As part of its OXFAM-Novib funded project “Conflict and Fragility” MIFTAH held a roundtable meeting on the 25th of April , with international and regional organizations and diplomatic missions in Palestine to discuss the special study on the vision of Palestinian women towards the results of the Global Study of the implementation of UNSCR 1325. The study entitled “Ten strategies for tackling issues pertaining to Women, Peace and Security in Palestine “ sheds light on the gaps regarding the situation of Palestinian women under Israeli occupation, a point neglected by the Global Study, entitled “Ending Conflict, Transitional Justice and Guaranteeing Peace” which was released in 2015 on the 15th anniversary of UNSC Resolution 1325.
The meeting opened with a preview of the Global study presented by theconsultant Dr. Hadeel Qazzaz. She pointed out that the international study disregarded several pivotal issues such as: the suffering of Palestinian women under the longest occupation in history. Still she maintained, the issues broached in the study are important and can be used to the advantage of Palestinian women, adding that the most important contribution was that it covered several international experiences. Hence, Qazzaz recommended that it be used locally as educational material to increase Palestinian women’s awareness especially regarding the development of agendas pertaining to women, peace and security.
Dr. Qazzaz continued that the Global study discussed the changing nature of wars and conflicts around the world, from wars between armies to wars between non-state actors, in addition to the widespread use of advanced technology and modern media methods, which has put an additional burden on women. She said it also addressed the difference in the root causes of conflicts and the shifting concept of peace whereby signing a peace agreement does not necessarily mean an end to war. Hence, preventing a conflict before it occurs is more important in the present situation.
Nonetheless, the study noted that women were mentioned more in issues of peace and security and at the level and nature of their interventions, thus reviving their practical role. That is, this role is no longer symbolic and issues revolving conflict are more gender-sensitive.
The study pointed to influential and power actors in society, including civil society institutions, youth, media and the National Action Plan (NAP). Palestine was one of the first countries to devise an interactive and participatory national action plan. It also pointed to the importance of national statistics and monitoring in documenting violations.
The study’s recommendations reaffirmed the effective role of all partners and their rejection of militarization and conflict, also stressing on the issue of transitional justice and participation in formulating a national and international plan.
The preliminary presentation of the study was followed by commentary from the participants, who called for consideration of certain issues such as: the interference of religion in politics, the influx of weapons into conflict and war zones; the weapon-producing countries’ lack of respect towards this influx; a radical change in violence against women (such as mass rapes); the assault on women’s achievements; the increase in the number of refugees and immigrants; and the continuation of the Israeli occupation.
In the Palestinian context, several achievements by Palestinian women were mentioned. Most of these achievements revolved around participation, protection and accountability and around taking discussions to a higher level.
Regarding violence in Palestine, Dr. Qazzaz warned that violence takes place within the framework of the dominant occupation that the core solution to this violence is to end the Israeli occupation.
She indicated the 10 proposed strategies included in the Palestinian vision are not an alternative to the national plan but are complementary to it. This entails trilateral responsibility that includes civil society, official and international institutions. In this context, the discussion revolved around a high level of participation between the women’s coalition and the national committee for UNSC Resolution 1325 in implementing the national action plan, preparing relevant reports and the need for preserving the role of the women’s coalition as a lobbying and advocacy body that supports the development of the Palestinian women’s agenda for peace and security. Furthermore, the role of international institutions was emphasized in supporting the Palestinian demand to end the occupation, supporting the voice of Palestinian women in international arenas, human rights councils and the UN and in bolstering the efforts of the Palestinian women’s movement in its demand for protection of Palestinian women under occupation.
Discussion and recommendations
The discussions following the presentation underscored a number of issues and recommendations including:
- Women’s rights are a primarily political and legal issue; there is a need to include all women’s rights within the framework of enacted political concepts
- Addressing the concept of violence against women through the concept of peace and security necessitates a political decision and comprehensive intervention and for the international committee to shoulder its responsibilities in this regard.
