The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is working on a “Regional Initiative for Promoting Small-Scale Renewable Energy Applications in rural areas of the Arab region (REGEND)”. This regional initiative is a Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) funded project and aims to improve the livelihood, economic benefits, social inclusion and gender equality of Arab rural communities particularly marginalized groups, by addressing energy access, water scarcity and vulnerability to climate change and other natural resources challenges in three targeted countries, namely Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia.
 
In this context, ESCWA is organizing a Capacity-Building Workshop on “Improving the performance of the Agricultural Development Group for Rural Women "Al-Amal" and raising its efficiency”, in partnership with the General Commission for Regional Development (CGDR) and the National Agency for Energy Conservation (ANME) in Tunisia, by building the capacities of the current board members of the Group and a number of its women members who wish to join the board in the future, on legal, administrative, management and financial issues, through a simplified scientific and distinctive approach integrating lectures, exercises, and practical training.
The knowledge and skills acquired throughout the training, theoretically and practically, will enable the trainees to improve the performance of the Agricultural Development Group for Rural Women "Al-Amal" in Neffatia, Delegation of Chorbane, Governorate of Mahdia, Republic of Tunisia, and raise its efficiency as well as developing its income-generating activities by using renewable energy.