A Saudi female sociologist has won this year's UN-21 Award for her work with NGOs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Dr. Mona Al-Munajjed received the award for her project entitled, "Activating the Role of Women's Welfare Associations in Saudi Arabia." It is one of four winning projects selected out of 60 by the UN-21 Award's high-level approving panel. Dr. Al-Munajjed and 11 other winners were handed the awards at the United Nations in New York on June 1 at a ceremony attended by UN Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette. The award was established nine years ago as part of the reform effort by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to give recognition to staff members for innovation, efficiency and excellence in the delivery of the UN's programs and services. Dr. Al-Munajjed works as first social affairs officer at the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) and she is in charge of social development projects for Saudi Arabia. The main fields of work for ESCWA are social development, gender issues, human resources development, population, agriculture and economic issues. Last year she launched two UN projects in Saudi Arabia - both funded by Abdul Latif Jameel Company Ltd. It was the first time that the private sector in Saudi Arabia has funded a UN project, Arab News quoted Dr. Al-Munajjed as saying. The first project aims to prepare trainers in income generating skills in rural areas. The second, conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of Social Affairs, aims to increase capacity building and improve the level of output of NGOs and build work relations; this is the one she received the award for. --MORE 1022 Local Time 0722 GMT