- A warning against the undermining and fragmentation of states and identities in the Arab world and attempts at division such as in Syria and Iraq; also efforts to transfer external wars to Arab lands and thereby dismantle all aspects of political and social life leading to the complete overtaking of ideas and political decisions. This is at a time when international decisions in this regard are being formed according to an Israeli vision.
- Analysis of the UN rhetoric and manner in which it deals with the issue of Palestinian women. That is, the UN tries to extricate this issue from the context of the Israeli occupation, which necessitates efforts to find a formula for ending the occupation.
- The need for Palestinian discourse on the peace and security stipulation of Resolution 1325 to be interwoven with relevant international resolutions.
- Expanding the scope of confrontation with the occupation in the international arena, especially after Palestine joined a number of international agreements.
- Speaking about transitional justice as part of the Palestinian context needs research and discussions in order to comprehend its applicability within the Palestinian reality of a colonialist occupation.
- The need to condense national strategies in an comprehensive manner with the need for Palestinian data that gathers together all the information collected by civil society institutions on human rights violations.
- The adoption and linkage of Resolution 1325 to the CEDAW Convention and with international resolutions within the framework of the conflict with the occupation and holding Israel accountable for its violations in the Palestinian territories; confirming the strength of this resolution given that it is equal in legally clout to Resolution 242.
- Reaffirming the demand to implement the articles on protecting women and holding the occupation accountable and considering this to be a central national cause; identifying applicable goals regarding Resolution 1325 with the help of friendly international parties.
- Calling on European countries to recognize the State of Palestine; calling on them to honor their own decisions regarding settlements and the occupation; putting pressure on international institutions to restore their neutral and biased role towards Israel.
- Reaffirming that local institutions play a central role in impacting international organizations while the role of the later is represented in offering financial support, expertise and capacity-building support in order to allow women’s voices to be heard globally. This should be done within a framework of strategic partnership between local and international organizations.
- To request from the next Arab League ministerial meeting to focus more on Resolution 1325 and on the support the League could offer in this regard.
- A call to women leaderships to invest in youth activists who are able to shoulder responsibilities and convey the experiences of the old generation to the new.
- Identifying the levels of discourse with the various international institutions in order to secure the aspired political support from them.
A bigger role for the Arab League
Following the study’s presentation, MIFTAH CEO Dr. Lily Feidy reiterated the importance of asking the Arab League’s next ministerial meeting to focus more on Resolution 1325 and on what support the League could offer at this level. She noted that the official stance of the Arab League in this regard was extremely weak.
Following the presentations, MIFTAH Projects Manager, Najwa Yaghi said at the Palestinian level, efforts were being made to carry out all roles, whether at the level of civil society institutions or at the level of official institutions. “We are trying to put as much effort into this as possible,” she said. “There is a lot of work that needs to be done and this needs concerted efforts at the local level, both civil and official along with international institutions working in the Palestinian territory so they can have a bigger role.”
In response to one of the calls to implement Resolution 1325 at a larger scale, Yaghi concurred, but said this needed a mechanism of coordination and networking at the local level with international organizations.
Through this meeting, MIFTAH called for unifying Palestinian women’s rhetoric and supporting the efforts of the Palestinian women’s movement by promoting their participation in political decision -making and in circles of national, regional and international dialogue.
Another meeting followed the session which included civil society institutions and Karama Network representative Ms. Amneh Hilweh The participants discussed ways of possible cooperation at the regional level. They also discussed the available options to ensure the interaction of Palestinian women’s institutions in regional and international arenas and to support Palestinian women’s peace and security agenda.
