Ramallah – 3/5/2022 – MIFTAH recently capped off several training sessions aimed at empowering women and youth candidates for local council elections to increase their presence and participation in election campaigns.
The training sessions were held in several West Bank districts and for groups of women and youth in the Gaza Strip, even though the current round of local elections does not include Gaza. The goal of their inclusion was to equip them with the necessary information and tools to prepare them for the election process should they be held in the Gaza Strip.
Hanan Said, officer within MIFTAH’s empowerment and capacity-building unit, said the trainings are part of MIFTAH’s strategic interventions in promoting democratic values among women and youth activists and developing their leadership skills and capabilities. This, she maintained, was aimed at increasing their involvement in the election process and ultimately reaching decision-making positions in local councils by equipping them with ways to impact public policies and achieve more visibility and representation.
The training included an intensive program to provide necessary information on election laws and regulations for the electoral process, focusing on the tools and mechanisms needed to impact electoral programs and promote the presence of women and youth candidates in campaigns. They also gave participants the necessary skills for connecting with voters in local communities.
Impressions of women and youth candidates
In their assessment of the training and benefits gained, Wafa’ Karaki, a candidate running in the Hebron municipal elections, said the training gave her new and helpful information and skills for her campaign, regarding the candidacy process, the distribution and number of seats and how to ensure political participation. “I had the opportunity to meet and interact with several candidates from competing lists,” Karaki said “I was very interested to learn others’ opinions, especially the men, and to discuss the importance of women’s real and active participation where they are not just numbers.”
Samah Fatayer, another participant and candidate in the Jericho municipal elections, said this was her first time running in elections. “I became very interested in the election process and how to manage campaigns; the training added to my knowledge on certain concepts such as democracy, fact-finding, information-gathering and active participation in closed meetings. It also helped me to express my opinions and suggestions and gave me tools I did not have before”.
Meanwhile, Masa Ayyad, a candidate running in the Nablus local council elections, said the training was a ‘quantum leap” for her. “I never had enough information about elections or how to run a campaign, but this training provided me with knowledge and expertise and allowed me to meet other candidates from different cities. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about MIFTAH and the support it offers to women and youth.” Ayyad continued, “It is impossible for anyone to participate in these trainings without them learning so much more than before.”
Trainor Wisal Shalaldeh stressed on importance of the trainings’ focal points, saying they were especially significant since the targeted sector did not have enough information about the different stages of the process. “The impact on the participants was very clear once the training was finished; they showed the ability to manage election campaigns and formulate and implement their own programs.”
MIFTAH continues to support women and youth running in any future elections, in order to broaden their chances of involvement in the election process and reach decision-making positions fully prepared and qualified. Ultimately, the goal is to create desired changes that promote and lay the ground for laws, legislation and policies based on civic values and the principles of good governance.
'مفتاح' تختتم سلسلة من التدريبات المتخصصة بتمكين المرشحات النساء والمرشحين الشباب لانتخابات الهيئات المحلية للمرحلة الثانية
تاريخ النشر: 10/03/2022
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – 5/3/2022 – اختتمت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" مؤخراً سلسلة من التدريبات المتخصصة بهدف تمكين مجموعات المرشحات والمرشحين الشباب لانتخابات الهيئات والمجالس المحلية حول لتعزيز حضورهم ومشاركتهم في الحملات والدعاية الانتخابية.
وشملت التدريبات محافظات الضفة الغربية و كذلك مجموعات النساء والشباب الناشطين والفاعلين ضمن قطاع غزة، وإن لم تشملها الدورة الحالية لانتخابات الهيئات المحلية بهدف تمكينهم بالمعلومات والأدوات اللازمة لرفع جهوزيتهم للانخراط بالعملية الانتخابية حال القرار بانعقادها بقطاع غزة.
وقالت حنان سعيد مسؤولة في وحدة التمكين وبناء القدرات في "مفتاح" أن هذه التدريبات تأتي ضمن تدخلات "مفتاح" الاستراتيجية في تعزيز قيم الديمقراطية بين الفاعلين والناشطين من القيادات النسوية والشابة وتطوير المهارات والقدرات القيادية لديهن/م وتعزيز فرصهن/م في الانخراط بالعملية الانتخابية والوصول الى مراكز صنع القرار داخل الهيئات المختلفة ومن الهيئات المحلية وبما يمكنهن/م من أدوات التأثير في النظم والسياسات العامة، وصولاً إلى تحقيق حضور وتمثيل على مستوى صناعة القرار للنساء والشباب ضمن المرحلة الثانية من العملية الانتخابية للهيئات المحلية..
