PWWSD concludes Training in Women’s Issues and Advocacy

Ramallah – Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development finished a training course on women’s issues and advocacy for newly graduated lawyers, in which 18 young women from across the West Bank participated in a training that last 4 days - equivalent to 24 training hours. The training was funded by the UNDP, and implemented through the Women’s Right to Justice Project at PWWSD.  

Supervised by Issa Shatleh, the course aimed to train young lawyers to be able to work on the main project in the West Bank, in 27 work locations; ultimately to empower Palestinian women in the remote areas through increasing their chances to reach legal and court resources. In addition, the project aims to pressure the duty bearers to fulfill their legal and moral obligations towards women’s issues.

The general director of PWWSD Mrs. Amal Khreishe commented that this project is an outcome of an extensive accumulative process the organization has worked on, in the field of lobbying and advocacy on women’s issues. She added that grand efforts are put in order to achieve a solid implementation of the law, and separate the three authorities, to build a democratic Palestinian State, based on the sovereignty of law, equality and social justice. Khreishe advised to implement this training in this crucial period, while there is a need for international mobilization and lobbying to support the establishment of a Palestinian State on the lands of 1967, since the PNA is addressing the UN’s General Assembly in September, to request a full membership for a Palestinian Independent State and Jerusalem as its capital.

Gender Forum recommends Increasing Women’s Role in Political Parties

Many official and feminist organizations called for increasing and promoting women’s role and participation in the political parties and circles, in order to reflect the actual force of women in the Palestinian society. Participants of a workshop that was organized by the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development in cooperation with the Ministry of Local Governance in Al-Bireh stressed the need to develop a set of procedures that should encourage coordination between the civil society organizations and the official bodies operating on gender, therefore, to assure the integration of similar work. They also accentuated the need to elect a feminist leadership which would qualify into the decision-making circles. In addition, participants urged more organizations, activists and former members of local authorities to join the Gender Forum, for it is not exclusive to certain organizations and figures. They highlighted the necessary steps to develop a national plan, to be verified by all organizations, even those who have not participated in the workshop, in order to strengthen the coordination and follow-up between the civil society organizations and the Ministry of Local Governance. 

Mrs. Amal Khreishe, the general director of the PWWSD stated: “the issue is not only to increase women’s participation in the local authorities, but it is also connected to the September Claim at the UN, and the vital role women could play in a civil Palestinian state where women’s rights and actual participation are protected by the constitution”. Khreishe urged the official and specialized organizations to prioritize within their strategies the issue of women’s participation in such fateful issues. 

On his behalf, the deputy of the Ministry of Local Governance Mr. Mazen Ghnaim said: “we demand a guaranteed support for women’s participation in the Palestinian life. Regarding women’s participation in the local authorities, the ministry has taken many strategic steps, through its gender unit, in order to protect women’s rights and fulfill their needs”. Ghnaim also pointed out that a conclusive evaluation is being held, to assure a larger participation of women in the upcoming local elections.

The deputy confirmed that the election is a national and legal obligation on the road of an effective role to the municipalities and the local authorities that serve the residents. He said: “we hope to have a just and effective participation for women in replacement of the quota system” hinting that the fault is not in the laws but in the patriarchal system and the political parties’ structure.

General Director of the gender unit at the Ministry of Local Governance Mrs. Hanan Mseih invited all organizations to adopt electoral campaign programs for the women who intend to run for the upcoming local authorities’ elections. Mseih stressed the importance for women to unite, in order to strengthen their role in the local society, hinting that the gender unit aims to spread awareness on gender issues in society, thus activate justice and law in replacement of tribalism.

PWWSD denounces the Israeli Attacks on International Human Rights Activists

Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development denounces the continuous aggressive Israeli attacks which included bans, arrests and harassment against the international solidarity activists, who tried to visit the occupied Palestinian territories, disfigured by the Separation Wall. PWWSD considers the prevention of hundreds of international human rights activists a violation of human rights and all the international conventions.  

In this regard, the organization demands the international community and the international human rights organizations to pressure Israel to release the arrested activists, and to allow them to travel freely into Palestine.

PWWSD sympathizes with the activists who were arrested and deported, being humiliated and harassed in the process.
These attempts reveal Israel’s plan to isolate the Palestinian Cause from the international surrounding, and efforts to gag the general opinion, through arresting hundreds of activists who were planning to arrive in Palestine on the same day in order to organize several activities under the slogan “Welcome to Palestine”. However, the Israeli ban will not break the Palestinian spirit or end the struggle against the occupation and the ongoing building of the settlements.

The activists’ visit coincides with the 7^th anniversary of the advisory opinion of the International Hague Court, which condemned the Separation Wall, and declared the settlements as illegal. It is the same date when the Palestinian NGOs called upon the international community to fulfill its obligations and to start to treat Israel the same way it dealt with the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Together we continue to fight against the Israeli Occupation and the settlements, to stop the oppressive measures against the Palestinian people, and their international human rights activists.

PWWSD conducts Workshop on Women’s Right to Inheritance in Al-Jalzon Refugee Camp

Ramallah – the Women Empowerment Program at the PWWSD carried out a workshop on women’s right to inheritance at the Youth Club in Al-Jalzon refugee camp. During the session that was facilitated by the civic educator Naela Oudeh, a film was screened on women’s right to inheritance, and the family problems women encounter when they demand their legitimate share.

Participants talked about the reasons why women forsake their right to inheritance, including: fear from parents, previous experiences of women who claimed their shares and were boycotted by their families, and defamation. They demanded the protection of women’s right to inheritance, for it empowers women both economically and socially.

Moreover, PWWSD held a meeting with kindergarten workers in Ramallah, among the preparations for the Kindergarten conference that will take place this month, during which a new administrative board will be elected for the kindergarten workers’ union.

PWWSD conducts Workshop on Women’s Important Participation in Local Elections

Within the activities implemented by the Women Empowerment Program at PWWSD in Nablus, a workshop was conducted in Howara, in cooperation with the Woman’s Committee for Social Work, and in accordance with the program’s objective to empower women in the public and private spheres, and to encourage women to participate in the local elections in October. Representatives of several feminist and civil society organizations, as well as potential candidates joined the session.

Civic educator Subheyye Daraghmeh talked about the objectives of the meeting, which fall under the organization’s campaign to strengthen women’s participation in the elections, and develop women’s participation in the decision-making circles. Daragmeh talked about the figures announced by the Elections Central Committee for the electoral process which indicate that 48% women in Nablus have registered for the elections. The statistics show a positive change in women’s political trends, as they are relatively high compared to neighboring countries.
The previous women candidates shared their experience in the local council at Howara, including the failures and struggles, in order to assess their participation and encourage other women to run for the local councils. They also talked about the role of the society, the organizations and political parties, in mobilizing an effective women participation in the elections.

The main focus of the workshop was to highlight the importance of supporting women in the elections, in the negotiation process, and during the lists formation. The civic educator accented the respect of women’s rights as human rights, the obligation to conduct educational campaigns, and the commitment to benefit from women’s experiences, in order to build women’s capacities and enable them to join the local councils and make promising models for other women.