Ramallah – 17/7/2021 – MIFTAH recently capped off four training workshops on media and digital campaigns that targeted a number of young activists and leaders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The objective of the workshops was to build the participants’ capacities in managing digital campaigns and disseminating a civil discourse based on the values of good governance and democracy, in addition to promoting a culture of rights and freedoms within social media content.
The training focused on the need for digital platforms to push for the promotion of the political participation of youth. It also stressed on the need for youth to unify their efforts in pressuring decision-makers to ensure the fair representation of this sector in the Palestinian political system. Another objective of the workshop was the dissemination of content based on a culture of human rights, which in turn will promote the protection of freedoms and Palestinian citizens’ rights in addition to combatting the discourse of hatred and polarization.
Participant Malak Nasser Ayede, from Jericho, said the training gave her skills on how to use social media in a more strategic way. This became apparent from her posts, which she says are now more to the point and attractive to the reader. “I hope MIFTAH offers more training and expands to other regions so that more people can benefit from them,” she said.
Sally Nakhla, from Ramallah, also said she greatly benefited from the training, especially since she works in the field of campaign management for youth issues, including their political participation.
MIFTAH coordinator in the Gaza Strip, Shadia Al Ghoul, explained that the training workshop in Gaza targeted 20 activists with the goal of providing the participants with management skills for lobbying and advocacy campaigns in the media, especially through digital media outlets. It also aimed to develop their skills in providing a civil media discourse based on the promotion of democratic values and foundations, in addition to strengthening skills in planning digital campaigns. Al Ghoul also said it provided the participants with skills for preparing digital media content that advocates for the political participation of youth.
Trainer Fadi Al Asa said the training could help the participants achieve strong, national Palestinian media advocacy campaigns, stressing however, the need for a methodology in developing their knowledge in areas that would serve their causes and issues in the future.
“We trainers need more time to train and help them gain the necessary skills, while the trainees also need more time to implement this acquired knowledge and learn from their mistakes so they don’t face any problems in the future. Hopefully they will achieve their intended outcome of creating digital media campaigns that they can later implement on the ground. What’s more, the trainees could eventually become trainers with some additional preparation, thereby broadening the circle so it is not only limited to small groups but becomes more community-based. We need a more comprehensive endeavor not limited to only certain topics, given there are always major technological developments pertaining to social media.”
Meanwhile, MIFTAH project manager, Hassan Mahareeq, said the training workshop was part of MIFTAH’s interventions within its objective of supporting and empowering young leaders and creating an atmosphere of dialogue between Palestinian youth to promote political participation, a unifying national identity and the adoption of democratic values.
This project is carried out by MIFTAH in partnership with the Austrian Representative Office.
Please find below a link to the pictures from the Gaza Strip workshop:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ln7S_ay00IrX56dallHSi5bSktf9biP-?<\ausp=sharing
'مفتاح' تختتم أربع ورشات تدريبية حول الحملات الإعلامية والرقمية استهدفت عدداً من الناشطين والقيادات الشابة في محافظات الضفة وغزة
تاريخ النشر: 17/07/2021
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – 17/7/2021 - اختتمت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" مؤخراً أربع ورشات تدريبية حول الحملات الاعلامية والرقمية، استهدفت من خلالها عدداً من الناشطين والقيادات الشابة في محافظات الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة، بهدف تنمية قدراتهم في إدارة الحملات الرقمية ونشر الخطاب المدني القائم على قيم الديمقراطية والحكم الصالح، وتعزيز ثقافة الحقوق والحريات في محتوى مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي.
وركز التدريب على أهمية استثمار المنصات الرقمية في الدفع باتجاه تعزيز مشاركة الشباب السياسية وتمكينهم من توحيد جهودهم لممارسة الضغط على جهات صناعة القرار لضمان تمثيل عادل للشباب في مكونات النظام السياسي الفلسطيني، بالإضافة إلى نشر محتوى قائم على ثقافة حقوق الإنسان الذي من شأنه تعزيز حماية الحريات والحقوق للمواطنين الفلسطينيين ومحاربة خطاب الكراهية والاستقطاب.
المتدربة ملاك ناصر العايدي من مدينة أريحا عبرت عن تقديرها لما حققته من فائدة من التدريب الذي مكنها من استخدام السوشال ميديا بطريقة صحيحة واستراتيجية، ما عكس نفسه على منشوراتها هناك والتي باتت أكثر جاذبية وأكثر وضوحاً من ناحية الهدف ومضمون تلك المنشورات. "أتمنى على "مفتاح" أن ترفدنا بمزيد من التدريبات على هذا الصعيد وأن تمتد وتتوسع إلى معظم المحافظات ليستفيد منها العدد الأكبر من المهتمين".
