Ramallah – 28/12/20201 – As part of its efforts to shed light on the importance of the political participation of youth at the national and local levels, MIFTAH held a number of discussions in West Bank districts and the Gaza Strip. During these discussions, a factsheet was presented on the percentages of youth representation at all decision-making levels, aimed at providing an update on the status of youth’s political participation and the challenges that disrupt their progression in this regard.
The participants discussed the most significant results in the factsheet, which portrayed the reality of youth representation in leadership positons in Palestinian factions and parties, popular federations and work unions, in addition to women’s representation in student unions. The results showed that most leadership positions lacked the youth component, with no more than 1% representation. Moreover, the popular union leadership frameworks were also lacking youth representation. In union branches, youths were moderately represented but not in the boards of directors.
It was also noted that the percentage of representation of female students in Palestinian university student councils was 30.9%. The factsheet displayed a number of unconventional forms of political participation in which youth sectors found participatory spaces that intersects with various social components irrespective of any specific political affiliations. For example, the percentage of youth participation in volunteer work was 19.6%, followed by community development activities at 7% and participation in youth clubs, at 6%.
The participants presented on the results, saying these percentages reflected how youth were increasingly resorting to political participation in unconventional spaces, especially after the confidence crisis with political factions and parties and their impact on the Palestinian political system. The participants maintained that the youth is still searching for forms of political participation that will lead to real change on the ground, without becoming involved in areas that will hinder progress towards their goals.
Youth participants cited percentages that emerged from the first phase of recent local council elections, which showed that independent lists won 70.86% of the seats in local councils as opposed to 29.14% for faction lists. The attendees said they believe that if a periodic, democratic process is continued and maintained, whether at the local or legislative levels, this will double the chances for their political representation. They added that this could reflect on the vitality of the Palestinian political system through the active participation of women and youth.
The participants capped off the sessions with a number of recommendations including: encouraging youth to participate in the second half of the upcoming local elections as a precursor to moving in the direction of legislative elections and a gateway for resolving chronic national problems, including the political division. They also stressed that the democratic process is an integral part of the struggle and steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the way in which our internal affairs are run, through participation from all Palestinian components, without exception.
These sessions are part of MIFTAH’s interventions within its Youth Empowerment Program in cooperation with the Arab Palestinian Investment Company, APIC. The program aims at empowering young leaders capable of involvement and participation in decision-making positions through the adoption of democratic values and civic discourse as a framework for a political system capable of creating real partnership for all social components.
مشاركة الشباب في الانتخابات المحلية بداية التحرك باتجاه 'التشريعية'
'مفتاح' تعقد سلسلة من اللقاءات الحوارية حول نسب تمثيل الشباب في مراكز صناعة القرار
تاريخ النشر: 29/12/2021
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – 28/12/2021 - في إطار الجهود التي تبذلها "مفتاح" لتسليط الضوء على أهمية مشاركة الشباب السياسية على المستوى الوطني والمحلي، عقدت سلسلة من الجلسات الحوارية في محافظات الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة، تم خلالها استعراض ورقة حقائق حول نسب تمثيل الشباب في مستويات مراكز صنع القرار كافة، بهدف تحديث قراءة واقع مشاركة الشباب السياسية والتحديات التي تعيق تقدمهم في هذا المجال.
وناقش المشاركون في هذه الجلسات أهم نتائج ورقة الحقائق، والتي تترجم واقع تمثيل الشباب في الهيئات والمراكز القيادية للأحزاب والفصائل الفلسطينية، والاتحادات الشعبية، والنقابات المهنية، وتمثيل النساء في مجالس اتحاد الطلبة، حيث عكست النتائج في معظمها خلو المراكز القيادية من فئة الشباب، كما بقيت نسبة تمثيلهم متدنية بما لا يتجاوز 1%، كما بقيت الأطر القيادية للاتحادات الشعبية خالية من تمثيل الشباب، بينما تمثل الشباب بنسب متوسطة في الأفرع لدى النقابات وليس في الهيئات الإدارية.
كما لوحظ أن نسب تمثيل الطالبات في مجالس اتحاد الطلبة لدى الجامعات الفلسطينية بلغت 30.9%، وأظهرت ورقة الحقائق عدداً من الأشكال غير التقليدية للمشاركة السياسية والتي تجد فيها الفئات الشابة مساحات تشاركية تتقاطع مع مختلف المكونات المجتمعية دون اقتصارها على لون سياسي محدد، حيث بلغت نسبة مشاركة الشباب في الأعمال التطوعية 19.6% يليها أنشطة تنمية مجتمعية بنسبة 7%، بينما شكلت المشاركة في الأندية الرياضية 6%.
وقدم المشاركون مداخلاتهم حول النتائج في أن هذه النسب قد تعكس لجوء الشباب بشكل متزايد إلى المشاركة السياسية في المساحات غير التقليدية، خاصة بعد تشكل أزمة الثقة مع الأحزاب والفصائل السياسية وانعكاسها على النظام السياسي الفلسطيني. وأشار المشاركون إلى أن الشباب ما زال يبحث عن أشكال للمشاركة السياسية تؤدي إلى إحداث تغيير حقيقي على الأرض، دون الانخراط في مجالات قد تعيق تقدمهم نحو أهدافهم.
واستند الشباب المشاركون إلى النسب التي أظهرتها الانتخابات المحلية التي جرت مؤخراً ضمن المرحلة الأولى، حيث أشارت النسب إلى حصول القوائم المستقلة على 70.86% من المقاعد في المجالس والهيئات المحلية مقابل 29.14% للقوائم الحزبية. ورأى الحاضرون أنه إذا ما تم الحفاظ على استمرار العملية الديمقراطية ودورية الانتخابات سواء المحلية أو التشريعية ستتضاعف الفرص أمام تمثيلهم سياسياً، وقد ينعكس ذلك على حيوية النظام السياسي الفلسطيني من خلال شراكة فاعلة للنساء والشباب.
واختتم المشاركون في هذه اللقاءات بعدد من التوصيات أهمها تشجيع الشباب على المشاركة في الانتخابات المحلية القادمة واعتبارها بداية التحرك باتجاه الانتخابات التشريعية وباباً لعلاج المشكلات الوطنية المزمنة ومنها الانقسام السياسي. كما شدد المشاركون على أن العملية الديمقراطية هي جزء من نضال الشعب الفلسطيني وصموده، وهي الطريقة التي تدار بها شؤوننا الداخلية وبمشاركة جميع المكونات الفلسطينية دون إقصاء.
تأتي هذه الجلسات الحواية ضمن تدخلات برنامج دعم وتمكين القيادات الشابة والذي تنفذه "مفتاح" بالتعاون مع الشركة العربية الفلسطينية للاستثمار (APIC)، والهادف إلى تمكين قيادات شابة قادرة على الانخراط والمشاركة في مراكز صنع القرار، من خلال تبني القيم الديمقراطية والخطاب المدني كإطار لنظام سياسي قادر على خلق شراكة حقيقية للمكونات المجتمعية كافة.
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.
