White Hands Campaign

Background

In 2009 the Arab Producers' Union for TV (APUTV), an organization affiliated with the Arab League, launched an international media initiative aimed at raising awareness to a variety of women's issues in the Arab world, including health, education, employment and social standing. It was given the name The White Hands Campaign. According to the campaign's English website, "Women face all kinds of violence, and are deprived [of] many rights such as their right to education and work." The campaign endeavors to remedy this reality by tapping into the potential offered by the modern media, creating audio, video and print programs that showcase feminine creativity and empower women.

Dalal Mughrabi controversy

One of the White Hands campaigns, The Distinguished Woman, features a pantheon of notable feminine figures, including Ishtar, Cleopatra and the Queen of Sheba, as "great models to be followed by the old or the young." Also featured in the campaign is Dalal Mughrabi, one of eleven Palestinian terrorists behind the massacre of 37 Israeli civilians and an American nature photographer in March 1978.

In February 2011, the media watchdog Palestinian Media Watch posted a report on its web bulletin implicating the United Nations for partnering in the campaign. Referring to a video clip aired "on more than 50 Arab TV stations" portraying Mughrabi as a heroine, the report stated: "The clip was broadcast as part of the 'White Hands Campaign - The largest media campaign to support women's issues,' which is organized 'by the Arab Producers Union for TV (APUTV) in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),' according to the campaign's English website."

Shortly after being called on by the American Jewish Committee to dissociate from the White Hands Campaign, the UNFPA issued a statement denying any involvement and stressing that it "condemns any acts of violence that take the lives of innocent people."

References

References

1. "The Media Document for the project". White Hands Campaign.
2. Jones, Ryan. (10 February 2011). "UN promotes female terrorists as role models". israel today Magazine.
3. (10 February 2011). "U.N. agency pitches in on, then disavows campaign glorifying terrorist". JTA.
4. Horn, Jordana. (10 February 2011). "UN agency disavows video venerating terrorist". Jerusalem Post.
5. Ya'ar, Chana. (10 February 2011). "UN Denies Support for PA Terrorist in Arab TV's 'Model Woman'". Arutz Sheva.
6. (10 February 2011). "UNFPA Disavows Involvement in Arab Media Campaign". UNFPA.
7. "The Creative Cast". White Hands Campaign.
8. "The Idea". White Hands Campaign.
9. (10 February 2011). "UN partners in Arab campaign presenting female terrorist as role model to the Arab world". Palestine Media Watch.
10. (10 February 2011). "AJC Calls on UN Population Fund to Dissociate from TV Campaign Glorifying Terrorist". American Jewish Committee.
11. (13 February 2011). "UN asks PMW to publicize that UN was not behind Arab media campaign presenting terrorist as role model". Palestine Media Watch.