أما سالي نخلة من رام الله، فتحدث بدورها عن استفادة نوعية أضافت الكثير إلى تخصصها في مجال إدارة الحملات التي تخدم قضايا الشباب وأهمها تعزيز مشاركتهم السياسية.
بدورها، قالت شادية الغول، منسقة "مفتاح" في قطاع غزة، "أن الورشة التدريبية التي عقدت في قطاع غزة استهدفت 20 ناشطاً وناشطة، وهدفت إلى تزويد المشاركين/ات بمهارات إدارة حملات الضغط والمناصرة من خلال الإعلام وخاصة الإعلام الرقمي، وتطوير مهاراتهم في تقديم خطاب إعلامي مدني قائم على تعزيز القيم والأسس الديمقراطية. إضافة إلى تعزيز قدراتهم في تخطيط الحملات الرقمية، وتزويدهم بمهارات إدارة الحملات الرقمية، وتزويدهم بمهارات إعداد محتوى إعلامي رقمي مناصر لقضايا مشاركة الشباب السياسية."
وفي تقييمه للمشاركين في التدريب، قال فادي العصا، أنه يمكن أن تساعدهم هذه التدريبات لاحقا في تحقيق حملات مناصرة إعلامية وطنية فلسطينية قوية، مع التأكيد على وجوب وجود منهجية في تطوير معارف المتدربين في هذه المجالات، ما يخدم قضاياهم مستقبلا.
أضاف:" نحن كمُدَرِبَين بحاجة إلى وقت أكثر للتدريب واكسابهم المهارات، والمتدربون بحاجة أيضا إلى وقت أطول في التنفيذ والتعلم من أخطائهم؛ ليواجهوا أية مشكلات في المستقبل، والخروج بالنتيجة المرجوة المتمثلة في تنفيذ حملات رقمية إعلامية حقيقية خلال التدريب، تمكنهم من تنفيذها لاحقا على أرض الواقع. في حين يمكن أن يتطور التدريب ليكون بعد تجهيز هذه المجموعات، وأن يصبحوا مدربين؛ وتتسع الدائرة أكثر ولا يقتصر الأمر على مجموعات صغيرة، وإنما يمتد بشكل مجتمعي ليخدم القضية الوطنية وفق منهج علمي متكامل ومستمر، لا يتوقف فقط عند هؤلاء المتدربين، وضرورة عقد لقاءات بشكل أوسع، كما أن هناك حاجة إلى مشروع كامل لا يقتصر فقط على موضوعات معينة، كون التطورات التكنولوجية كبيرة وكثيرة خاصة فيما يتعلق بمنصات التواصل الاجتماعي وتقنيات العمل عليها".
من ناحيته، قال حسن محاريق، مدير المشروع، أن هذا التدريب يأتي استكمالاً لتدخلات "مفتاح" ضمن دعم وتمكين القيادات الشابة الهادف إلى ترسيخ البيئة الحوارية ما بين الشباب الفلسطيني لتعزيز المشاركة السياسية والهوية الوطنية الجامعة وتبني القيم الديمقراطية، والذي تنفذه "مفتاح" بالشراكة مع الممثلية النمساوية.
Statement by CSOs on Israeli attack against six Palestinian NGOs
Date posted: October 23, 2021
By MIFTAH
October 23, 2021 -- Palestinian civil society organizations met today at MIFTAH’s Ramallah offices to strategize against the recent Israeli government decision to label six Palestinian NGOs as “terrorist organizations” including Al Haq, Addameer, DCI, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, Bisan Center and Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees. The CSOs consider this move as part of Israel’s broader assault on Palestinian civil society and human rights organizations that work to expose Israeli occupation violations against the Palestinian people.
The institutions strongly believe there must be decisive measures taken by the Palestinian Authority in response to this decision stressing the illegitimacy of the claim that these organizations are “terrorist” and expressing their firm support for them. Palestinian Authority parties must also ensure that these six NGOs are protected by declaring that they are legitimate and licensed according to the Palestinian domestic laws.
The Palestine Monetary Authority must abide by the Palestinian Authority’s decision and circulate it to national banks in order not to take actions against these NGOs so that they can continue their work in defending human rights and exposing Israeli violations. This includes shouldering their responsibilities towards these esteemed Palestinian institutions by ensuring protection for their financial status and against any potential attacks, raids or fund cuts from international parties.
In this context, the CSOs call on international parties such as foreign ambassadors, parliamentarians, and consuls to secure a position of support for these organizations and reject Israel’s allegations and to respect the Palestinian domestic laws related to CSOs. The CSOs called for targeted action within the United States in particular to reject Israel’s narrative in this regard. This includes lobbying with members of Congress and lawmakers in a bid to protect the six organizations from fund cuts and pressure on local banks to freeze their accounts.
