Ramallah – MIFTAH recently capped off a number of awareness meetings on the performance of leaders from the National Coalition for Resolution 1325 regarding reproductive and sexual health rights. The members were from Nablus, Hebron, Jericho and the Jordan Valley and had previously participated in a training course on May 4, 2015. The training was aimed at providing them with the information and skills needed to educate people on subjects pertaining to sexual and reproductive right, especially in marginalized areas where health and educational services are not up to par. This, they maintained, required immediate intervention from civil society organizations to pressure for improved services in these areas.
The session was to evaluate the performance of the coalition members in how they imparted information and the extent of its implementation in the field.
The session was carried out within the framework of the “Women’s Protection Support ” Program, which is funded by UNFPA and focuses on promoting the abilities of coalition organizations in the field of reproductive health. It is also related to MIFTAH’s interest in promoting grassroots organizations in raising awareness to issues such as violence against women and gender-based violence, and creating a movement that could impact public policies and a system of national laws and legislations. This is particularly relevant since the PA’s laws and legislations now coincide with international agreements signed by the President.
Basic needs
The evaluation session showed there is a need within communities for education and awareness on issues such as early marriages and its impact on women and girls’ reproductive health. The presenters also broached the dangers of marrying relatives given that it is a prevalent practice in some districts. There was a kind of social acceptance from the women to the subjects being posed, namely reproductive and sexual health from the premise that it is their right to access information and easily reach and enjoy quality services. They also understood their right to document medical mistakes, a subject which was linked to international agreements related to the rights of reproductive and sexual health.
The participants reaffirmed the need for raising the awareness of girls in the 14 and 15 year-old age group about marriage, which was followed by several discussions in relation to the CEDAW Agreement, calling on the women to raise awareness of girls between 14 and 18 on this subject.
Early marriage
One participant who has been an activist in women’s organizations since 2006, said she was personally satisfied with the progress made when visiting the more remote areas. “When I give a workshop on early marriage for example, I’m shocked at how little these women know, how little information they have.” In particular, she spoke of the marginalized areas where she said the weddings involved girls as young as 15 and boys who were 16. “This is when we feel good about ourselves, when we can give them the information and make changes.”
Another participant said she was accustomed to giving workshops on political and gender-based violence and that this was the first time she gave a workshop on health. “I was really happy because this is the first time we ever addressed these subjects. It is something women suffer from daily.”
Eager for information
One activist said she was only partially satisfied with the training. “There was not enough time spent on sexually transmitted diseases,” she said. “There is a hunger for information about sex education; I was so shocked about how much university students, studying law, media and psychology, were eager for more information.” She said they worked with the students on how to handle these subjects in the media, how not to harm the victim. “They asked for more lectures on laws about violence and documentation. They clearly wanted to learn more.”
It was clear the targeted group needed more awareness-raising sessions on subjects such as sexual harassment of children in particular and on ways to protect them from violence. This includes education on subjects such as: positive child-rearing, the stage of adolescence, reproductive health and even subjects such as osteoporosis.
Married and elderly women
The awareness sessions also showed that each group of the targeted sector required exclusive needs. Married and older women had needs that differed from young girls who were still in school.
One participant said she differentiated between the various sectors in terms of the subjects she broached. “For example, with the older women, I would speak about menopause and early marriage (of their children)”.
More extensive training
Some participants in the training expressed the need for more extensive information on health issues, saying they resorted to other sources such as the Ministry of Health and booklets from the Family Planning Association for this information.
One leader/trainer who works in the police force said Resolution 1325 and CEDAW were at the heart of the police’s work. “There is a clear link between health, development and security of the targeted sectors.”
Success Stories
It was clear from the evaluation session and discussions that there is a need in schools to raise the awareness of female students on the subjects of early marriage, especially in areas where this and marriage between relatives is common.
Several success stories emerged from the sessions, including stories about women who married early but refused to marry off their daughters at an early age. The trainers also said the women were more open in sharing some of their health issues with the others, thus creating more positive participation in the awareness sessions.
The challenges
Mostly, the awareness session revealed that many women needed more education on the CEDAW agreement and Resolution 1325. Furthermore, the time constraints of the awareness sessions – ranging from 1.5 to two hours each – was not enough and could not cover the subjects comprehensively. There were also not enough sessions, which was another challenge that must be taken into consideration.
في جلسة تقييمية للقاءات توعوية حول الحقوق الصحية والإنجابية والجنسية..
التأكيد على احتياجات المجتمع لمزيد من الجهود لرفع الوعي بالتزويج المبكر وأثره على صحة المرأة
تاريخ النشر: 16/09/2015
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – اختتمت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" مؤخرا عددا من اللقاءات التوعوية لتجربة أداء القياديين والقياديات حول الحقوق الصحية الجنسية والإنجابية، استهدفت قياديين وقياديات من أعضاء الائتلاف الوطني للقرار 1325، من نابلس والخليل وأريحا والأغوار، بعد أن كانوا قد شاركوا قبل ذلك في تدريب بتاريخ 4/5/2015، بغرض تزويدهم/ن، بالمعلومات والمهارات اللازمة للتثقيف في المواضيع ذات العلاقة بالحقوق الجنسية والإنجابية والتي عبر المثقفون /ات عن مدى حاجة الذكور والإناث ضمن مجتمعااتهم المحلية للتثقفيف في هذا المجال، سيما في المناطق المهمشة التي لا ترتقي بها الخدمات الصحية والتثقيفية إلى المستوى المطلوب، ال/ر الذي يتطلب تدخلا مباشرا من مؤسسات المجتمع المدني للضغط باتجاه تحسين جودة الخدمات المقدمة في تلك المناطق.
