Recently, MIFTAH capped off a series of radio talk shows on Radio 24FM with several political, youth and media leaders along with officials from civil society organizations and women leaders from the various Palestinian factions and organizations. The discussions focused on the Palestinian division and efforts being made to achieve national reconciliation. This was one of the activities from the “Women’s Call...one people, one homeland, one flag” conference MIFTAH organized in June 2015.
Social contract…a pressing need
The speakers confirmed that the basis of the social contract demanded by the women’s movement revolves around equality, respect for pluralism and lack of discrimination. It is based on the concept of citizenship, which prevents any kind of exclusion and is consistent with the Basic Law and the Palestinian declaration of independence. It is also in line with binding international conventions and agreements. The speakers maintained that reaching this social contract would be possible through a national salvation- conference that would determine the perimeters of a progressive political system which would in turn determine the shape of Palestinians’ future. It would entail justice and equality between men and women based on international conventions and agreements, which were signed at the start of 2014, especially those pertaining to women. This requires a political will that will push for democratic legislation in women’s favor and for developing a system capable of rescuing them through a monitoring and accountability process, based on the premise that abiding by the law is the basis of the social contract and breaking these laws is one of the most significant factors that contribute to division and disunity.
Youth and women leaderships
There is a need for evaluation of the current situation regarding the political participation of youth and women and a need to integrate youth and women leaders in a clear, conscious and responsible way. As long as women are outside the framework of authority, no system of government will be able to continue because it loses its representative capacity. The exclusion of women from political participation, especially at this stage for the Palestinian people, and their lack of representation in social and political frameworks, is an abandonment of women’s capabilities, visions and competencies, which are the very things that can address the core of social and political problems which produced in the division in the first place.
The speakers also reaffirmed the need to integrate women in national reconciliation committees. This is especially pressing since it is women who are paying the highest price for the division and lack of national reconciliation. Her presence and representation of the entire Palestinian spectrum will put things back in context because it is women who are capable of setting priorities and focusing on issues relevant to public interest and which benefit society as a whole rather than factional or party interests. These, on the other hand, exclude the other and close the door to dialogue between the different components of society.
Agreements and understandings to end the division
The speakers all agreed on the need to abide by the Cairo and Shati’ Agreements and the Prisoners’ Document and to reject all bilateral agreements between Fatah and Hamas. They called on the two rivals to halt mutual accusations and media slander between them.
Women’s Role
They also reaffirmed that women have suffered the most damage from the division, therefore calling on them to be at the forefront of efforts to end it. They noted that women carried out a number of activities in this regard through the General Union of Palestinian Women and other women’s parties inside the homeland and abroad and that a variety of tools and mechanisms were needed to press for ending the division, the only beneficiary of which is the occupation.
In this context, the speakers called for the formation of women’s and popular committees, for a united women’s voice and a revival of the General Union and women’s parties towards promoting social and political reconciliation.
Regional interferences and external pressures
The talk show guests pointed to regional interferences, saying they were hindrances to the reconciliation. They continued that achieving reconciliation required national and political will and a refusal to kowtow to regional agendas. Reconciliation and ending the division, they maintained, was a crucial national issue for all Palestinians and not just for Fatah and Hamas.
Popular action
They also agreed that popular pressure on the two rival parties was an important means of achieving reconciliation and prompting them to end the division. It should be noted that MIFTAH’s “Women’ Call” conference confirmed that women are capable of achieving national unity by creating a unifying general vision for Palestinians to adopt a clear strategy, which would be the reference for any future action in this respect. This requires from the GUPW to formulate a national plan that would enable women to participate in reconciliation committees through exerting pressure within their own political parties and forming a national leadership for all national and Islamic parties in addition to forming popular committees to exert pressure on the two sides.
The role of youth
The speakers noted that the division has generated frustration and a lack of trust among wide sectors of youth in factions and parties, who have criticized the fact that the dialogue has been confined to the Palestinian leadership and has not involved all sectors of society to work towards producing a new political system that expresses the hopes of the people and the aspirations and needs of youth.
