MIFTAH, in cooperation with the CEC and with EU funding, recently completed a series of training workshops entitled: “Managing election campaigns and preparing electoral platforms” for local and municipal council candidates from PLO factions and independents in the Gaza Strip. The workshops were part of the “My vote, my right for expression, my right for change” project aimed at raising awareness among the Palestinian public to the democratic process and at capacity-building among women running in local council elections. The workshops were attended by 85 of 149 candidates in the electoral lists.
End goals
The training aimed to promote awareness among the woman on the local council law, with a focus on the work of local councils from a gender and development perspective. It also aimed at enabling them to read and analyze the local council law and the electoral system from a gender perspective and promote candidates’ capabilities in designing and managing election campaigns. The training involved them in an analysis of previous local council experiences from a gender perspective and built on capacity-building in terms of communicating with the public and the media.
Main points
The workshops included practical training on skills for organizing election campaigns and preparing electoral platforms. They also focused on interaction with the voter public and differentiating between service-based and national political platforms in addition to skills for dealing with the print and broadcast media. Furthermore, the candidates were shown the importance of direct contact with their communities through arranging town hall meetings in order to showcase their projected achievements should they win.
Evaluation and recommendations
In their evaluation, the candidates confirmed that the training workshops had exceeded their expectations, saying the informaiton provided was “sufficient and comprehensive” and met their needs. They also said they learned about the legal framework of LGUs, about the local elections law, designing elections campaigns, and communicating with the public and the media. They added that they developed their debate and presentation skills and strengthened their gender analysis skills vis-à-vis women’s participation in local councils. Furthermore, the candidates recommended that they be given special courses on gender, women’s rights in legislation, and leadership skills. The women recommended more pressure to complete and hold the elections and that advocacy campaigns should be organized to amend the local council law in terms of expanding the jurisdictions of local councils and placing women in secured positions.
Azza Qassem: merging between foundation and training
In her assessment of the extent to which the candidates benefited from the training, Azza Qassem said it was ‘necessary and important” and that many of the candidates were in need of “basic foundations”. Qassem says that, “Throughout the workshops we tried to merge between creating a foundation and for them and the actual training topics. Hence, we focused on giving them as much information as possible. They were all very focused,” she said. Qassem says what made this training so unique was that it was conducted not by a single trainer, but by a pair. She partnered with trainer Karem Nashwan, which meant the candidates were offered additional information and guidance, but still recommended that MIFTAH continue to target these candidates with training on leadership skills.
Shadia Al Ghoul: Qualitative training
MIFTAH’s Gaza Strip coordinator Shadia Al Ghoul called the training “qualitative” given that MIFTAH was a pioneer in directly targeting women candidates after the lists were formed. This, she says, put MIFTAH up to the challenge of training all the candidates representing PLO factions. Al Ghoul explained that the Gaza Strip has 25 electoral lists. The training, which ran from September 6 to October 3 coincided with a legal debate regarding the Strip after nine electoral lists were stricken and a lawsuit was filed to cancel the rulings from Gaza’s Court of First Instance and the CEC. As a result, the candidates said they especially appreciated the training because if they had not received it, they would have had no information about the elections law, the work of local councils, what goes on in courts and the legal debates being conducted in courts and in political corridors. One of the most significant outcomes of this training, says Al Ghoul, is that the candidates were now able to answer citizens’ questions about the elections. They also were more aware of their rights and duties vis-à-vis the local councils and the duties of these councils and were introduced to the procedures and laws pertaining to election campaigns.
Al Ghoul maintained that the training workshops gave the candidates a ‘major boost’ and increased their self-confidence. It also made them even more convinced of their role and ability for change, adding that the idea of pairing one male and one female trainer was part of the training’s uniqueness and enhanced the idea of partnership and joint action.
استكمال سلسلة تدريبات حول العملية الانتخابية وإدارة الحملات الاعلامية لعشرات المرشحات من فصائل منظمة التحرير والمستقلين في قطاع غزة
تاريخ النشر: 10/10/2016
بقلم: مفتاح
استكملت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح"، بالتعاون مع لجنة الانتخابات المركزية وبتمويل من الاتحاد الأوروبي مؤخرا، سلسلة من دورات التدريب بعنوان" إدارة الحملات الانتخابية وإعداد البرنامج الانتخابي"، لمرشحات المجالس البلدية والمحلية في فصائل منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية والمستقلين في مختلف مناطق قطاع غزة، ضمن مشروع (صوتي حقي في التعبير.. صوتي حقي في التغيير )، الهادف إلى رفع مستوى الوعي لدى الجمهور الفلسطيني اتجاه ممارسة العملية الديمقراطية وبناء قدرات النساء المؤهلات للترشح في انتخابات مجالس الهيئات المحلية ، بمشاركة 85 متدربة من أصل 149 مرشحة في القوائم الانتخابية تلك.
أهداف وغايات
واستهدف التدريب تعزيز وعي المتدربات بأحكام قانون الهيئات المحلية ، مع التركيز على واقع واختصاصات الهيئات المحلية من من منظور جندري وتنموي، وتمكينهن من قراءة وتحليل قانون الانتخابات المحلية والنظام الانتخابي من منظور النوع الاجتماعي، وتعزيز قدرات المرشحات في تصميم وإدارة الحملات الانتخابية، وإشراكهن في قراءة وتحليل تجارب الانتخابات المحلية السابقة من منظور النوع الاجتماعي، وبناء قدراتهن في مجال التواصل مع الجمهور ووسائل الإعلام، وتمكينهن من التعامل مع هذه الوسائل.
