A study conducted by AWRAD, Arab World for Research and Development for MIFTAH entitled: “Palestinian public opinion approaches on women’s political participation in efforts to achieve civic peace”, recommended the need to set up a broad national mechanism to organize and institutionalize women’s participation in reconciliation and civic peace. This participation would be part of united national and programmatic efforts that include unions, organizations and parties with mutual interests. At the same time, it would prepare women to take on more positions and responsibilities in broader political fields such as negotiations and achieving peace.
This recommendation was made during a meeting held by MIFTAH in coordination with AWRAD in which the study was presented and its results discussed. The study is part of the project “Raising women’s voices in the Middle East”, which aims at ensuring that sectors of civil society, including women and youth, can impact the political system. The study was carried out in partnership with the Culture and Free Thought Association in the Gaza Strip and was funded by OXFAM.
AWRAD director Dr. Nader Said said during his presentation of the study’s results that, “We cannot separate between the study and overall reality, just as we cannot separate women from the current situation; not all women are from the same background or the same nature. They are different, with different interests, opinions and aspirations.” Saeed continued that the study attempted to understand women’s political and social tendencies in regards to civic peace. “We found there was no dispute over the role of women in family and social cohesion. However, on the subject of women’s contributions to political decisions, the percentages dwindle the higher the priorities and responsibilities become because people believe men are more capable of carrying them out.” In this regard, Said said the results showed a ‘gap in gender whereby women had a higher conviction of equality in all fields while the percentages decreased among men.
Saeed continued that the results showed a ‘general acknowledgment of the role of women in social and familial and even public life” but that this acknowledgment waned when it came to political participation. The gap only widened when it came to achieving reconciliation and peace and on the subject of war, in addition to decision-making positions. The results also showed that levels of interaction in political and national participation were higher in the Gaza Strip than in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, the participants stressed on the importance of the study’s results to be published in the media and distributed to organizations, especial civil society and human rights organizations.
They stressed on the importance of understanding that there is a gender gap when it comes to women’s participation in achieving national reconciliation and ending the division, given that women have been excluded from achieving reconciliation, reconstruction and negotiations. They said it was imperative to change the discourse of civil society and local organizations in order to reach a level of broader social and political participation among women and men, especially in the Jerusalem district.
The participants concluded with a number of recommendations including: promoting the role of women in various fields through highlighting positive and successful examples of women and women’s organizations that are active and effective in these fields; promoting media coverage of women’s activities in civic peace, reconciliation and peace in general; designing a training and empowerment program for active and interested women, especially youths and students, to introduce them to best practices and to strengthen their skills in achieving civic peace and reconciliation.
The participants also stressed on the importance of youth training, both male and female, so they could conduct awareness campaigns in conflict resolution and civic peace and in the use of modern and conventional media tools. They would also be introduced to the most important laws and international conventions that protect citizens’ rights in general, and women’s rights in particular, during times of conflict and war.
They also suggested setting up a regular television or radio program that addresses rights during conflict and war and stressed on the need to hold a series of accountability sessions for parties and government organizations to encourage broader women’s participation in decision-making positions. It would also encourage institutions, unions, federations and local councils in this direction, including agreeing with them on clear mechanisms to ensure active participation of women in discussions and meetings on social and policy issues in local communities.
It should be noted that the study highlighted a number of conclusions in need of follow-up in the future, such as: the many internal and external challenges on the Palestinian agenda including economic, social, institutional and political challenges. In addition, the recent increase in Israeli violence and killing (since October 2015), renders any discussion of peacefully resolving conflicts a more difficult task, full of pitfalls and skepticism.
As for the role of women, the study showed its linkage to the overall context. That is, in light of the failure of men “the decision-makers” to achieve national reconciliation or peace, it cannot be expected that the role of women in this regard would receive any higher assessment.
The study confirmed that civil and social establishments are the most interested in women’s participation and are the closest to the people. As for political parties, they have taken a ‘back seat” in this regard. The study showed that less than 13% of men and 5% of women participated in political meetings. As for their belief that they can impact the decision-making process, the assessment was low, something which can be attributed to the absence of a legislative institution, the political division and the weak government establishment.
The study also exposed several obstacles pertaining to decision-making. The results conveyed a belief in the lack of or weakness in any ability to affect the decision-making process on the ground. This is indicative of the frustration towards the political reality and the sense of futility in the process of participation, coupled with the weak awareness in legal and human rights whether in local or international laws.
The results revealed that the role of official institutions has not trumped that of traditional institutions in solving problems and conflicts; declarations on resorting to legal institutions was much lower than declarations about resorting to familial and tribal institutions. Furthermore, political conditions and the situation of government organizations in the Gaza Strip has led to a relative rise in familial/tribal bodies taking the law into their own hands compared with the West Bank.