The youth also rejected the dichotomy of the two sides of the division; they maintained that their activities are mostly far removed from political parties, but within civil society organizations, which give them the space and freedom to express their opinions; they could be dismissed from their parties, they said, under the pretext of not abiding by their bylaws.
They called for a new legal system that entails the freedom of expression and gathering and which allows youths to assume the roles they want, criticizing the oppression of youth initiatives in the Gaza Strip.
Youth networks
Meanwhile, the speakers pointed out that the currently active youth networks are independent ones, even though many of their members are affiliated with their parties and factions. However, they all agree on a unified vision towards national issues and priorities, far removed from their parties.
The speakers pointed out that the division prevents the convention of internal conferences for factions and parties. Furthermore, decision-makers staying in their positons for so long has created mutual interests between these leaders and has prevented youth involvement. Youths found their place through youth networks instead and consider social reconciliation one of society’s biggest concerns and the safety valve for avoiding a return to infighting; they stress on the need for spreading awareness and implementing interim justice far from tribal solutions to achieve social reconciliation. These networks stress on youths playing their role in promoting the value of discussion and the acceptance of the other, spreading the politics of tolerance and social justice and offering attention to certain schools and mosques, which encourage the culture of division.
The speakers called on the youth from the two rival parties to form unified student councils inside universities and to conduct the election process with transparency even though the mechanisms for popular and factional accountability are obsolete. They stressed on the shortcomings of the Basic Law in that it does not grant youths their rights in political participation. This is in addition to the police and security mentality in dealing with youth and popular movements.
Pressure groups
The speakers also called for the formation of pressure groups against the division and for involving youths in political and social reconciliation committees. They called for establishing a monitoring body and allowing for activities inside universities and schools, in addition to forming a youth shadow government that monitors the performance of the reconciliation committees.
They also spoke about the need for studies in order to transform youth initiatives into social actions capable of making the required change, reaffirming that youths play a pioneer role and are active in realms such as youth movements and civil society organizations where youths could play a prominent role in forming a third approach. An example of this would be the youth movement within the boycott campaign and the right of return committees. All of these bodies work outside of the conventional political system and national movement and are not claimed by the PLO or the factions. However, they are haphazard and need coordination and a vision, which could transform them into a third national, democratic movement.
The media and the division
The speakers maintained that the local media has dealt with and continues to deal with the division superficially and has not played its role in accountability and monitoring. This also applies to the status of women journalists. That is, the media has not been a beacon for women harmed by the division and has not impacted the various levels of political decisions. Instead, women continue to be marginalized by political leaderships.
The speakers said the media and journalist who contributed to inciting and encouraging violence and the spread of hatred must be held accountable and the media made to adhere to professionalism, neutrality and objectivity. They also need to be encouraged to develop their media rhetoric and conduct investigative reports on the impact of the division. Another subject they need to cover is the situation of women, far removed from political leaders and the damages from the division. The media, they said, must play a positive role in social reconciliation and push towards women’s participation and active roles in reconciliation committees.
The role of civil society organizations
In this regard, the speakers stressed on the variety and contrast of civil society organizations, saying they were an integral part of the crisis especially in regards to their political programs. They said that while there were efforts made by some civil society institutions, their work remained elitist and ineffective at the community level. The overwhelming majority of these institutions have no specific programs for national reconciliation, they said. What’s more, they only give attention to this subject seasonally, considering that the achievement of national reconciliation is not a ‘right” of the Palestinian people. This is over and above the fact that civil society institutions do not have a clear strategy or vision towards ending the division and achieving national reconciliation in addition to lacking any popular efforts from all sectors of society.
The speakers pointed out that the key element to achieving reconciliation is missing, which is the need agree on a conciliatory political program. Without this, no national unity government can sustain. At the same time, the qualities of the current Palestinian political system must not be overlooked; that is, the impact tools in this system are missing; the PLC is defunct and there is no accountability or monitoring, which means other realms must be sought out for this, such as civil society organizations.
Absenting women from reconciliation committees
The speakers warned that absenting the participation of women from the six reconciliation committees and failing to recognize the powerful role they could play is a waste of Palestinian female energy. Palestinian women are educated and public figures who are part of political parties and the PLC. These women should have played a stronger role with the two rival parties in order to end the division. They called for pressuring for this with party and faction leaders. They stressed that women’s representation must not be a mere formality and therefore requires much coordination between women leaderships and women in decision-making positions. They need to develop a clear and binding program to contribute to change and create a dialogue among everyone in the Palestinian spectrum, including mothers who have been affected by the division.