بمشاركة مؤسسات المجتمع المدني الفلسطينية ومؤسسات إقليمية ودولية وبعثات دبلوماسية
لقاء تشاوري يناقش التقرير الخاص الذي اعدته 'مفتاح' حول الرؤية النسوية الفلسطينية لنتائج المراجعة الدولية لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325
تاريخ النشر: 29/04/2017
بقلم: مفتاح
ضمن مشروع "تعزيز مشاركة النساء في بناء السلم والأمن"، وبدعم من أوكسفام نوفب، عقدت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" أمس الثلاثاء لقاءً تشاوريا مع المؤسسات الدولية والبعثات الدبلوماسية في فلسطين، تم خلاله مناقشة التقرير الخاص بالرؤية النسوية الفلسطينية حول نتائج المراجعة الدولية لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325، والذي يسلط الضوء على الفجوات المتعلقة بواقع النساء الفلسطينيات تحت الاحتلال الاسرائيلي، وهو ما أغفلته المراجعة الدولية، تحت عنوان "الحد من النزاع، العدالة الانتقالية، وضمان السلام"، والتي تم إصدارها في العام 2015 بمناسبة مرور 15 عاما على صدور القرار الأممي 1325.
استهل اللقاء بعرض للمراجعة الدولية قدمته د. هديل قزاز المستشارة بقضايا القرار الأممي 1325 ، حيث أشارت إلى أن الدراسة الدولية أغفلت كثيرا من القضايا المحورية من أبرزها: إغفال معاناة المرأة الفلسطينية في ظل الاحتلال باعتباره أطول احتلال في التاريخ، ومع ذلك فإن القضايا التي طرحتها تلك الدراسة مهمة، ويمكن استخدامها كأداة لصالح المرأة الفلسطينية، في حين أن أهم إضافة لها هو اطلاعها على العديد من التجارب الدولية، وبالتالي أوصت القزاز باستخدامها محليا كمادة تدريبية لزيادة وعي النساء الفلسطينيات خاصة فيما يتعلق ببلورة الاجندات المتعلقة بالمرأة الأمن والسلم.
وفي تطرقها لمحتوى الدراسة الدولية، أشارت د. قزاز إلى أن هذا المحتوى تحدث عن التغير في طبيعة الحروب والنزاعات حول العالم، من حروب جيوش إلى حروب جهات خارج إطار الدولة، والاستخدام الواسع للتكنولوجيا المتطورة جدا ولوسائل الاعلام الحديثة فيها، ما زاد العبء على النساء. إضافة إلى اختلاف الأسباب الجذرية للصراعات، وتغير طبيعة السلام، حيث أن توقيع اتفاقية سلام لا يعني إنهاء الحرب، وبالتالي أصبح منع الصراع قبل حدوثه أكثر أهمية في الوضع الحالي.
في المقابل لاحظت الدراسة، أن هناك ذكرا أكثر للنساء في قضايا السلم والأمن، وفي مستوى وطبيعة تدخلاتهن، ما فعّل دورهن العملي، ولم يعد هذا الدور رمزيا، وبات هناك حساسية للنوع الاجتماعي في قضايا النزاع.
ولفتت الدراسة إلى القوى الفاعلة والمؤثرة في المجتمع، ومنها: مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، الشباب، الإعلام، والخطة الوطنية، حيث كانت فلسطين من أوائل الدول التي وضعت خطتها الوطنية، وهي خطة ممتازة وتفاعلية وتشاركية، مشيرة إلى أهمية الإحصاءات الوطنية، والرقابة والرصد في توثيق الانتهاكات.
في حين أكدت توصيات الدراسة الدولية، على الدور الفعال لجميع الشركاء، ورفضها للعسكرة والنزاعات، كما شددت على موضوع العدالة الانتقالية، والمشاركة في وضع الخطط الوطنية والدولية.
وأعقب العرض الأولي للدراسة الدولية مداخلات من قبل الحضور، دعت إلى الأخذ بعين الاعتبار قضايا مثل: إقحام الدين في السياسة، تدفق السلاح إلى مناطق النزاعات والحروب، وعدم احترام الدول المنتجة للسلاح من تدفقه، وحدوث تغير نوعي في العنف ضد النساء ( مثل الاغتصابات الجماعية)، والانقضاض على إنجازات النساء، وازدياد عدد اللاجئات واللاجئين والمهاجرين، واستمرار وجود الاحتلال الإسرائيلي.
