Ramallah – Dozens of Jerusalemite women from grassroots organizations in the city convened in the Women's Forum of Sheikh Jarrah to perceive the efforts extended so far by the National Coalition for Implementing UNSCR 1325 as well as the planned initiatives that aim to employ UNSCRs that promote Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPSA) at the national/local levels. Discussions focused on the documentation tool; that aim to document Israeli occupation violations of human rights against Palestinian women in general and in Jerusalem in particular. This tool aims to produce evidence-based reports for advocacy purposes both at the national, regional and international levels.
Guest speakers comprise media specialist, Rasem Obeidat, women’s activists Fadwa Khader and Najwa Odeh, Director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, Ziad Hammouri, in addition to Amal Qassem, The Director of Women's Forum of Sheikh Jarrah.
In the meeting that was organized by MIFTAH in cooperation with grassroots organizations and members in the Local Coalition for Implementing UNSCR 1325. The Local Coalition was founded by MIFTAH in 2014 in close partnership with OXFAM during the implementation of the project "Towards Institutionalizing UNSCR 1325 to promote Palestinian women, peace and security agenda". Participants agreed that the institutionalization of women’s political actions and converting Palestinian feminist movement into civil society institutions has been frustrating to many, thus prompting them to rework the basis and priorities of women’s agenda. Furthermore, the political split has led to re-repeat another “Palestinian Nakba”. The fact that decision makers are so preoccupied with this issue has given the Israeli occupation more opportunities to be intransigent and oppressive towards Jerusalemites. Hence, one of the recommendations of the meeting was for serious efforts to achieve reconciliation with an emphasis on the need to involve the various women committees.
Women participants asserted that they have deepened their knowledge of the mechanisms for implementing UNSCR 1325 given their participation in meetings, workshops and trainings on documenting Gender-based Violence. They were also in consensus over the need for concrete efforts from institutions and popular activities in Jerusalem towards empowering the role of women and Jerusalem residents since they are targeted by the Israeli occupation and settlers, especially in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Furthermore, the women agreed that there could be no talk of development without first addressing the issue of women’s political participation, adding that the level of women's participation positively reflects on development policies.
The participants reiterated the importance of broadening the platform of legitimacy for representatives and executive institutions in the political system, which grant them democratic representative powers and unique political participation.
The participants told their stories – of killings, attacks on women, violations of their rights, arrests, deportations, fines, house arrests and of incarcerated husbands and sons. They then highlighted the importance of the survey that was conducted by MIFTAH through partner grassroots organizations at the end of 2014. The survey focused on monitoring violations against Jerusalemite women in Sheikh Jarrah, Wadi Joz, Ras Al Amoud, the Old City, Essawiyeh and Shufat.
One participant said that the political developments and their repercussions on the economic situation under the Israeli occupation had drained women and largely contributed to their reluctance towards participating in politics. This, participants said, was why women’s participation in political life needs to be revived.
Main pillars
Obeidat gave a historical background on how the political, social and service bodies were formed through the Women's Union since 1923. Between 1948 and 1967, women movement took on a more political form under the guise of social and service work. Obeidat pointed to the period in which the General Union of Palestinian Women was formed and its activism in the field as the women's official arm of the PLO. He highlighted the prominent role Palestinian women achieved in the first Intifada through participating alongside men in the various forms of political struggle and resistance.
Obeidat attributes the current lack of political participation by both women and men to several factors including the overall frustrating situation in Palestinian society resulting from regional and local conflicts and from the internal split, in addition to the negligent state of political factions. He also highlighted the laws and legislation that discriminate against women in addition to the lack of plans and programs designed for them.
Prominent political resistance role
Social activists Fadwa Khader and Najwa Odeh highlighted the prominent role in politics and in the resistance that Palestinian women played alongside men. They also said that in spite of the political role women played in Gaza and the West Bank to achieve reconciliation, this has not given them the opportunity for real participation in the decision-making process and participation in the special negotiations and reconciliation committees. They also emphasized that male domination was prevalent in religious and secular parties alike.
Daily violations by the occupation
Ziad Hammouri, The Head of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, underlined the impact of the daily Israeli violations on women’s political participation, stressing that there is a clear shortcoming in formulating policies that aim at involving women in the decision-making process.
Institutionalizing women’s popular activities
Amal Qassem, Jerusalem activists and head of the board of directors for the Women’s Forum of Sheikh Jarrah, gave a snapshot of the Palestinian women’s participation in the struggle during the first Intifada when women’s popular activities were institutionalized within popular frameworks in civil society. This largely contributed to their isolation from political participation in the factions they belonged to. Furthermore, their traditional role in social and charitable work and health care was reinforced through the establishment and administration of daycares, collecting donations , visiting the wounded, etc. However, after the inception of the PA, these institutions and bodies diminished, women cadres were integrated, and they ultimately shifted towards government work.
