Kuwaiti writer calls for gender balanced children’s literature
Huge turnout at ‘Al Fahad.. Spirit of Leadership’ expo
TUNIS, Feb 12, (KUNA): Head of the children committee at the Kuwait Writers Association (KWA) Amal Al-Randi has called for a more gender balanced children’s literature.
“I am against ignoring females space in children stories,” Al-Randi, also children books author, told KUNA Monday after partaking in a two-day conference on female representation in children books in Tunis.
“We need a new children literature that is more balanced in terms of gender representation,” she stated.
Al-Randi, however, voiced opposition to feminist writings that favor females and take biased approach towards males.
“In my stories, I always focus on presenting positive heroes, boys or girls, who promote hardworking for building developed societies with good morals,” she said.
Al-Randi noted that the conferees called for challenging negative stereotypes of females in some Arabic books, especially those directed to children, and increasing writings that educate children about gender equality.
She pointed out the Kuwaiti Writers Association was honored during the conference in recognition for its role in enriching and promoting children literature in the Arab region and the whole world.
Represented
Kuwait was represented at the conference with a big delegation including writers Al-Randi, Fatema Shaaban, Munira Al-Edan, Huzail Al-Hawqal as well as several children’s literature specialists.
The conference also brought together a large number of children books writers, researchers, cartoonists and publishers from Tunisia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Algeria and Sweden.
Meanwhile, with the huge turnout, “Al-Fahad.. Spirit of Leadership” exhibition began Monday in Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center (JACC).
The exhibition, which will last until Feb 23, consists of 14 pavilions dedicated to the memory, life, and achievements of the late King of Saudi Arabia Fahad bin Abdulaziz AlSaud.
Furthermore, some schools in Mubarak AlKabeer Educational District are facing a crisis related to the distribution of classes handled by Arabic Language teachers as some of them have six in a week, while others have more – up to 18 among expatriate teachers, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources from the educational sector.
Sources disclosed there is no standard in the distribution which does not take seniority into consideration. They stressed need to re-distribute the classes to ensure equality and justice in all educational districts.