MIFTAH recently held a number of local and international meetings that included intensive discussions on Palestinian women’s issues within the Women’s Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and UNSCR 1325. MIFTAH shared numbers and data which clearly indicate to the ongoing violations against Palestinian women in Area C and Jerusalem. This data pointed to the scope of the violence exercised against Palestinian women in these areas, with a focus on violence against women as a result of Israeli occupation measures. These include home demolitions, settlement expansion and forced expulsion, all of which constitute compounded burdens on Palestinian women due to the lack of sufficient services such as water, electricity and housing. This is over and above the almost total lack of medical services, weak economic resources and limitations on freedom of movement.
Furthermore, issues of Palestinian women in Jerusalem were highlighted with a focus on residency rights. Palestinian women in the city live under constant threat from the Israeli government that they will be stripped of their rights as permanent residents of Jerusalem, either because they are married to Palestinian citizens from the West Bank or Gaza Strip or that they are the West Bank residents and could be kicked out of the city at any time. In addition, they must endure the heavy restrictions and financial burdens demanded by the Israeli government in order to prove they and their family reside in Jerusalem. This has threatened the Palestinian family unit in the city, has dispersed its members and allowed for the loss of women’s rights as a result of both Israeli civil laws and laws enacted by the PA. The report documented several cases of Palestinian women, each of whom constitutes a special case of violations and deprivation including family reunification issues, to living in an oppressive family atmosphere, to being separated or divorced.
Among the most significant recommendations reaffirmed by the members of the National Committee for Implementing UNSCR1325 and the grassroots coalitions working within the Women’s Peace and Security Agenda was the need for continuous feedback from women leaders to women at the grassroots level, which would help the integrality of the work; adherence to the pivotal points of the national plan for implementing UNSCR1325; the distribution of roles among partners and relevant parties such as direct responsibilities to be evaluated at a later time, with direct indication to the shortcomings of these parties in the resolution’s implementation and the serious problem of funding special activities of the implementing parties.
The sessions fall under the OXFAM-funded project “Promoting Women’s Participation in Civic Peace”, which is part of the program “Policy Dialogue and Good Governance” through which MIFTAH aims to provide dialogue spaces that guarantee interaction at the national and international level on pivotal Palestinian issues based on a framework of international legitimacy.
MIFTAH also participated in last week’s WPS week at the UN in New York, commemorating the 18th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 during which it showcased the violations Palestinian women endure under Israeli occupation in several of the event’s meetings and forums.
'مفتاح' تنفذ سلسلة لقاءات في إطار أجندة المرأة الأمن والسلام
تاريخ النشر: 23/10/2018
بقلم: مفتاح
نفذت مؤسسة "مفتاح" مؤخرا عددا من اللقاءات محلياً ودولياً، تناولت نقاشات مكثفة حول قضايا النساء الفلسطينيات في إطار أجندة المرأة الأمن والسلام ارتباطاً بالقرار الأممي 1325. حيث كانت "مفتاح" قد شاركت بعض الأرقام والبيانات والتي تشير بشكل واضح إلى الانتهاكات المستمرة التي تمارس بحق النساء الفلسطينيات في المناطق المصنفة "ج" والقدس، حيث أشارت تلك البيانات إلى حجم العنف الذي يمارس بحق الفلسطينيين في هذه المناطق وبالتركيز على العنف الممارس على النساء نتيجة ممارسة الاحتلال الاسرائيلي في هذه المناطق، من هدم المنازل والتوسع الاستيطاني والتهجير القسري للفلسطينيين وما تشكله هذه الممارسات من عبء مضاعف على النساء الفلسطينيات، من قلة الخدمات سواء الماء أو الكهرباء أو السكن، إضافة إلى انعدام الخدمات الصحية وضعف الموارد الاقتصادية والحد من حرية الحركة والتنقل.