Qassem posed an inquiry about the role of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in supporting women organizations in Jerusalem, stressing on the need to rework the women’s agenda towards forming lobbying campaigns and initiatives. She maintained that women’s political activism must be distanced from civil society institutions through which women’s political action was institutionalized and took on another form.
This activity is part of a series of meetings organized by MIFTAH in the northern and central districts to discuss issues regarding Palestinian women and girls security in light of the dual violence endured on them – violence that is not eradicated neither by Palestinian laws or legislations nor by civil society services.
MIFTAH releases 2021-2022 comparative actual spending reports for the social and security sectors, including social justice and gender indicators
Date posted: April 04, 2023
By MIFTAH
MIFTAH recently released 2021-2022 comparative actual spending reports for the social sector (health, education, higher education and scientific research, social development and labor), and for the first time, the security sector (Ministry of Interior and National Security). The reports were based on annual financial data released by the Ministry of Finance in Palestine for 2021-2022 and on an accrual basis.
The data showed that the Ministry of Interior and National Security had the highest percentage of actual spending in 2022, accounting for 22.8% of overall public expenditures, or ILS3.68 billion. This was a slight increase from the Ministry’s share in 2021. Meanwhile, actual spending on the education sector (Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research) stood at 21.5% of overall public expenditures, or ILS3.48 billion. This was also an increase from the education sector’s share in 2021, which was 20.6% of public expenditures.
Moreover, actual spending on the Ministry of Health also increased in 2022, comprising 15% of overall public expenditures, at a sum of ILS2.4 billion. This was higher than in 2021, where its share was 14.4%. As for the Ministry of Social Development, actual spending was still low, amounting for 6.2% of overall public expenditures in 2022, compared to 5.8% in 2021. The Ministry of Social Development’s actual spending in 2022 was approximately ILS1 billion. As for the labor sector, actual spending on this sector in 2022 was 0.31% of overall public expenditures, while in 2021 it was 0.28%. Actual spending on the labor sector in 2022 was ILS50.1 million.
Upon review of actual spending reports of the targeted ministries from a gender and social justice perspective, it is clear that actual spending on the Ministry of Social Development does not coincide with the scope of its responsibilities as the forerunner of the social sector in Palestine, including its programs for combatting poverty and the protection of poor and marginalized social sectors. Moreover, non-compliance to the disbursement of payments for poor families within the CTP continued according to estimates, whereby only two of four installments for 2022 were disbursed, one at minimum value. This adversely affected the financial security of the most underprivileged and marginalized sectors of society, in addition to the insufficient estimated budget and actual spending on the social protection program, in spite of its importance in providing protection and social services to battered women, children, special-needs persons and the elderly.
The data also pointed to the low percentage of women working in the security sector, which stood at 6% of the total number of workers in this sector, while they comprised 46% of the civil sector. This shows a gap in actual spending on the security sector from a gender perspective, given that the lion’s share of actual spending in 2022 was on salaries and wages. Hence, women only benefited very little from these allocations, which were nearly ILS2.9 billion in 2022.
The data also indicated that the development expenditures for the Ministry of Labor were only ILS4.5 million in 2022, even though planned development expenditures were ILS32 million, which is much higher. This casts a shadow on gender-related programs and projects, which were allotted sizeable budgets within development expenditures, such as creating sustainable opportunities as alternatives for Palestinian men and women working in settlements, for which ILS10 million were earmarked.
Even though there was an increase in actual spending in 2022 at the targeted ministries in general, this increase was mainly concentrated on salaries and wages. In spite of the importance of providing a decent life for employees, there is still a need to increase spending on development expenditures, since they are at the forefront of developing government services, including the nationalization and institutionalization of various social services.
MIFTAH concludes town hall meetings on political participation and citizens’ rights for women and youth
Date posted: January 09, 2023
By MIFTAH
Ramallah – 29/12/2022 – Within its efforts to promote democratic values and the peaceful transfer of power within the Palestinian government system, MIFTAH’s field advisory team completed over 100 town hall meetings in the second half of 2022. The meetings were held in coordination and cooperation with CSOs, LGUs and grassroots organizations and targeted women and youth in several West Bank and Gaza Strip districts. The objective of these meetings was to raise awareness among the electorate on the electoral system in Palestine and on civil society demands to increase women and youth participation in local and general elections as candidates and voters, on the premise that this boosts their presence in decision-making levels and involves them in public affairs.