محاور رئيسية
واستنادا إلى أهداف وغايات التدريب، فقد اشتملت الدورات على تدريبات عملية، حول مهارة تنظيم الحملات الانتخابية، وإعداد البرنامج الانتخابي والتفاعل مع جمهور الناخبين، وصياغة البرنامج الانتخابي، والفرق بين البرنامج الخدماتي والسياسي الوطني، ومهارات التعامل مع وسائل الإعلام المرئية والمسموعة والمكتوبة، بالإضافة إلى أهمية التواصل المباشر مع المجتمع المحلي من خلال ترتيب اللقاءات الجماهيرية والمهارات اللازمة في تنظيم لقاءات ناجحة كفيلة بعرض الإنجازات المتوقعة من المرشحات بحال فوزهن بالانتخابات.
تقييم وتوصيات
وفي تقييمهن لما تلقينه من تدريبات، أكدت المرشحات، أن التدريب فاق توقعاتهن من حيث المادة التدريبية باعتبارها وافية وشاملة، ولبت احتياجاتهن، كما أضافت لهن معرفة كن يجهلنها حول الإطار القانوني للهيئات المحلي، وقانون الانتخابات، وتصميم الدعاية الانتخابية والتواصل مع الجمهور ووسائل الإعلام، وتطوير مهاراتهن في النقاش والعرض، وتعزيز القدرة على التحليل الجندري لواقع مشاركة النساء في الهيئات المحلية. في حين أوصت المرشحات، بتنظيم دورات متخصصة لهن في الجندر، وحقوق المرأة في التشريعات، ومهارات القيادة، والضغط من أجل استكمال وإجراء الانتخابات، وتنظيم حملة مناصرة لتعيير قانون الهيئات المحلية" خاصة توسيع اختصاصات الهيئات المحلية، ووضع النساء في مواقع مضمونة النجاح.
عزة قاسم: دمج بين التأسيس وعناوين التدريب
وفي تقييمها لمدى استفادة المرشحات من الدورات التدريبية، قالت عزة قاسم " بالنسبة للمستهدفات، فقد كان التدريب حاجة ضرورية وأكثر من هام. وقد فوجئت من خلفيات المرشحات اللواتي كن بحاجة ماسة إلى كثير من التأسيس، وقد حاولنا خلال تلك التدريبات أن ندمج بين بين التأسيس والعناوين المطروحة، وعليه ركزنا على الجانب المعرفي وترسيخ المعلومات لديهن بموضوعات التدريب وعناوينه، وقد أظهرن جميعا قدرة عالية على التركيز والاستماع لكل ما يطرح". " ما يميز التدريب، أنه نفذ من قبل فريق، وليس مدربا وحدا، حيث تشاركت فيه مع الزميل المدرب كارم نشوان، وكان لهذ انعكاسه الجيد على المرشحات ومدهن بزخم غير عادي. في المحصلة أوصي "مفتاح" بمواصلة استهداف هؤلاء المرشحات، لكن هذه المرة فيما يتعلق بموضوع القيادة".
شادية الغول: تدريب نوعي
بدورهأ، وصفت شادية الغول منسقة "مفتاح" في قطاع غزة بأنه، نوعي كون مؤسسة مفتاح من المؤسسات التي كانت سباقة في استهداف المرشحات بشكل مباشر بعد تشكيل القوائم مما وضع "مفتاح" في تحدي إنجاز تدريب جميع مرشحات فصائل منظمة التحرير، حيث ان القطاع يشمل 25 قائمة انتخابية. في حين تزامن التدريب الذي بدأ بتاريخ 6\9\2016 وانتهى بتاريخ 3\10 ، بجدل قانوني كبير خاصة في القطاع تزامنا مع إسقاط 9 قوائم انتخابية، وتقديم قضية إلغاء الاحكام الصادرة من محكمة البدايات غزة ولجنة الانتخابات، حيث انعكس التدريب ايجابا علي المرشحات اللواتي حسبما صرحن بذلك لم يكن لدين أي معرفة أو معلومة بالقانون الانتخابي، اختصاص المجالس البلدية ، وما يجري في المحاكم والجدل القانوني الدائر في المحاكم والأروقة السياسية، وبالتالي كان من نتائج هذه التدريبات أن استطاعت المرشحات بعد ذلك، الرد علي الاسئلة التي كن يتلقينها من المواطنين حول الانتخابات، والتعرف علي حقوقها وواجبتها في المجالس البلدية، ومهام المجالس البلدية، وكذلك التعرف على الإجراءات والقوانين المتعلقة بالدعاية الانتخابية.
وختمت الغول حديثها بالقول:" التدريب أعطى دفعة قوية للمرشحات وزاد من ثقتهن بأنفسهن، كونهن تسلحن بالمعلومات والمعرفة المطلوبة، كما زاد من قناعتهن بدورهن وقدرتهن على التغيير، فيحين أن اختيار فريق تدريب مكون من رجل وامرأة ذات اختصاص في القانون وإدارة الحملات كان من ضمن التميز للتدريب كفكرة شراكة ونموذج للعمل المشترك .
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.
