Seminar on the Protection of Women's Right of Inheritance

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development organized a seminar in Nablus on Women's Right of Inheritance, exploring its religious, economic, social, political and legal aspects. The discussion continued for three days (20 hours) with the participation of specialists, journalists, lawyers, and activists from national grassroots organizations.

The session moderated by lawyer Lina Abdehladi, hosted Women's Rights activists and experts like Mrs. Rima Kataneh, Mr. Zouhir Debie, and Mrs. Samar Hawach, the coordinator of the Women Empowerment Project at the PWWSD. The seminar aimed to examine the obstacles, particularly the social impediments, which deprive women of their share of inheritance. The participants eventually reached at many recommendations on how to overcome these injustices, and protect Palestinian women's rights.

The seminar, which is part of four discussions organized by the PWWSD in the West Bank and Gaza, introduces the coming activities of a 3-year project excepted to end on February 28 2013.  The project features training programs, and lobbying and advocacy campaigns, which will spread awareness of women's issues and rights, including their right of inheritance which is protected by religion. The project has been implemented in the West Bank and Gaza through four counterpart organizations which are the Danish Church Aid Society (DAK), the Palestinian Working Woman Organization for Development (PWWSD), the YMCA's Woman Rehabilitation Program, and the Women's Affairs Center in Gaza.

Workshop to Support Women's Organizations and Societies

The Women Empowerment Project, at the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, organized a workshop at its headquarters in Ramallah, on the importance of women's role and participation in the economic development. The participants emphasized on utilizing media networks to promote the strategies and plans of the ministries of Labor and Social Affairs. They also urged official organizations to support and communicate with women's associations aiming to protect women and reinforce their resilience and independence, to ultimately bridge gaps between the two sectors.

Labor Minister Dr. Ahmed Majdalani, and coordinator of the Supreme Council for Charity Mrs. Suhair Abou Taka, attended the opening session, in addition to many women and coordinators of women's cooperatives in the Ramallah region.

Labor Minister Dr. Ahmed Majdalani confirmed that his ministry takes into consideration working women's issues, and has dedicated a national fund to employ women, in order to improve their life conditions. The minister explained that the government has prepared an inclusive socioeconomic plan for development aimed to advocate the national resilience, and end the Israeli Occupation. This plan is implied in the ministry's strategy for development.

The minister added that women's ability to tolerate the social and national drastic conditions,  and their participation in the public service, exceeds that of the man. The ministry has carried out a number of programs, in relation to economic empowerment, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs, through which an inclusive survey of poor families will be conducted to examine their conditions. Specialized committees will conduct field visits across the OPT, to try to elevate the level of services provided, from social assistance to economic empowerment.

On social protection, the minister indicated that the ministry offers a free health insurance program for unemployed people, and those who have an income of less than 1500 NIS a month, regardless of their gender. The program covers to this date more than 68 thousand families, and its services range from regular examinations to open-heart surgeries.

The general director of the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development Mrs. Amal Kherishe said that the workshop's objective is to educate women in order to develop their abilities in combating poverty, and unemployment. By linking women's economic empowerment to their work in the rural areas, women are given the chance to join the field of productive work, of which they earn a decent income, enabling them to cope with the difficulties of their lives.

The coordinator of the Supreme Council for Charity, Mrs. Suhair Abou Taka emphasized  the important concept of gender in the fields of work and economic development. These essential pillars for development, she said, are necessary to strengthen women's participation in all aspects of life based on gender equality, and to provide equal socioeconomic opportunities, which will ultimately reinforce women's just cause.