كما تم تسليط الضوء على قضايا النساء الفلسطينيات في القدس وبالتركيز على قضية الهوية والاقامة، حيث تعاني المرأة الفلسطينية من الملاحقة من قبل الحكومة الاسرائيلية والتهديد الدائم بالحرمان من حقوقها كمواطنة مقدسية أو التهديد بها، إما بسبب الزواج من فلسطيني من سكان الضفة الغربية أو قطاع غزة، أو بالحالة العكسية، ناهيك عن المعاناة وفرض القيود وإثقال الكاهل بالمتطلبات المالية للدفع للحكومة الاسرائيلية كإثبات وجود لها ولعائلتها في القدس، مما انعكس على تهديد وحدة الأسرة الفلسطينية في القدس وتشتيت الأفراد وضياع حقوق النساء ما بين القوانين المدنية الاسرائيلية والقوانين المعمول بها في إطار السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية، والحالات التي وثقها التقرير وبني عليها، تطول أسماء كثير من النساء الفلسطينيات التي تشكل كل واحدة منهن حالة خاصة من التعرض للانتهاكات والحرمان من لم شمل العائلة والعيش بجو أسري، والتعرض للانفصال والطلاق.
ومن أهم التوصيات التي أكدّ عليها المشاركون/ات، من أعضاء اللجنة الوطنية لتطبيق القرار الأممي الأممي 1325، ومجموعة من الائتلافات القاعدية العاملة في إطار أجندة الأمن والسلام ارتباطا بالقرار الأممي المذكور؛ ضرورة وجود تغذية راجعة ومستمرة من القيادات النسوية إلى النساء في القاعدة، تساعد على تكاملية العمل، والالتزام بمحاور الخطة الوطنية لتنفيذ القرار 1325، وتوزيع الأدوار فيما بين الشركاء والجهات ذات الاختصاص، كمسؤوليات مباشرة سيتم تقييمها لاحقا، مع الاشارة المباشرة لتقصير الأطراف في تطبيقها، ووجود إشكالية جادة في تمويل الفعاليات الخاصة بجهات تنفيذ الخطة الوطنية.
تأتي هذه الجلسات ضمن مشروع "تعزيز مشاركة النساء في بناء السلم الأهلي" وبدعم من أوكسفام، ضمن برنامج "حوار السياسات والحكم الرشيد" الذي تهدف من خلاله "مفتاح" إلى توفير فضاءات حوارية تضمن التفاعل على المستوى الوطني والدولي حول قضايا فلسطينية محورية محلياً ووطنياً بالاستناد إلى أطر الشرعة الدولية.
في حين تشارك "مفتاح" حاليا، في فعاليات واجتماعات أسبوع الخاص بسنوية القرار الأممي ال ١٨، حيث ستعرض من خلال جلسة خاصة ما تتعرض له النساء الفلسطينيات تحت الاحتلال من انتهاكات، وعكس المطالبات لدعم حماية حقوق المرأة دوليا ومحليا.
وكانت مؤسسة "مفتاح"، قد شاركت هذه البيانات والمعلومات في جلسة خاصة عقدت بالشراكة مع مركز المرأة للإرشاد القانوني والاجتماعي على هامش أعمال مجلس حقوق الانسان الجلسة 39 في شهر ايلول من هذ العام، بحضور عدد من المؤسسات الدولية والعربية، حيث هدفت "مفتاح" من عرضها الذي قدمته في الجلسة الخاصة إلى تسليط الضوء على جملة الانتهاكات التي تتعرض لها النساء الفلسطينيات في مناطق "ج" والقدس ومناطق H2 بمدينة الخليل، وإظهار العنف المضاعف الذي تخلفه ممارسات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي في هذه المناطق وبالأخص على النساء. كذلك استندت مؤسسة “مفتاح”، بالشراكة مع مركز المرأة للإرشاد القانوني والاجتماعي في لقاءاتها والتي نظمت مع أعضاء من برلمان الاتحاد الأوروبي في مدينة بروكسل وفريق من وزارة الخارجية البلجيكية وعدد من المنظمات الدولية غير الحكومية إلى استعراض قضايا النساء الفلسطينيات تحت الاحتلال، وإلى العبء المضاعف الذي تحمله وتعاني منه النساء الفلسطينيات في هذه المناطق، من قلة خدمات والتعرض للعنف الاحتلالي وعنف المستوطنين.
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.