جاء ذلك في الجلسة التقييمية التي نفذتها "مفتاح"، لتقييم أداء المثقفين والمثقفات للوقوف على آلية توظيفهم/ن للمعلومات التي اكتسبوها في التدريب ومدى تطبيقها في الميدان.
ونفذت الجلسة المركزة للتقييم المذكور، في إطار الهدف العام لمشروع "دعم حماية المرأة"، الممول من قبل صندوق الأمم المتحدة للسكان UNFPA المتعلق بتعزيز قدرات مؤسسات الائتلاف في مجال الصحة الإنجابية والجنسية، وانطلاقا من اهتمام مؤسسة "مفتاح" بالعمل على تعزيز قدرات المؤسسات القاعدية في مجال رفع الوعي في القضايا ذات العلاقة بالعنف ضد النساء والعنف المبني على النوع الاجتماعي، وخلق حراك يقودج إلى التاثير في السياسات العامة، ومنظومة القوانين والتشريعات الوطنية، سيما بعد التزام السلطة الفلسطينية بمواءمة التشريعات والقوانين الوطنية للاتفاقيات الدولية الموقع عليها من قبل الرئيس، متزامنا مع الدراسة التي تعدها "مفتاح" بهذا الشأن.
احتياجات أساسية
وأظهرت الجلسة التقييمية لأداء القياديين والقياديات، المنفذون لجلسات التوعية، احتياجا من قبل المجتمع المحلي للمواضيع التي تم التثقيف فيها مثل التزويج المبكر وعلاقتها بالصحة الانجابية للنساء والفتيات، كما تطرقوا إلى مخاطر زواج الأقارب باعتباره ظاهرة قائمة في بعض المحافظات، فيما بدا أنه قبول مجتمعي من قبل النساء للمواضيع التي طرحت والتي تخص الصحة الانجابية والجنسية، من منطلق حقهن في الحصول على المعلومات وسهولة وصولهن إلى الخدمات وضرورة تمتعهن بخدمات ذات جودة عالية ، بالإضافة إلى حقهن في توثيق الأخطاء الطبية، حيث تم ربط هذه القضايا بالاتفاقيات الدولية ذات العلاقة بحقوق الصحة الإنجابية والجنسية..
كما أكدت المشاركات والمشاركون في جلسة التقييم على الحاجة إلى توعية الفتيان في سن 14 و15 حول الزواج ، لاحقا لعدة نقاشات حول الموضوع ارتباطا باتفاقية سيداو، وان تقوم النساء المستهدفات بتوعية الفتيات من العمر 14 -18 حول الزواج.
التزويج المبكر
إحدى المشاركات، قالت في تقييمها عن جلسة التوعية والدروس المستفادة منها " بدي أحكيها من باب شي اكتشفته ومش من باب الفلسفة.. انه الرضا عن ذاتي، حسيت انه انأ كناشطة في المؤسسات النسوية وبشتغل من 2006 ولما تنزلي وتعطي ورشة عن الزواج المبكر أو أي موضوع وتتفاجأي من الستات إنهم مش واصلهم هاي الأشياء أو هاي المعلومات وبتصيري تلومي حالك ليش..؟ وخصوصا المناطق المهمشة اللي حكت عنهم زميلتي وصلنا مناطق بعيدة وجدار وعادات وتقاليد وخصوصا التزويج المبكر .. وكان الكل بحضر للأعراس والأعمار كانت اقل من 15 والشباب كانت أعمارهم 16 ،يعني الواحد بصير يفكر بمدى شعوره بالرضا عن ذاته عن المعلومات و قديش حاولنا نغير..."
الفكرة والمعلومة
مشاركة أخرى، قالت" أنا كنت مبسوطة اني بوصل الفكرة وبوصل المعلومة لناس معندهاش المعلومة وخاصة اني انا كمان ما بعمل ورش هيك، انا بعمل كمان مع مركز دراسات المرأة وبعمل كمان ورش توعية عن الطلاق و التوعية المجتمعية للمرأة المطلقة ، فأنا كل ما بوصل معلومة وبحس انه الستات هم اللي بطلبوني بحس برضا"
الشعور بالرضا
تقول ناشطة أخرى:" " أنا دائماً بعطي بالعنف السياسي والعنف المبني على النوع الاجتماعي ، لأول مرة بعطي في الجانب الصحي وشعرت برضى أكثر لانه في حاجة من الفئة اللي دايما بستهدفها في شيء اخر ، الامور الخاصة والشي اللي اله خصوصية ما عمرنا توجهنالها الا هالمرة وهي معاناة يومية حسينا بوجعها مع النساء".