The town hall meetings included several exchange visits between LGU members in the various districts. The women shared the experiences and challenges they faced after becoming council members. The meetings focused on the concept of citizenship within a broader definition of the various forms of political participation and the importance of involvement from youth and women in public life. They also pointed to the different forms of democracy and the main pillars of the democratic society Palestinians seek to create. The participants furthermore discussed the various forms of electoral systems and shed light on the gaps in electoral laws regarding the presence of women and youth.
The participants pointed to the importance of periodic legislative and presidential elections and the danger of the ongoing absence of the PLC on matters pertaining to civic peace. They also warned against the absence of oversight and accountability, maintaining that the defunct PLC has contributed to shrinking civic space and public freedoms and therefore, the ability or desire to become involved in political life, especially for women and youth. In most of the meetings, the participants also indicated that the absence of a regular democratic process in Palestine contributed to the overall exclusion of youth from participation and to the marginalization of the role of women in Palestinian political decision-making.
The town hall meetings stressed on the importance of pressing for legislative, presidential and local elections in all West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip districts. They also endorsed the demand for equality in electoral laws, starting with raising the women’s quota to a minimum of 30%, raising the candidacy age and lowering the threshold. They urged Palestinian factions to assume a key role in the process of inclusion for women and youth in the public sphere and to prevent the progression of tribalism in the democratic process. The attendees emphasized the importance of monitoring the performance of LGUs in their interaction with local communities and the consistency of their meetings. Finally, they said female council members must be given the opportunity to exercise their role in their respective councils as equals to their male counterparts.
MIFTAH holds town hall meetings on an annual basis as part of its awareness campaign on citizens’ rights and the promotion of the democratic approach for a peaceful transfer of power, in addition to the involvement of women and youth in elections as both candidates and voters. Each year, through these town hall meetings, MIFTAH aims to reach the widest possible segment of the electorate and the different social sectors in all parts of Palestine.
MIFTAH completes training workshop in the Gaza Strip on family protection and advocacy
Date posted: January 05, 2023
By MIFTAH
Gaza – 2/1/2023 – MIFTAH recently completed a training workshop on measures and regulations on family protection in the Gaza Strip. The workshop was part of MIFTAH’s strategic objectives to prioritize family issues in communities and to support local institutions in increasing awareness on citizenship and constitutional rights for Palestinian women and on combatting all forms of GBV and discrimination in Palestinian society.
The workshop’s objectives included providing institutions with important information on the legislations, laws and measures for family protection in effect in the Gaza Strip, in a bid to enhance the oversight role of CSOs in holding accountable official parties responsible for enforcing these measures and legislations. The training also included offering institutions the necessary mechanisms for managing digital and media campaigns to press for the ratification of laws and legislation that protect women’s rights.
The discussions focused on a number of points, including legal (including sharia law) rebuttals to claims from parties opposing legislation, including the Family Protection Law. They also discussed how applicable this law would be in the Gaza Strip once ratified by the President.
The participants unanimously agreed that they supported adoption of the law, giving no credence to the claims of more extreme elements in Gaza on the Family Protection Law. They called on MIFTAH to hold general, open meetings with the public to introduce them to the law and its importance, so that they could defend themselves from the extremist discourse surrounding it.
Opinions and impressions
One of the participants, Latifa Shatat, said such training workshops were crucial for every Palestinian, male and female. “It is great we are pressing for protection laws such as the Family Protection Bill. This law will have tremendous impact on society as a whole. I can say from experience as a social and mental health worker that protection is the most important element in our work, especially in cases involving women and children, who are the most vulnerable social sectors. I commend MIFTAH and anyone who participates in spreading a culture of nonviolence, protection, justice and equality.”
Meanwhile, Haifa Al Araj said the training offered important details about the Family Protection Law and also ways of conducting initiatives and activities that could produce positive results in mobilizing support it.
Another participant, Hatem Abu Ta’a, said the training was a new starting point for him as an institution director in terms of integrating the demand to implement the Family Protection Law in all advocacy and lobbying activities and programs. He said he became more aware of the impediments to the law’s implementation at the official and social level, saying, “This training reminds us to renew our calls to demand implementation and ratification of the law at the official level.”
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abu Rabee said ratification of the Family Protection Law would be a huge step, for women and children especially. “This law will amplify women’s voices and their ability to access help with stronger and more supportive centers throughout the homeland. As a strong supporter of this bill, I want to stress on the importance of civil society institutions explaining the clauses in the bill pertaining to CEDAW and to also focus on working with parties that oppose the law in particular.”
The training workshop is part of MIFTAH’s “Policy dialogue and Good Governance” Program, which aims at influencing public policies and legislation in favor of protection for citizens’ rights in Palestinian society, based on the principles of social justice and respect for human rights.
