PWWSD organizes Solidarity Sit-in with Palestinian Prisoners

The Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development organized a sit-in in the Solidarity Tent on Monday in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli prisons. Tens of working women and volunteers joined the sit-in, which took place at the Clock Square in Ramallah.

Amal Khreishe, the general director of the PWWSD stated: “we came here to express our solidarity with all the Palestinian prisoners inside the Israeli prisons, to protest against the unjust practices of the Israeli Prisons Service against the Palestinian prisoners.” Khreishe added that on behalf of the staff of the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development we salute the prisoners, who with their resilience are redefining the meanings of patriotism, dignity and freedom.”

Khreishe called to utilize the solidarity campaigns in order to expose brutal treatment of the Israeli occupation, and reveal the atrocities that take place inside the prisons against Palestinians. She also called upon international organizations to fulfill their responsibilities towards Palestinian prisoners who are facing the most horrifying forms of torture.

PWWSD implements two workshops about Kindergartens and Women’s Right to Inheritance

PWWSD implements two workshops about Kindergartens and Women’s Right to Inheritance

The Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development, in cooperation with the Democracy and Workers’ Rights Center conducted two workshops in Bethlehem on Monday. The workshop addressed workers in kindergartens and nurseries. Mr. Mohammad Erreh from the DWRC talked about the worsening conditions for the teachers working in the sector of the Kindergartens and nurseries, in addition to the struggles and accomplishments made to unite the teachers in order to pressure and lobby the decision-makers. He also talked about the accomplishments made in the past years in order to protect the workers’ rights, and to adopt a minimum rate for wages.

On her part, Wijdan Al-Azzeh, the civic educator in the Palestinian Working Women’s Society in Bethlehem talked about the Palestinian Law of Labor, and women’s rights in kindergartens, in addition to work contracts, and the methods to apply the laws, and the importance of mobilizing teachers in unions in order to protect their rights.

A film was screened afterward which tackles women’s reality in kindergartens, and the violations they encounter at work or in their social life.

The PWWSD also organized a workshop in Al-Tireh College in Ramallah. Civic educator Naela Oudeh talked about women’s right to inheritance and the legal procedures concerning this right. Oudeh talked about the importance of women’s inheritance to empowering women’s social and economic status in society. Many students participated in the workshop, which is implemented under the Inheritance Denied project, in cooperation with the UNDP.

The Psycho-social program in Nablus

The Psycho-social program at the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development conducted a debriefing workshop for the civic educators and councilors in Nablus, as a member of the coalition for Psycho-Social Support. The program also conducted a debriefing workshop for women who have lost one of their members, in cooperation with the Tadamon association, in order to help these women.

During March, the Psycho-social program in Nablus implemented a series of educational activities that addressed children’s behavioral disorders, shoplifting, and stubbornness and the ways to deal with these disorders. The program offers psycho-social consultations through an open line 1800606060, through which many violated women are referred to specialized organizations for help. Many women seek the program’s office in Nablus to meet with councilors Futna Khalifa and Klara Yaeech for consultation and help.

PWWSD condemns Deportation of Prisoner Hana’ Shalabi and calls upon International Organizations to release her

The Israeli Prison Service (IPS) continues to apply oppressive policies against Palestinian detainees. Prohibiting family visits, shutting access to higher education, solitary confinement, strip search, and administrative detention have become the norm for punishing Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. In reaction, Palestinian prisoners have declared an open hunger-strike to protest against these measures which allow many prisoners to be detained for unlimited periods of time without trial.

The case of prisoner Hanaa’ Shalabi who went on hunger strike for 43 days in protest against her administrative detention, sets another model for the resilience of Palestinian women. Shalabi who was released in the last prisoners’ swap between Hamas and Israel, was rearrested from her house in Jenin, and recently deported to Gaza for three years.

In the regard, the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development denounces the Israeli order to deport Ms. Shalabi to Gaza, and considers deportation a new war crime against Palestinian prisoners. PWWSD calls upon international and local human rights organizations and the Red Cross to reveal the official details of this settlement, and strive to free her, since she is a freed prisoner who has been out only for few months.

The PWWSD denounces to the Israeli policy of deportation, which violates all international agreements and conventions. The PWWSD appreciates and honors all prisoners in Israeli prisons who are fighting against Israeli collective punishment and oppression.  

The Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development (PWWSD), an organization committed to the upholding of human rights for women, calls for an immediate end to the administrative detention. It calls for the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop the arbitrary detention of Palestinian citizens, and to release those who are being held without substantial evidence. 

Psycho-social program conducts Several Debriefing Sessions during March

The Psycho-social program at the Palestinian Working Women’s Society for Development in Nablus, and as member of the coalition for Psycho-social support, conducted a debriefing workshop for the civic educators and councilors. The program also implemented other debriefing activities for women who lost family members, in order to entertain and educate them.

The program implemented a series of educational activities that addressed children’s behavioral disorders including shoplifting, and stubbornness. The activities also discussed the ways of dealing with these disorders.

The counseling program receives emergency calls at 1800606060 and provides psycho-social consultation for violated women, or refers these women to specialized institutions for aid. The program also receives individual cases, who meet with councilors Futna Khalifa and Klara Yaeech for consultation.