خلال سلسلة من حوارات إذاعية:
منظمات مجتمع مدني وقيادات سياسية وشبابية وإعلامية تدعو إلى إنهاء الانقسام وتحقيق المصالحة
تاريخ النشر: 13/06/2016
بقلم: مفتاح
اختتمت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح"، سلسلة من الحوارات الإذاعية عبر أثير راديو 24FM، مع العديد من القيادات السياسية والشبابية والإعلامية ومسؤولي منظمات المجتمع المدني، ونساء قياديات من مختلف الأطر والتنظيمات الفلسطينية ، تركز النقاش فيها على قضية الانقسام الفلسطيني والجهود والآليات المبذولة لتحقيق المصالحة الوطنية، وذلك ضمن أنشطة متابعة مؤتمر رفع صوت النساء لإنهاء الانقسام وتحقيق المصالحة الوطنية والذي تم تنظيم بمبادرة من مؤسسات مجتمع مدني في حزيران 2015 تحت شعار "النساء يردن ... شعب واحد ، وطن واحد، علم واحد.
العقد الاجتماعي... حاجة ملحة
أكد المتحدثون أن أسس العقد الاجتماعي الذي تطالب به الحركة النسوية ترتكز إلى المساواة واحترام التعددية وعدم التمييز، وتستند الى فكرة المواطنة التي تمنع أي نوع من أنواع الإقصاء، وهو ما ينسجم مع القانون الأساس ووثيقة الاستقلال، والميثاق الوطني الفلسطيني ذاته، إضافة إلى المواثيق والمعاهدات الدولية الملزمة.، وعبّر المتحدثون على أن الوصول الى العقد الاجتماعي يكون من خلال مؤتمر إنقاذ وطني يرسم ويحدد معالم نظام سياسي تقدمي يحدد معالم المستقبل الفلسطيني و يضمن العدالة والمساوة فيما بين الجنسين تستند الى الاتفاقيات والمواثيق الدولية التي تم التوقيع عليها في مطلع 2014، سيما تلك المتعلقة بالمرأة وهذا يتطلب توفر الإرادة السياسية التي من شأنها أن تدفع باتجاه وجود تشريعات ديمقراطية تخدم النساء وتطوير نظام قادر على إنفاذها من خلال عملية الرقابة والمحاسبة على اعتبار أن عملية الالتزام بالقوانين هي أساس العقد الاجتماعي، وأن عملية اختراق القوانين وانتهاكها هي من أهم عوامل التشرذم والانقسام.
القيادات الشابة والنسوية
هناك حاجة لتقييم الوضع القائم للمشاركة السياسية للشباب والنساء وضرورة دمج وإدخال القيادات الشابة والنسوية بطريقة واضحة وواعية ومسؤولة. وكلما كانت النساء خارج الحكم، لا يستطيع أي نظام حكم أن يستمر، بل يفتقد قدرته التمثيلية، لأن إقصاء النساء عن المشاركة السياسية سيما في هذه المرحلة التي يعيشها الشعب الفلسطيني وعدم رفع تمثيلها في الأطر السياسية والمجتمعية هو تخل عن كفاءات وقدرات ورؤى نسوية، والتي في أساسها تعالج جوهر المشاكل المجتمعية والسياسية التي تمخضت عن الانقسام الفلسطيني، وأكدوا على ضرورة دمج النساء في لجان المصالحة الوطنية التي تفتقد إلى العنصر النسوي، سيما وأن النساء هن اللواتي يدفعن ثمن الانقسام وعدم تحقيق المصالحة الوطنية ووجودها وتمثيلها الفعلي من كافة ألوان الطيف الفلسطيني سيضع الامور في سياقها الصحيح والحقيقي لأنها وحدها القادرة على تحديد الاولويات والتركيز على القضايا التي تصب في الصالح العام والتي تحقق مكاسب للمجتمع بشكل عام بعيدا عن الحزبية والفئوية، التي من شأنها أن تقصي الآخر وتغلق أبواب الحوار بين مكونات المجتمع الفلسطيني.