وفي السياق الفلسطيني، والتي تضمنتها الرؤية النسوية الفلسطينية، فقد أشير إلى إنجازات كثيرة للنساء الفلسطينيات، وأغلب هذه الإنجازات في موضوع المشاركة والحماية والمساءلة، ونقل النقاشات إلى مستويات أعلى.
وفيما يتعلق بالعنف في فلسطين، فقد نوهت د. قزاز إلى أنه عنف يتم في إطار هيمنة احتلالية، والحل الجذري لهذا العنف هو إنهاء الاحتلال الإسرائيلي والإصرار على ذلك.
وأشارت إلى أن الاستراتيجيات العشر المقترحة التي تضمنتها الرؤية الفلسطينية، ليست بديلا للخطة الوطنية وإنما داعمة لها، وتتضمن مسؤولية ثلاثية مشتركة تضم مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، المؤسسات الرسمية والمؤسسات الدولية. وفي هذا الإطار جرى الحديث عن تشاركية عالية بين الإئتلاف النسوي واللجنة الوطنية لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325 في تنفيذ الخطة الوطنية، وإعداد التقارير ذات العلاقة، وضرورة العمل على أن يظل دور الائتلاف النسوي للقرار الأممي 1325 كجسم ضاغط ومناصر وداعم لبلورة الأجندة النسوية الفلسطينية للأمن والسلم، في حين تم التأكيد على دور المؤسسات الدولية في دعم المطلب الفلسطيني بإنهاء الاحتلال ودعم إعلاء صوت المرأة الفلسطينية في المحافل الدولية ومجالس حقوق الانسان والأمم المتحدة ودعم جهود الحركة النسوية الفلسطينية في المطالبة بإحقاق الحماية للمرأة الفلسطينية تحت الاحتلال.
النقاش والتوصيات
أكدت النقاشات التي أعقبت العرض، على مجموعة من القضايا والتوصيات من أبرزها:
- حقوق المرأة هي قضية سياسية بالدرجة الأولى وقانونية أيضا، وضرورة وضع قضايا المرأة جميعا ضمن المفاهيم السياسية المعمول بها.
- معالجة مفهوم العنف ضد المرأة من خلال قضية السلم والأمن يستوجب قرارا سياسيا، وتدخلا شاملا، وأن يتحمل المجتمع الدولي مسؤولياته بهذا الشأن.
- التحذير مما يجري في العالم العربي من تقويض وتفكيك للدول والهوية، ومحاولات تقسيم كما يحدث في سوريا والعراق، وانتقال الحروب الخارجية إلى الأراضي العربية، وبالتالي تفكيك كل مناحي الحياة السياسية والاجتماعية، وحدوث احتلالات شاملة للفكر والقرار السياسي، في ذات الوقت الذي يتشكل فيه القرار الدولي وفق رؤيا إسرائيلية.
- تحليل خطاب الأمم المتحدة والطريقة التي تتعامل بها هذه المنظمة الدولية مع المرأة الفلسطينية، حيث تحاول انتزاع قضيتها من سياق الاحتلال الإسرائيلي، ما يستوجب العمل على إيجاد صيغة تنهي الاحتلال.
- ضرورة أن يدمج الخطاب الفلسطيني المتعلق ببند الأمن والسلم في القرار 1325 بالقرارات الدولية ذات الصلة.
- توسيع مساحة الاشتباك مع الاحتلال على الساحة الدولية، خاصة بعد انضمام فلسطين إلى العديد من الاتفاقيات الدولية.
- الحديث عن عدالة انتقالية ضمن السياق الفلسطيني بحاجة لبحث وسلسلة مشاورات، وذلك لاستيعاب انطباقها ضمن الواقع الفلسطيني بوجود احتلال كولونيالي.
- ضرورة اختزال الاستراتيجيات الوطنية بطريقة مبوبة ومفهومة، مع الحاجة إلى رقم فلسطيني يجمع كل المعلومات التي جمعتها مؤسسات المجتمع المدني حول انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان.