وتناولت سلسلة التدريبات برنامجاً مكثفاً ومركزاً فيما يتعلق بالمعلومات اللازمة حول القوانين الانتخابية والإجراءات الناظمة للعملية الانتخابية، فيما ركزت التدريبات في برامجها على الآليات والأدوات اللازمة للانخراط والتأثير في البرامج الانتخابية وتعزيز حضور النساء والشباب المرشحات والمرشحين في الحملات الانتخابية، إضافة إلى المهارات الضرورية في التواصل مع جمهور الناخبين ضمن مجتمعاتهم المحلية.
انطباعات المرشحات النساء والمرشحين الشباب المتدربات/ين
في تقييمها للتدريب، والفائدة المتحققة منه، قالت السيدة وفاء الكركي – إحدى المرشحات لخوض انتخابات بلدية الخليل، أن التدريب وفر لها المعلومة والمهارة الكافية في كل ما يتعلق بالحملة الانتخابية، وهي معلومات ومهارات لم تكن لديها في السابق، سواء فيما يتعلق بعملية الترشح وتوزيع المقاعد وعددها، وتحقيق المشاركة السياسية. أضافت:" خلال التدريب أـيح لي التعرف والاختلاط مع عدد من المرشحين والمرشحات في القوائم المتنافسة حيث كنت مهتمة برأي الآخرين خاصة الذكور، ومناقشتهم والحديث معهم حول اهمية المشاركة الحقيقية للمرأة في الانتخابات كمشاركة فعلية وليست مجرد رقم".
مشاركة أخرى في التدريب هي سماح فطاير المرشحة للانتخابات عن مجلس بلدية أريحا، أشارت إلى أنها أول مرة تخوض تجربة الانتخابات، وبالتالي لم يكن لديها أي اهتمام بما يدور وراء الكواليس. تضيف:" منحني التدريب فهماً أكبر لأهمية العملية الانتخابية وطريقة إدارة حملتها، وأثرى معلوماتي حول بعض المفاهيم كالديمقراطية وتقصي الحقائق وجمع المعلومات، والمشاركة الفعالة في الاجتماعات المغلقة والإدلاء بأرائي ومقترحاتي، وأكسبني الكثير من الأدوات التي لم تكن لدي في السابق بشأن الانتخابات"
من ناحيتها وصفت ماسة عيّاد إحدى المرشحات لانتخابات المجالس المحلية في نابلس التدريب بأنه كان نقلة نوعية جداً في حياتها. وقالت: "قبل التدريب لم تكن لدي المعرفة والمعلومات الكافية بالانتخابات ومراحلها وكيفية إدارة الحملات الانتخابية، لكن التدريب زودني بكل الخبرات وبالمعرفة والالتقاء بمرشحين آخرين من مدن أخرى، كما منحني ذلك فرصة التعرف على مؤسسة "مفتاح" وما تقدمه من مساندة ودعم للشباب والنساء". أضافت:" من المستحيل أن يشارك أي شخص في مثل هذه التدريبات دون أن تتغير أشياء كثيرة في حياته وفي معرفته وخبراته".
أما المدربة وصال شلالدة، فأكدت على أهمية المحاور التي تضمنها التدريب خاصة أن الفئة التي استهدفها التدريب لم تكن لديها المعلومات الكافية عن العملية الانتخابية بكل مراحلها، وبالتالي شكّل التدريب نقلة نوعية لهؤلاء على مستوى حياتهم الخاصة وتجاربهم الشخصية والعامة. أضافت:" كان واضحاً بعد انتهاء التدريب الأثر والانعكاس على المشاركين فيه الذين أظهروا مقدرة على إدارة حملاتهم الانتخابية ووضع برامج الدعاية لها وتطبيقها بأنفسهم".
وتستمر "مفتاح" بدعم النساء والشباب الراغبين والراغبات في الترشح لأية انتخابات قادمة، بغية تعزيز فرصهن/م في الانخراط والمشاركة في العملية الانتخابية باختلافها بما يمكنهن/م من الوصول إلى مختلف مستويات صنع القرار بجاهزية وكفاءة بغية إحداث التغيير المنشود بما يعزز ويؤسس لتشريعات وقوانين وسياسات ترتكز إلى القيم المدنية ومبادئ الحكم الصالح.
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.