تفاهمات واتفاقات لإنهاء الانقسام
وأجمع المتحدثون في هذه الحوارات على ضرورة الالتزام باتفاق القاهرة ووثيقة الأسرى واتفاقية الشاطئ، ورفض الاتفاقيات الثنائية بين فتح وحماس، ودعوا طرفي الانقسام إلى التوقف عن كيل الاتهامات ووقف التراشق الاعلامي بينهما.
دور النساء
وأكدوا أن النساء اكثر تضررا ومعاناة من الانقسام، وبالتالي طولبت النساء بأن يتصدرن الجهود المبذولة لإنهاء الانقسام، مع الإشارة إلى أن النساء قمن بسلسلة من النشاطات على هذا الصعيد من خلال الاتحاد العام للمرأة الفلسطينية والاطر النسوية في الوطن والمنفى، وأن المطلوب هو التنوع في الأدوات والآليات للضغط باتجاه إنهاء الانقسام، حيث المستفيد من استمراره هو الاحتلال.
وفي هذا الإطار، تم الدعوة إلى تشكيل لجان نسوية شعبية وتوحيد صوت النساء من توجهات الكل الفلسطيني ، واعادة الاعتبار للاتحاد العام والاطر النسوية، بما يعزز المصالحة المجتمعية، والسياسية.
التدخلات الإقليمية والضغوط الخارجية
ولفت المتحدثون في حواراتهم الإذاعية، إلى التدخلات الاقليمية، واعتبروها من معيقات المصالحة، مشددين على أن تحقيقها يتطلب توافر إرادة سياسية وطنية، وعدم الرضوخ لأجندات اقليمية، واعتبار المصالحة وإنهاء الانقسام قضية وطنية ومصيرية ترتبط بالكل الفلسطيني وليس بحركتي فتح حماس لوحدهما.
الحراك الشعبي
فيما تم التأكيد على أن الحراك الشعبي الضاغط على طرفي الانقسام وسيلة مهمة لتحقيق المصالحة ودفع طرفي الانقسام إلى إنهائه.مع الإشارة هنا إلى مؤتمر "النساء يردن... " الذي بادرت لتنظيمه مؤسسة "مفتاح"، والذي أكد على أن النساء قادرات على تحقيق الوحدة الوطنية، والانطلاق من رؤية عامة موحدة وواضحة لترتيب البيت الفلسطيني تتبنى استراتيجية واضحة، تكون هي المرجعية للتحركات القادمة في إطار توحيد الجهود لتحقيق المصالحة، والتأكيد على ضرورة مشاركة النساء في لجان المصالحة الوطنية، والاسهام في تنفيذ بنود الاتفاق وتفعيل منظمة التحرير، وتشكيل مجلس وطني قائم على الانتخابات، والضغط باتجاه انهاء الجدل القائم على الثنائية في المجتمع الفلسطيني، ما يتطلب من الاتحاد العام للمرأة الفلسطينية إلى صياغة خطة وطنية تمكن النساء من الدخول في لجان المصالحة، عبر ممارسة الضغوط داخل أطرهن السياسية، وتشكيل قيادة موحدة من جميع الاحزاب والفصائل الوطنية والاسلامية، وتشكيل لجان شعبية لممارسة الضغوط على طرفي الانقسام لتحقيق المصالحة.
دور الشباب
ولفت المتحدثون إلى أن الانقسام خلق حالة من الاحباط وعدم الثقة لدى قطاعات واسعة من الشباب في الاطر الحزبية والفصائلية، وانتقدوا اقتصار الحوار على القيادات الفلسطينية ، وعدم اشراك جميع فئات المجتمع في العملية الحوارية من اجل فرز وانتاج نظام سياسي جديد معبر عن آمال المواطنين وتطلعات واحتياجات الشباب.