دراسة لـ 'مفتاح' توصي بإنشاء آلية وطنية لتنظيم ومأسسة مشاركة النساء للدفع باتجاه المصالحة والسلم الأهلي
تاريخ النشر: 23/12/2015
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – أوصت دراسة أعدها معهد العالم العربي للبحوث والتنمية "أوراد" لصالح المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" بعنوان "توجهات الرأي العام الفلسطيني حول المشاركة السياسية للنساء في الجهود الرامية لتحقيق السلم الأهلي" بضرورة إنشاء آلية وطنية واسعة لتنظيم ومأسسة مشاركة النساء من أجل الدفع باتجاه المصالحة والسلم الأهلي، بحيث تكون المشاركة ضمن جهود برامجية ووطنية موحدة وفاعلة تشمل مشاركة اتحادات ومؤسسات وأحزاب ذات اهتمام مشترك، وتقود في الوقت ذاته، إلى إعداد نساء يتبوأن مناصب ويتحملن مسؤوليات أكبر في المجالات السياسية الكبيرة كالمفاوضات وتحقيق السلام ارتباطا بالقضية الفلسطينية، وبالتنسيق مع فريق المفاوضات ليشكلن جزءا من هذا الفريق، والأجسام الأخرى ذات العلاقة.
جاء ذلك في ضوء اللقاء الذي عقدته مؤسسته "مفتاح" بالتعاون مع "أوراد" خلال جلسة عرض ومناقشة لنتائج الدراسة التي أعدت ضمن مشروع "إعلاء صوت النساء في منطقة الشرق الأوسط"، ومن خلال سعيها إلى ضمان وصول مكونات المجتمع المدني بما فيها الحركة النسوية والشابة للتأثير في النظام السياسي، والمنفذ بالشراكة مع جميعه الثقافة والفكر الحر في قطاع غزة وبتمويل من أوكسفام.
وفي استعراضه وتعليقه لأهم النتائج قال د. سعيد مدير رئيس معهد العالم العربي للبحوث والتنمية - أوراد، أنه "لا يمكن الفصل بين الدراسة والواقع العام، كما لا يمكننا فصل النساء عن الوضع الحالي فليست النساء كلهن طبقة او ذات طبيعة واحدة، وإنما فإن النساء مختلفات ومتباينات في الاهتمامات والتطلعات والآراء". وأضاف: "في هذه الدراسة حاولنا فهم توجهات النساء السياسية والاجتماعية والعديد من التوجهات ذات العلاقة في هذا السياق وما يرتبط بالسلم الاهلي، حيث تبين لنا عدم وجود خلاف في دور النساء في تماسك الأسرة والمجتمع، أما في موضوع مساهمة النساء في القرار السياسي، فالنسب تتناقص كلما صعدنا في سلم الاولويات والمسؤوليات الكبرى التي يسود اعتقاد بأن الرجال هم الأكثر قدرة على القيام بها مقارنة مع النساء، وكذلك فان النتائج تظهر فجوة في النوع الاجتماعي، وأن النساء اكثر ايمانا بالمساواة في كل المجالات بينما تقل هذه النسب في أوساط الرجال".
وأشار د. سعيد إلى النتائج، فقال إن النتائج تبين وجود اعتراف عام بدور النساء في الحياة الاجتماعية والأسرية وحتى العامة، ولكن الاعتراف يصبح أقل في مجالات المشاركة السياسية، وتتسع الفجوة في مجالات تحقيق المصالحة والسلام والحرب، وكذلك عندما يتعلق الأمر بمواقع صنع القرار التي تتضمن درجة عالية من الولاية والقدرة على اتخاذ القرارات، كما تبين أن مستويات التفاعل بقضايا المشاركة السياسية والوطنية هي الأكثر في قطاع غزة مقارنة مع الضفة.
في حين، أكد المشاركون في اللقاء على أهمية الدراسة، وبأنها تعبر عن أراء المواطنين في الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة، مطالبين بضرورة نشر نتائج هذه الدراسة عبر وسائل الاعلام وتعميمها على المؤسسات ذات العلاقة وخصوصا مؤسسات المجتمع المدني والأهلي ومؤسسات حقوق الانسان.
وشددوا على أهمية التفهم لوجود فجوة في النوع الاجتماعي فيما يتعلق مشاركة المرأة في تحقيق المصالحة الوطنية وإنهاء الانقسام، على اعتبار أن المواطنين قد أقصوا النساء من دورهن في تحقيق المصالحة واعادة الاعمار والمفاوضات. مطالبين بضرورة تغيير خطاب مؤسسات المجتمع المدني والمحلي في سبيل الوصول إلى مشاركة مجتمعية وسياسية أوسع في أوساط النساء والرجال وخصوصا في محافظة القدس.