CSO’s reject Israel smear campaign aimed at the delegitimization and criminalization of Palestinian civil society. It is the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian society and the international community to stand up to this Israeli assault and protect the work of these prominent Palestinian organizations from attack.
MIFTAH releases 2021 Citizens’ Budget in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance
Date posted: October 12, 2021
By MIFTAH
Ramallah – 6/10/2021 – MIFTAH, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, recently released the 2021 Citizens’ Budget, a simplified, tabulated, document summarizing government policies and approaches included in the general budget.
The Citizens’ Budget highlights the most significant points in the general budget, which include its net revenue of ILS13.6 billion and overhead and net lending, amounting to ILS19.6 billion. Meanwhile, the funding gap, which is considered a deficit in covering the budget’s overhead, totaled ILS3.7 billion. It also shows the size of the public debt since the start of 2021, amounting to ILS7.5 billion in internal debts and ILS4.3 billion in external debts.
The general budget’s allocations are distributed across several sectors, including public services, whose share was 23.2%. Meanwhile, the security sector comprised 19.3%, followed by education at 17.4%, health at 13% and social protection at 12.7%. Economic affairs constituted 6.5% of the general budget and environmental protection only comprised 0.1%.
Through its publication of the Citizens’ Budget, MIFTAH seeks to promote transparency in fiscal policies and to allow citizens the opportunity to access and follow the preparation of general budgets and expenditures for the various programs, especially those affecting daily needs such as protection, education and health services. It also enables the official establishment to apply standards of international transparency.
What’s more, the Citizens’ Budget is considered an important accountability tool for citizens vis-a-vis their participation and representation in the preparation of the general budget and distribution of its allocations, according to the priorities and needs of citizens. Furthermore, promoting government openness in fiscal policies enhances the efficiency of managing public funds, to the benefit of Palestinian citizens and their steadfastness.
Emergency session for representatives of institutions, factions and parties to discuss Cabinet decision on local elections
Date posted: September 30, 2021
By MIFTAH
Ramallah – 28-9-2021 – Upon invitation by civil society organizations (CSOs), MIFTAH recently held an emergency session for several institutions and representatives of national parties and factions to discuss local elections following the September 6 Cabinet decision in this regard. The decision calls for holding local council elections in two stages: the first will begin on 11/12/2021 in 387 town and village councils, including 377 in the West Bank and the second phase, including (A) and (B) categorized local councils, to be held on March 26, 2022.
Civil society institutions voiced their rejection of dividing elections into two stages, maintaining there is no real technical reason for this. Rather, they said, the decision was based on unclear and unspecified phrases such as the ‘national interest” and the coronavirus pandemic. The representatives said they considered this decision to be for purely political motives.
In this context, the representatives said the first stage of local council elections in 387 town and village councils classified as [C] are mostly conducted by acclamation or appointment of committees by the Ministry of Local Government, which curtails the democratic right of voters to choose their representatives. They also said civil society demands were not taken into consideration, demands which were extensively discussed in past years over certain amendments such as: the lowering of the candidacy age, raising the women’s quota and cancelling the threshold, which would pave the way for increased participation of women and youth in the electoral process.
The participants confirmed that holding split elections was a form of political corruption, which CSOs reject. They also said this pointed to the executive authority’s misuse of the Local Elections Law and its amendments: according to Article 2 of the 2012 law by decree regarding amendments to the Local Council Elections Law, No. 19 of 2005, which is the amended law, No. 12 of 2005, stipulates the following: Article 4 of the original law shall be cancelled and replaced with the following text: 1. Elections shall be held in all local councils on one day every four years upon a decision by the Cabinet; 2. In the case local council elections are not held in accordance with Paragraph 1, the Cabinet may issue a decision to hold elections in stages as necessitated by the public interest. Hence, the decision on how elections will be held has been appropriated from the Central Elections Commission (CEC) as the independent party authorized by the Cabinet and places the application of the law and its interpretations in the hands of a non-independent political party.
Party representatives also briefed CSOs on their position regarding the elections, saying they considered them an important entryway to a comprehensive reform of the Palestinian political system on the one hand, a break in the current state of singular decision-making and an expansion of the frameworks for partnership of political and social forces in administrating public affairs, on the other. They maintained that factions cannot allow space for more singularity and possession of power by holding local elections, even if in stages.
The party representatives indicated they were open to options for holding elections in stages but reiterated their support for the position of CSOs in demanding a postponement of elections until they can be held in one day.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue coordination with the political parties and to continue pressuring the government to issue a decision to hold one-time local council elections in accordance with the law. They also called for avoiding the political challenges that hinder elections in the Gaza Strip or prevent CSOs from assuming their oversight role on these elections.