كما رفض هؤلاء ما يجرى من محاصصة بين طرفي الانقسام، وأشاروا إلى أن نشاطاتهم وحراكاتهم غالبا ما تتم بعيدا عن الاحزاب السياسية، ومن خلال منظمات المجتمع المدني التي تعطيهم مساحة وحرية تعبير عن الرأي بعكس الاحزاب التي قد يفصلون منها بذريعة عدم الالتزام بأنظمتها الداخلية.
ودعوا إلى منظومة قانونية جديدة تضمن حرية التعبير والتجمع، وتتيح للشباب القيام بالأدوار التي يرغبون القيام بها، منتقدين ما يجرى من قمع للمبادرات الشبابية في قطاع غزة.
الشبكات الشبابية
في حين، لفت المتحدثون إلى أن الشبكات الشبابية الناشطة حاليا هي شبكات مستقلة، رغم أن عددا كبيرا من أعضائها ينتمون لمختلف الفصائل والأحزاب، لكن يتفق هؤلاء على رؤية موحدة إزاء القضايا والاولويات الوطنية بعيدا عن أحزابهم وفصائلهم، مستفيدين من مساحة التحرك التي تمنحها لهم مؤسسات المجتمع المدني وأشار المتحدثون إلى أن الانقسام عطل انعقاد المؤتمرات الداخلية للفصائل والأحزاب، في حين أن وجود صانعي القرار لفترة طويلة في مواقعهم يخلق مصالح مشتركة بين هذه القيادات، ويمنع انخراط الشباب، الذي وجد نفسه من خلال الشبكات الشبابية، واعتبروا المصالحة المجتمعية الهم الأكبر للمجتمع، وهي صمام الأمان لعدم عودة الاقتتال، وضرورة نشر الوعي، وتطبيق العدالة الانتقالية بعيدا عن الحلول العشائرية، وتحقيق والمصالحة المجتمعية، وان يلعب الشباب دورهم في تعزيز قيم الحوار وتقبل الآخر، ونشر سياسة التسامح والعدالة الاجتماعية، والالتفات إلى ما يجري في بعض المدارس والمساجد من تعزيز لثقافة الانقسام.
ودعا المتحدثون، الشباب في الحركتين المتنافرتين، إلى تشكيل مجالس طلبة وحدوية داخل الجامعات، وخوض العملية الانتخابية بشفافية، علما بأن آليات المحاسبة الشعبية والتنظيمية والمساءلة غير متاحة، مؤكدين قصور القانون الاساسي ، وعدم إعطائهم الشباب حقوقهم على صعيد المشاركة السياسية. بالإضافة الى العقلية الامنية والبوليسية في التعامل مع الحراكات الشبابية والشعبية.
مجموعات ضغط
كما دعوا إلى تشكيل مجموعات ضاغطة ضد الانقسام وإشراك الشباب في لجان المصالحة السياسية والمجتمعية، وإنشاء جسم رقابي، والسماح بممارسة نشاطات داخل الجامعات والمدارس، إضافة إلى تشكيل حكومة ظل شبابية تراقب أداء وعمل لجان المصالحة.
ودعا متحدثون إلى وجوب القيام ببعض الدراسات لتحويل المبادرات الشبابية الى حراكات اجتماعية قادرة على احداث التغيير المطلوب، مؤكدين على أن الشباب يلعبون دورا رياديا وينشطون في فضاءات مثل الحراكات الشبابية ومنظمات المجتمع المدني التي من الممكن ان يلعب فيه الشباب دورا بارزا في تشكيل تيار ثالث، مثل حراكات الشباب في في حملة المقاطعة، ولجان العودة المطالبة بحق العودة، وهذه جميعا تعمل خارج المنظومة التقليدية للنظام السياسي والحركة الوطنية، لا تتبناها منظمة التحرير او الفصائل، ولكنها مبعثرة وبحاجة الى تنسيق ورؤية ومن الممكن ان تتحول الى تيار وطني ديمقراطي ثالث.
الإعلام والانقسام
وأشار المتحدثون إلى أن الاعلام المحلي تعاطي ولا زال مع ملف الانقسام بسطحية، تعامله مع جميع الملفات الاخرى، ولم يقم بدوره في المساءلة والرقابة. وذلك ينسحب على وضعية النساء الاعلاميات في تسليط الضوء على انهاء الانقسام. حيث لم يكن هذا الاعلام منبرا للنساء المتضررات من الانقسام، ولم يؤثر على مستويات القرار السياسي المختلفة، في حين استمر تهميشهن من قبل القيادات السياسية.
