One September 9, MIFTAH held a meeting to follow up on the recommendations of a special report on the vision of Palestinian women regarding the results of the global review UN Resolution 1325. The report was entitled “Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice and Securing the Peace” and was released in 2015 on the 15th anniversary of the resolution.
Gender researcher Dr. Hadeel Qazaz presented the 10 strategies agreed on as part of the women’s vision of the Resolution 1325 global review. She stressed on the importance of the recommendations and strategies from this paper, shedding light on social violence against women and the need to consider including them in the women’s vision . She also reaffirmed the importance of the role of Palestinian women in internal reconciliation, similar to women in other parts of the world who positively intervened in and after internal conflicts in their countries.
The participants, members of the Higher National Committee for Resolution 1325, all reaffirmed the importance of reviewing the 10 strategies in the women’s vision, agreeing on priorities and adopting them as basic references in preparing the national plan for Resolution 1325. The most significant strategies include: reaffirming that the occupation constitutes colonialist domination, thus calling on international institutions to assume their role in pressuring commissions, courts and international bodies to try Israeli officials in court for violations of human rights, to hold the Israeli occupation accountable and responsible for its crimes and to take international measures in this regard; to continue supporting women’s contributions in documenting these violations; reaffirming the strong tie between the various elements of the human rights system and international humanitarian law in terms of women’s rights by broaching the issue of women, peace and security in local, regional and international conferences.; involving human rights organizations in raising the issues of women, peace and security and stressing on the important role of Palestinian diplomacy in raising these issues, in addition to giving attention to internal Palestinian matters.
The committee concluded by stressing on the need to reread the women’s vision for Resolution 1325 and discuss mechanisms for putting into action international agreements and resolutions pertaining to the women’s agenda for peace and security within an integral system. This would serve as a legal reference for the protection of women and to increase their representation in decision-making positons and would also take into consideration the various contexts of the reality in which Palestinian women live.
On the margins of this meeting, the reference framework was showcased for Palestinian women’s participation in international activities on the occasion of Resolution 1325’s 18th anniversary in order to agree on women’s demands vis-à-vis peace and security, which will be proposed in October, 2018. The women reaffirmed the need to press for an international conference to discuss the status of Palestinian women under occupation, which would be held under the auspices of The UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. They also seconded the point made in the presentation on highlighting the suffering of Palestinian women under occupation, particularly in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and Area C and called for the appointment of a UN Secretary General special envoy for women under occupation. Moreover, they pressed for developing significant steps towards implementing international resolutions on ending the occupation.
Najwa Yaghi, director of the project “Promoting women’s participation in peace and security building” said the activity was part of MIFTAH’s efforts to support the OXFAM-funded women’s agenda for peace and security. She said this falls within MIFTAH’s strategic objective to promote good governance in Palestine, through which MIFTAH aims to move forward in lobbying and advocacy on public policies, including social justice and equality. This, Yaghi maintains, is achieved through holding dialogue sessions with decision-makers to influence public policies in support of women, youth and marginalized sectors in order to guarantee social justice and the protection of citizens’ rights, based on human rights principles and UN resolutions.
جلسة متابعة خاصة في 'مفتاح' تناقش توصيات التقرير الخاص بالرؤية النسوية الفلسطينية حول نتائج المراجعة الدولية لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325
تاريخ النشر: 06/09/2018
بقلم: مفتاح
عقدت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" أمس الأربعاء جلسة خاصة لمتابعة توصيات التقرير الخاص بالرؤية النسوية الفلسطينية حول نتائج المراجعة الدولية لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325، والتي تم إعدادها بناء على المراجعة الدولية للقرار، تحت عنوان" الحد من النزاع، العدالة الانتقالية وضمان السلام" والتي تم إصدارها في العام 2015 بمناسبة مرور 15 عاما على القرار الأممي 1325،
وعرضت د. هديل قزاز - الباحثة في قضايا النوع الاجتماعي- الاستراتيجيات العشر التي تم التوافق عليها ضمن الرؤيا النسوية الفلسطينية حول نتائج المراجعة الدولية لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325، حيث أكدت على ضرورة التوصيات والاستراتيجيات التي خرجت بها الورقة، وسلطت الضوء على العنف الاجتماعي ضد النساء، وضرورة التفاكر بإمكانية إعادة طرحه في الرؤيا النسوية إلى جانب تأكيدها على أهمية دور النساء الفلسطينيات في المصالحة الداخلية أسوة بالنساء على المستوى الدولي التي كان لها تدخلات إيجابية أثناء وبعد النزاعات الداخلية في دولها.
