Important Program Fights for Women's Rights

Program producer Julianna Sfeir says the show is very needed, “We hope to educate women in the Middle East and North Africa as to what their basic rights are when they are the heads of a household. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to educate these women.”

An Hour is not Enough asks and answers direct questions: How do these women (female heads of household) cope with  responsibilities that have suddenly fallen on their shoulders when they are abandoned, neglected or loose a husband? How do they raise their children in a society that looks down upon them with shame, even if it’s not their fault? What happens when a husband deserts his family? What are the rights of women, and how do they realize those rights.  The show will air “live” each week, giving viewers a chance to call in and share their stories and to discuss what they can do to improve their situations.

“Women must know what their rights are, and [the] society must give women their rights,” observed Tanya Nahhas, who, along with Said Melki, hosts the program. In the Middle East, this is a serious problem. An Hour is not Enough will tackle the practical and emotional impact of divorce, separation, widowhood, unemployment, inheritance and child custody. These issues, and many more, harshly confront women.

Issue Number One: Do not be afraid. Someone is there to help. Often, society stigmatizes women who are divorced or separated or victims of other forms of social and economic hardship. The severity of the stigma intimidates many. Sometimes producers have blacked out interviewees faces and altered their voices to give them the security, necessary to calm the fears of those who yearn to share their tragic stories.  But for some women, even this security has not been enough to give them confidence to share their stories.

The first episode will set the tone for the series. It features writers/presenters Tanya Nahhas, Tanya Basha, Said Melki, and producer Julianna Sfeir. They will discuss the issues to be presented during this 26-week series. The guests on this show are breaking new ground in the region, and it is not easy. Social problems – drug and alcohol addiction, broken families, economic hardship, to name a few, cannot be solved if they cannot be mentioned. How does society see the people who cope (or do not cope) with these burdens? What support structures are available – within the family, the church, society at large?

In addition, the show dramatizes pertinent situations. Famous actors and actresses have either completely donated their time, or are working for a nominal fee as they enact some of these very sad and disheartening situations.

In Lebanon, Voice of Charity Radio will be “simulcasting” An Hour is not Enough. See www.radiocharity.org for frequencies.