تعطش للمعلومات
بينما ذكرت إحدى الناشطات " انا حسيت بنص رضا لأنه الأمراض المنقولة جنسياً كان الوقت غير كافي، لانه في تعطش عن المعلومات وبالاخص عن التربية الجنسية ، يعني الشباب اللي في الجامعة طلاب قانون واعلام وعلم نفس بتستغرب قديش عندهم تعطش للمزيد ، اشتغلنا مع الطلاب كيف ينقلوا الصورة بالاعلام وكيف ما يضروا الضحية وطلبوا المزيد من المحاضرات عن القوانين التي تخص العنف والتوثيق ونسقنا مع اعلاميين اخريين كيف نقل الصورة بالاعلام حتى التسيق مع مؤسسات اخرى والتوجه الى القرى البعيدة والمهمشة في منطقتي.
وبدا واضحا حاجة المستهدفين والمستهدفات إلى المزيد من جلسات التوعية، وطرح المزيد من المواضيع، مثل التحرش الجنسي وبالذات بالأطفال، آليات الحماية من العنف ولجميع المستويات – وبالأخص للأطفال، التربية الايجابية للأطفال، مرحلة المراهقة وكيفية التعامل مع المراهقين/ات. إضافة إلى مواضيع صحة جنسية وإنجابية مثل هشاشة العظام.
المتزوجات وكبار السن
لقد ظهر من حلقات التوعية أيضا أن الفئة المستهدفة لها احتياج خاص بها. فالنساء المتزوجات وكبار السن لهن احتياج يختلف عن الفتيات الصغيرات اللواتي يدرسن في المدرسة.
تقول إحدى المشاركات" كنت اعرف الفئة المستهدفة، وبالتالي احدد الموضوع اللي بدي احكيه مع النساء.. مثل النساء كبيرات السن.. كنت احكي عن سن الأمان والتزويج المبكر".
مشاركة أخرى قالت "المواضيع اللي كنا نحضر حالنا نحكي فيها عن موضوع .. نروح نلاقي الناس بدها شي تاني ".
وفيما يتعلق بالمادة التدريبية، تقول القيادات المنفذة للجلسات" لقد ساعدتنا مادة التدريب في اكتساب المعلومات الصحية حول الصحة الانجابية والجنسية".. خاصة لدى المشاركين/ات من خلفية ليست صحية، وبالتالي التدريب أضاف لهم المعلومة التي تساعدهم في العمل المجتمعي.
مزيد من الاستفاضة في التدريب
في حين عبر البعض ممن شاركوا في التدريب عن حاجته إلى المزيد من الاستفاضة في المواضيع الصحية وقد لجأوا الى مصادر أخرى، مثل التوجه الى وزارة الصحة، او الاستعانة بنشرات صحية أخرى من جمعية تنظيم الاسرة للاستفادة منها وزيادة المعلومات حول الصحة الجنسية والانجابية وربطها باتفاقية مناهضة كافة أشكال العنف ضد المرأة.
في جلسة التقييم، أكد أحد القيادات المنفذة للتدريب من جهاز الشرطة، أن القرار 1325 واتفاقية النوع الاجتماعي يدخلان في صلب عمل الشرطة. وقال:" هناك ربط واضح ما بين الصحة والتنمية والأمن للفئات المستهدفة".
من قصص النجاح
فيما بدا واضحا من جلسة التقييم، وما تخللها من نقاشات، أن هناك احتياجا من المدارس بتوعية الطالبات في موضوع الزواج المبكر، خاصة في المناطق التي تتميز بظاهرة التزويج المبكر وزواج الأقارب.
وفيما سردته القيادات المنفذة لجلسات التوعية، كان هناك العديد من قصص النجاح في أعقاب الانتهاء من الجلسات، منها على سبيل المثال ما ذكرته بعض النساء ممن تزوجن مبكرا بأنهن بتن يرفضن أن تتزوج بناتهن في سن مبكرة. ولم تتردد بعضهن من توضيح أمور صحية تمس حياتهن، ما خلق مشاركة ايجابية في جلسات التوعية، مثل المشاركة بتجاربهن الخاصة او احضار دراسة حالة من مجتمعهن الخاص بهن.
التحديات
لقد كشفت جلسات التوعية عن أن هناك العديد من النساء بحاجة إلى مزيد من التوعية في اتفاقية سيداو والقرار 1325. بيد أن الجلسات ساهم في رفع الوعي والمعرفة بالامور الصحية الخاصة بالصحة الجنسية والانجابية، وبالتالي القدرة على ربط الحقوق المتصلة باتفاقية سيداو مع الحياة اليومية والانتهاكات التي تتعرض لها المرأة.
في حين كان ضيق الوقت المخصص لتنفيذ جلسات التوعية المجتمعية، والمحدد بفترة زمنية تراوحت ما بين ساعة ونصف إلى ساعتين غير كاف، ولا يغطي الموضوع بما يستحقه من الشرح والإيضاح، إضافة إلى محدودية عدد الجلسات التي تم تنفيذها، واحدا من التحديات الأخرى التي يجب أخذها بالاعتبار.
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.