- تبني وربط القرار الأممي 1325 باتفاقية سيداو، وبقرارات الشرعية الدولية في إطار الصراع مع الاحتلال ومساءلة إسرائيل عن انتهاكاتها في الأراضي الفلسطينية. والتأكيد على قوة هذا القرار باعتباره يساوي القوة القانونية للقرار 242.
- التأكيد على المطالبة بتطبيق بندي حماية النساء ومساءلة الاحتلال، واعتبارها القضية الوطنية المركزية. وتحديد أهداف قابلة للتطبيق فيما يتعلق بالقرار 1325 بمساعدة الأطراف الدولية الصديقة.
- مطالبة الدول الأوروبية الاعتراف بدولة فلسطين، ودعوتها لاحترام قراراتها بشأن الاستيطان والاحتلال، وممارسة ضغط على المؤسسات الدولية للعودة إلى دورها الحيادي وعدم الانحياز لإسرائيل.
- التأكيد على أن المؤسسات المحلية هي من تلعب الدور المركزي في التأثير على المؤسسات الدولية، في حين أن دور الأخيرة يتمثل في تقديم الدعم المالي والخبراتي وبناء القدرات لإيصال صوت المرأة للعالم، على أن يتم ذلك في إطار الشراكة الاستراتيجية بين المؤسسات المحلية والدولية.
- الطلب من الاجتماع الوزاري القادم لجامعة الدول العربية التركيز أكثر على القرار الاممي 1325، وما يمكن أن تقدمه الجامعة من دعم على هذا الصعيد.
- دعوة القيادات النسوية إلى الاستثمار بالجيل الشاب من الناشطات يكنّ قادرات على تحمل المسؤولية ونقل تجربة الجيل القديم لهذا الجيل.
- تحديد مستويات الخطاب مع المؤسسات الدولية المختلفة للحصول منها على الدعم السياسي المنشود.
دور أكبر لجامعة الدول العربية
وفي مداخلتها التي أعقبت عرض الدراسة، أكدت د. ليلي فيضي، المدير التنفيذي ل"مفتاح"، على أهمية الطلب من الاجتماع الوزاري القادم لجامعة الدول العربية التركيز أكثر على القرار الاممي 1325، وما يمكن أن تقدمه الجامعة من دعم على هذا الصعيد، مشيرة إلى أن الموقف الرسمي للجامعة العربية في هذا الشأن يتسم بالضعف الشديد.
في حين قالت نجوى ياغي، مديرة مشاريع في "مفتاح" بعد الانتهاء من عرض المداخلات:" فلسطينيا نبذل كل الجهود للقيام بجميع الأدوار سواء على مستوى مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، أو على مستوى المؤسسات الرسمية". أضافت:" نحاول بذل المزيد من الجهود، وهناك عمل كثير يجب بذله، لكن يجب تكاتف جميع الجهود المحلية بمستوياتها الأهلية والرسمية مع المؤسسات الدولية العاملة على الأرض الفلسطينية حيث نجد دورها أكبر".
وردا على الدعوة التي تضمنتها إحدى المداخلات والتي نادت بتطبيق أكبر للقرار 1325، قالت ياغي:" هذا صحيح، ولكن يجب البحث عن آليات للتنسيق والتشبيك على المستوى المحلي مع المؤسسات الدولية".
ودعت "مفتاح" من خلال اللقاء الى توحيد الخطاب النسوي الفلسطيني، ودعم جهود الحركة النسوية الفلسطينية بتعزيز مشاركتها في صنع القرار السياسي ودوائر الحوار الوطني والاقليمي والدولي.
وأعقب اللقاء اجتماع خاص ضم مؤسسات المجتمع المدني، مع ممثلة شبكة كرامة الاقليمية السيدة آمنة الحلوة للبحث في سبل التعاون الممكنة على المستوى الاقليمي، والتشاور حول الخيارات المتاحة لضمان تفاعل المؤسسات النسوية الفلسطينية في المحافل الاقليمية والدولية ودعم أجندة المرأة الفلسطينية للأمن والسلم.
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.