وأكّدت المشاركات من عضوات اللجنة الوطنية العليا لتنفيذ قرار مجلس الأمن 1325 في فلسطين على أهمية مراجعة الاستراتيجيات العشر التي تضمنت الرؤيا النسوية وعلى أهمية التوافق على الأولويات واعتمادها كمرجعيات أساسية في إعداد الخطة الوطنية لتنفيذ القرار الأممي 1325، ومن أبرز هذه الاستراتيجيات : التأكيد على أن الاحتلال يشكل هيمنة كولونيالية، ومطالبة المؤسسات الدولية بتجسيد دورها في الضغط على الهيئات والمحاكم والمحافل الدولية لمحاكمة المسؤولين عن انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان ومساءلة الاحتلال الإسرائيلي وتحميله مسؤولياته، واتخاذ التدابير الدولية لذلك، والاستمرار في دعم مساهمات النساء في توثيق الانتهاكات، والربط الوثيق بين العناصر المختلفة لمنظومة حقوق الإنسان والقانون الدولي الإنساني عن مفاهيم حقوق المرأة، مع الإشارة إلى قضايا المرأة والسلم والأمن في المؤتمرات المحلية والإقليمية والدولية، وإشراك مؤسسات حقوق الإنسان في إثارة قضايا المرأة والسلم والأمن، مع التأكيد على الدور الهام للدبلوماسية الفلسطينية في إثارة قضايا المرأة والسلم والأمن، بالإضافة إلى إيلاء الاهتمام بالقضايا الفلسطينية الداخلية
وخلص الاجتماع إلى ضرورة إعادة قراءة الرؤية النسوية لتطبيق القرار 1325 والتشاور في آليات تفعيل الاتفاقيات والقرارات الدولية ذات العلاقة بأجندة النساء في الأمن والسلم كمنظومة متكاملة تشكل المرجعية القانونية لحماية النساء وزيادة تمثيلهن في مواقع صنع القرار وتراعي السياقات المختلفة لواقع النساء الفلسطينيات.
وتم على هامش الاجتماع هذا، عرض الاطار المرجعي لمشاركة النساء الفلسطينيات في فعاليات دولية خاصة لمناسبة 18 سنة على إصدار القرار الأممي 1325، بهدف التوافق على المطالب النسوية في قضايا السلم والأمن التي سيتم طرحها خلال تشرين الأول 2018، حيث اكدت النساء المشاركات على ضرورة الضغط باتجاه مؤتمر دولي لمناقشة وضع المرأة الفلسطينية تحت الاحتلال، وأن يتم ذلك من خلال لجنة الامم المتحدة المعنية بممارسة الشعب الفلسطيني لحقوقه غير القابلة للتصرف والتي تنظم مؤتمرات دولية بشكل سنوي حيث كان أخر مؤتمر يتعلق بالقدس تم عقده في المغرب. بالإضافة إلى تأكيدها على ما ورد في العرض المقدم الذي أكد على تسليط الضوء على معاناة النساء الفلسطينيات تحت الاحتلال خاصة في القدس، وقطاع غزة ومناطق ما يسمى (ج) والمطالبة بمبعوث خاص للأمين العام للامم المتحدة متخصص بقضايا النساء تحت الاحتلال، والضغط في بلورة خطوات جدية نحو تنفيذ القرارات الدولية المتعلقة بانهاء الاحتلال.
وافادت السيدة نجوى ياغي مديرة مشروع (تعزيز مشاركة النساء في بناء السلم والأمن) بأن هذا النشاط يأتي ضمن جهود (مفتاح) في دعم الأجندة النسوية؛ السلام والأمن، وبدعم من OXFAM ، ويقع ضمن ھدفھا الاستراتیجي تعزیز الحكم الصالح في فلسطین ، والذي تھدف من خلاله" مفتاح" إلى المضي قدما في الضغط والمناصرة حول السیاسات العامة بما یضمن العدالة الاجتماعیة والمساواة من خلال تنظیم جلسات حوار مع صناع القرار للتاثیر بالسیاسات العامة لمساندة النساء والشباب والفئات المھمشة لضمان احقاق العدالة الاجتماعیة، وحمایة حقوق المواطنین وذلك بالاستناد الى مبادىء حقوق الانسان والقرارات الأممیة ذات الصلة".
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.