وخلص المشاركون في جلسة النقاش إلى مجموعة من التوصيات التي يمكن تحقيقها، ومن أبرزها: تعزيز القناعة السائدة بدور النساء في مجالات الحياة المختلفة من خلال إظهار نماذج إيجابية وناجحة لنساء ومؤسسات نسوية تقوم بدور فاعل في هذه المجالات. وتعزيز التغطية والظهور الإعلامي للنشاطات النسوية في مجالات تحقيق السلم الأهلي والمصالحة والسلام بشكل عام. وتصميم برنامج تدريب وتمكين لنساء ناشطات ومهتمات، وخصوصا بين الشابات والطالبات، للتعريف بأفضل الممارسات ولتعزيز المهارات في تحقيق السلم الأهلي والمصالحة.
وشددوا على أهمية تدريب كادر شبابي، من الذكور والإناث، للقيام بحملات توعوية في مجالات حل النزاعات والسلم الأهلي، واستخدام الاعلام الحديث والتقليدي، للتعريف بأهم القوانين والمواثيق الدولية التي تحمي حقوق المواطنين عامة والنساء خاصة أثناء النزاعات والحروب.
واقترح المشاركون إعداد برنامج تلفزيوني أو/و إذاعي منتظم يعالج قضايا الحقوق أثناء الصراعات والحروب وأهمية عقد سلسلة من اجتماعات المساءلة للأحزاب والمؤسسات الحكومية للدفع باتجاه مشاركة أكبر للنساء في مواقع صنع القرار فيها. ودفع المؤسسات والنقابات والاتحادات والمجالس المحلية والاتفاق معها على آليات واضحة لتضمين مشاركة فعالة للنساء في النقاشات والاجتماعات حول القضايا السياسية والسياساتية في المجتمعات المحلية وذات الطابع الوطني أيضا.
يذكر أن الدراسة أظهرت العديد من الاستنتاجات التي تحتاج للمتابعة في المستقبل، ومن أهمها؛ اكتظاظ أجندة الفلسطينيين بالعديد من التحديات الداخلية والخارجية ومنها التحديات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والمؤسساتية والسياسية. كما أن تزايد العنف والقتل الإسرائيلي خلال الفترة الأخيرة (ارتباطا بالهبة الفلسطينية التي بدأت مع شهر أكتوبر/تشرين أول 2015) يجعل الحديث بمسائل متعلقة بحل النزاعات سلميا مسألة أصعب ومحفوفة بالشك والغموض.
أما فيما يتعلق بدور النساء فقد بينت الدراسة ارتباطها بالسياق العام، وبالتالي، فإنه في ظل فشل الرجال "صناع القرار" في تحقيق مصالحة وطنية أو سلام منجز وناجز، فإنه من غير المتوقع الحصول على تقييمات مرتفعة لدور النساء بهذا الصدد.
كما تؤكد الدراسة أن المؤسسات المجتمعية والأهلية هي الأكثر اهتماما بإشراك النساء، وهي الأقرب للناس، والأكثر اهتماما بإشراك المواطنين عامة، والنساء خاصة. أما الأحزاب بالسياسية، فقد أصحب تأخذ دورا ثانويا في هذا المجال. فيما تظهر النتائج محدودية معدلات المشاركة بشكلها الأدنى (أي في لقاءات ذات طابع سياسي)، وقد اتضح أن أقل من 13% من الرجال و5% من النساء قد شاركوا فعلا بمثل هذه اللقاءات. أما من حيث الاعتقاد بالقدرة على التأثير على عملية صنع القرار، فجاء تقييمه كدافع منخفض ويأتي ذلك في ظل غياب المؤسسة التشريعية وانقسام وضعف المؤسسة الحكومية.
وأظهرت الدراسة العديد من المعيقات ذات العلاقة بصنع القرار حيث تظهر النتائج اعتقادا سائدا بغياب أو ضعف القدرة على التأثير على الواقع وعلى عملية صنع القرار، وهي مؤشرات على درجة من الإحباط تتعلق بطبيعة الواقع السياسي وجدوى المشاركة بحد ذاتها، كما أن ضعف الوعي بالحقوق القانونية والإنسانية سواء تلك في القوانين المحلية أو الدولية يشكل معيقا آخر.
ولفتت النتائج الى أن دور المؤسسة الرسمية لم يتفوق على دور المؤسسات الإرثية في حل المشكلات والنزاعات، حيث أن التصريح باللجوء للمؤسسة القانونية جاء منخفضا بالمقارنة مع التصريح باللجوء للمؤسسات العائلية والعشائرية. في حين أن الظروف السياسية وطبيعة وضع المؤسسات الحكومية في قطاع غزة تؤدي إلى ارتفاع نسبي في الحالة العائلية/العشائرية وأخذ القانون باليد بالمقارنة مع الضفة الغربية.
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.