ودعا المتحدثون إلى وجوب محاسبة الاعلاميين والصحفيين الذين ساهموا بالتحريض والتشجيع على القتل، ونشر الكراهية، ومطالبة الاعلاميين بالتزام المهنية، والالتزام بالحيادية والموضوعية، وتطوير الخطاب الاعلامي، وإجراء تحقيقات صحفية عن اثر الانقسام، وتسليط الضوء على أوضاع النساء بعيدا عن القيادات السياسية واضرار الانقسام . وأن يقوم الإعلام بدور إيجابي في موضوع المصالحة المجتمعية، والحث على مشاركة النساء في لجان المصالحة الوطنية، وتفعيل دورهن.
وأكدوا على ضرورة تطوير ورقة سياسات عامة وقوانين إعلامية ناظمة، صديقة لحقوق الإنسان، وتوفر بيئة آمنة للإعلاميين.
دور مؤسسات المجتمع المدني
في هذا السياق شدد المتحدثون إلى تعدد وتباين برامج مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، وقالوا أنها جزء لا يتجزأ من الازمة سيما فيما يتعلق ببرامجها السياسية التي ارتبطت بموضوع إقامة الدولة الفلسطينية المستقلة ولم تقم على أساس الصراع الداخلي ما قبل الدولة، وإن كانت هناك بعض الجهود من بعض مؤسسات المجتمع المدني فإن عملها نخبوي، غير فاعل ومؤثر على المستوى المجتمعي حيث أن الأغلبية العظمى من مؤسسات المجتمع المدني ليس لديها برامج خاصة للمصالحة الوطنية وليس ذلك فحسب، بل تعمل في هذا الملف بشكل موسمي باعتبار أن قضية المصالحة الوطنية وإنجازها ليس حقا من حقوق الشعب الفلسطيني ، ناهيك عن أن مؤسسات المجتمع المدني ليس لها استراتيجية أو رؤية واضحة نحو انهاء الانقسام وتحقيق الوحدة الوطنية بالإضافة الى فقدان الجهد الجماهيري بشكل واضح من كافة مكونات المجتمع الفلسطيني.
وشددوا على أن العنصر الاساسي للمصالحة مفقود، ويتمثل في ضرورة التوافق على برنامج سياسي توافقي، والذي بدونه لا يمكن استدامة حكومة وحدة وطنية وربما تنفجر من داخلها في مرحلة ما. في حين يجب عدم إغفال ميزات النظام السياسي الفلسطيني الحالي، حيث أن أدوات التأثير في النظام الحالي غائبة، فالتشريعي معطّل ولا يوجد مساءلة أو رقابة، بل هي مفقودة في ظل هذا النظام السياسي، ما يستوجب الذهاب إلى فضاءات أخرى. يجب أن تنشط مؤسسات المجتمع المدني لتفعيلها.
تغييب النساء في لجان المصالحة
نبه المتحدثون، إلى تغييب مشاركة النساء في لجان المصالحة الست، وأن عدم الاعتراف بقوة الدور الذي ممكن ان تلعبه النساء هو إهدار لهذه الطاقات الفلسطينية الموجودة للنساء المتعلمات والشخصيات العامة المنتمية للأحزاب السياسية مثل عضوات مجلس التشريعي المعطل، اللواتي كان يجب عليهن أن يلعبن دور قوي لدى طرفي الانقسام لإنهائه، ودعوا الى الضغط بهذا الاتجاه من خلال القياديات داخل الاحزاب والفصائل الفلسطينية وأن لا يكون هذا التمثيل النساء تمثيلا شكليا ، الامر الذي يتطلب التنسيق العالي ما بين القياديات النسوية والنساء في مواقع صنع القرار وأن يبلورن برنامجا واضح يتم الالتزام به للمساهمة في التغيير وخلق حوار مع جميع الطيف الفلسطيني ، وأن يتم تمثيل الامهات اللواتي تضررن من الانقسام.
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.
