pennepasta12345 (talk) 19:14, 2 October 2023 (UTC)