The Research Programme Consortium (RPC) on 'Women's Empowerment in Muslim Contexts' (WEMC RPC) was set up in April 2005. It submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) as a bid to the Department of International Development (DFID) for a grant under its theme 'Factors that enhance women's empowerment'. The WEMC EOI was short-listed and the RPC was invited to convene a research design workshop for the purpose of writing up a full proposal to submit to DFID. After an iterative process of dialogue and revision, the RPC's finalized proposal submitted on 1 March 2006 was approved. Funding support for the WEMC RPC commenced on 1 July 2006 and will end on 30 June 2011.
   
  The WEMC RPC comprises eight Key Partners:

 
 
Lead Partner:
Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC), City University of Hong Kong
 
   
 
Other Key Partners:
Shirkat Gah Women's Resource Centre (SG)
Centre for Environment, Gender and Development (ENGENDER)
Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University (AKU)
International Gender Studies Centre (IGS), Oxford University
Semarak Cerlang Nusa (SCN)
Solidaritas Perempuan (SP)

Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)
 
 
   
  The WEMC RPC was led by Vivienne Wee (Director) from July 1 2006 to May 11 2009 and is now headed by Farida Shaheed (Acting Director). The Directorate is supported by a Research Management Committee (RMC), consisting of representatives from the Key Partners.

A Consortium Advisory Group (CAG) constitutes the main monitoring and evaluative body of the RPC. The CAG plays an important role by:
 
 
Guiding the research so that it stays on track.
Helping the research in terms of communication for policy uptake.
Identifying appropriate communication channels, language and messages, especially for national and international policy-makers and implementers.
 
   
  The composition of the CAG is as follows:  
     
  Yakin Ertürk (Chair)
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women &
Professor, Department of Sociology
Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
 
     
  Bina Agarwal
Professor of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth
University of Delhi, Delhi, India
 
     
  Savitri Goonesekere
Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Colombo &
Board Member, Centre for Women’s Research (CENWOR)
Colombo, Sri Lanka
 
     
 

Zainah Anwar
Board Member, Sisters in Islam (SIS), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 
     
 

Representative, Department for International Development (DFID)
(Central Research Department and the Equity and Rights Team within Policy and Research Division)

 
     
 

WEMC acknowledges the invaluable contributions of:

 
  • Noeleen Heyzer (Under-Secretary-General, United Nations, and Executive Secretary, Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific): CAG Chair from 1 July 2006 to 3 August 2008
 
  • The late Elisabeth Croll (former Professor of Chinese Anthropology & former Vice Principal of External Affairs, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London): passed away on 3 October 2007, CAG member from 1 July 2006 to 3 October 2007
 
  • The late Zaitun Mohamed Kasim (former Consultant and Chief Trainer, Sisters in Islam): passed away on 4 June 2008, CAG member from 1 July 2006 to 4 June 2008
 
 
 
     
   
 
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