The Council Of European Jamaats

Khawateen Sub-Committee of Coej 3 Year Strategic Plan 2005-2008

1. To promote and strengthen capacity building within women
   
2. To provide girls with opportunities for self-development as strong Shia women
   
3. To support parents in raising Islamic children in a European context
   
4. To provide Islamic education for the life long changes in women
   
5. To provide bespoke health education and services for women
   
6. To provide building blocks for sustainable marital relationships
   
7. To promote awareness of Shia Muslim women in the wider European society and to encourage participation in civil society
   
8. To assist the WF Women’s Desk to deliver its Strategic Planning objectives relating to the European women of our community
   

Aim

To meet the needs of women within our community in Europe

Objectives

To constantly evaluate the requirements of women within our European community

1.  To promote and strengthen capacity building within women
   · Workshops for self development and self esteem issues
   · Promotion of information on skill developments and job seeking
   · Provide seminars on how to harmonize Western living with Islamic principles
   · Provide confidential Counselling & support by help line
   · Provide booklet consisting of essential information on social security benefits, legal and financial
   · To launch road shows, thereby, taking specialist knowledge and expertise to all European jamaats
2. To provide girls with opportunities for self-development as strong Shia women
   · Organize Annual Tournaments/ Coordinate inter-jamaat sports  
   · Cultivate and enhance youth talents/ self-development and self-esteem
   · Provide an Islamic environment for sports
   · Promote relationship building at different age groups within European jamaats
   · Residential Summer camps organised within Europe with the objective to: § Create relationships around Europe
   § Experience different environments
3. To support parents in raising Islamic children in a European context
   · Children are those from birth to the age of 16
   · Professional and Islamic insight into child development, behaviours and needs
   · Inform parents of the different approaches to child rearing in today’s context   given the various pressures & challenges
   · Raise awareness for parents to discuss their issues and to create a support structure
   · Regular workshops targeting specific ages for children and for expectant mothers
4. To provide Islamic education for the life long changes in women
   · To educate women on the Islamic perspective and teachings for the various changes in their lives – “what does Islam have to say on how women should cope?”
5. To provide bespoke health education and services for women
   · Raise awareness by projects on prevailing health issues
   · Dispense information by organizing lectures, seminars and discussion sessions
   · Provide resources, medical contacts and service information
6. To provide building blocks for sustainable marital relationships
   · Identify the needs of the youth by active listening – e.g.: confidential questionnaire
   · Examine how to combat youth issues within the community and family dimensions
   · Forming local teams of volunteers with specific matrimonial skills and requirements to help meet the CoEJ objective to reduce the divorce rate
7. To promote awareness of Shia Muslim women in the wider European society and to encourage participation in civil society
   · To empower women in the community to partake in European, national and local elections for every Muslim vote is imperative and consequential
   · To actively engage with governmental bodies to enhance awareness of who we are as Shia Muslim women in Europe – for instance, ensure Shia representation in government consultation meetings on women issues particularly on matters of Hijab and Islamic personal law
8. To assist the WF Women’s Desk to deliver its Strategic Planning objectives relating to the European women of our community
   · Work in conjunction with the WF Women’s Desk to deliver specific services to women of our community
   · Establish networking and widening the channel of communication by identifying a representative within Khawateen and the Women’s Desk to attend meetings and keeping each desk informed of their activities
   · The intended outcome is to deliver the services to the women of our community within the COEJ as stated in the objectives and identified by the individual jamaats

Year 1 2005-2006

• Establish contacts with all European Jamaats - Representative to be identified by the Jamaats’ Chairlady/committee who attends the Khawateen meetings
  
• Regular updates to the Jamaats and subcommittees of COEJ on Khawateen activities
  
• SMART project plans for each of the eight objectives stated by Khawateen = (SMART objectives)
  

Year 2 2006-2007

• Khawateen to visit its member Jamaats throughout Europe so as to strengthen participation and affiliation between Khawateen and its constituencies
  
• Evaluate the specific needs and requirements of the member Jamaats from Khawateen
  
• Enrol the Jamaats so that the SMART objectives are implemented collectively

Year 3 2007-2008

• Create a system whereby the SMART objectives are periodically assessed
  
• Construct a structure for the automatic implementation of the aim of Khawateen
  
• Establish a methodology for the absolute financial autonomy of Khawateen