No to Sexual Harassment and Child Abuse

Civic educators Futna Khalifa and Klara Yaeesh have implemented a series of social educational workshops, in order to increase women’s awareness about psychological health, reaching to positive thinking. The workshops aimed to enable women to participate in the decision making process, and increase their knowledge about the protection methods they could apply to save themselves and their children from sexual assaults.

The workshops took place in Asskar refugee camp, Al-Ein refugee camp, Al-Mkhafeyye area and the old city of Nablus. More than 100 attended the discussions on the social concepts that are linked to the family and to children and general, and to learn about the multiple ways of protection they can provide for their family, from sexual harassment.

Stop Violence against Women!

With the participation of the family protection unit in the Palestinian police, the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development organized a workshop on Wednesday to discuss the possibilities of combating violence against women. The workshop that took place in the social feminist center featured the first lieutenant Mohammed Jawabreh and more than 45 women, in addition to a delegation from the PWWSD’s office in Ramallah and Nablus, Suhad Abdellatif from the programs desk, Samar Hawash the coordinator for the women empowerment program in Nablus, and Esther Stepler CFD’s coordinator in the Middle East.

Suhad Abdelatif explored with the crowd stories of violated women, in order to define violence, its forms and causes and the possibilities for combating it. Violence against women is related to social violence, as husbands beat their wives, and mothers beat their children, and bosses beat their workers and the rich dominates the poor, and the Israeli occupation is one of the main factors of violence, practiced against Palestinians, whether men or women, old or young. Suhad also explained that women most of the time take the blame because they remain silent, ignore or even sympathize with the aggressor, who is often their husbands, fathers, or brothers. Therefore, they encourage this approach, in edition of course to ignorance, and traditions which favor men’s domination over women.

Abdelatif called for modifications to the operating laws in the Palestine, which discriminate against women and are not even Palestinian. She at the same time commended the advice of the deputy chief of the judiciary court Mr. Youssef Id’eis, like informing the first wife of intention of a second marriage, and also the identification of inheritance.

Mr. Mohammed Jawabreh talked about violence against women and its causes and the factors that played a role in establishing a family protection unit in the police system. He pointed out the need for violated women to report to the protection centers for help, and that there is an open-line started for women to be able to call at any time.

In the end, participants recommended combating violence with awareness and the modifications to the current laws, in addition to empowering women economically and stating a certain age for marriage to prevent early marriage, and also modifications in the Palestinian curriculum.

Where is the Palestinian Feminist Movement heading?!

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development has organized an open-panel, on the role of the feminist movement in mobilizing women’s political participation, reality and horizons.

The event that took place in the PWWSD’s office in Nablus, aimed to promote women’s involvement in the political life, and access to a free democratic society that is based on gender equality and social justice. In addition, the discussion shed light on the feminist movement’s roles and action towards mobilizing and strengthening women’s political engagement in the public sphere, especially in politics.

Four effective feminist activists in the civil society and the feminist movement took the lead to introduce the audience to their role in advocating women’s issues. In the beginning, the coordinator for the women’s empowerment program at the PWWSD, Mrs. Samar Hawash greeted the attendees, and introduced the purpose of the meeting. Followed by lawyer Lina Abdelhadi the moderator for the session who asked four questions regarding women’s political participation, the identity of the feminist movement, the features of the current cultural and social transitional period, the role of women in the PLC and during the division and the of civil peace periods, the political law and the role of the Women’s Union in forming women’s identity.

On her part, the general director of the PWWSD, Mrs. Amal Khreishe, said that the problem lies in the vagueness and deformation of the Palestinian feminist identity, as the focus has always been on the political struggle, neglecting at the same time the economic structure and its effects and implications on women.  She also questioned any genuine political will among the economic annexation, and the impoverishment policies, the exclusionary measures taken against women, and the rise of the tribal familial domination.

Zahira Kamal, the director of women’s centre for research and documentation, and the secretary of Feda, explored the previous and current political conditions in Palestine, and how the political struggle was prioritized on the account of the social struggle, as men’s political roles were perceived as an extension to the typical familial roles. Ms. Kamal also spoke about the feminist movement’s role in the political reformations, in combating corruption, and the feminist movement’s failure to link women’s rights with the public right, and to take firm and clear positions towards the suspension of the elections and many other national issues.

Dr. Sahar Qawasmeh, the member of the PLC, talked about the dominating social stereotypes, stressing that the feminist movement has to take an effective role in national issues.

Morover, Rima Nazzal talked about the features of the feminist movement and its attachment to the Palestinian society; the characteristics of the political system and the position of women within this system. Nazzal, added that women’s issues are controversial, as she stressed the importance to use appropriate feminist mechanisms to engage women in the decision-making process, and also the importance to have a feminist reading and opinion on the national causes and issues.

In the end of the meeting, participants stressed the need to have clear political and literary references for the feminist movement and to crystallize a mature identity, in addition to engaging the young generation in the process and to try to insert progressive and democratic concepts in the Palestinian curriculum. The main recommendations reached at were the following: the feminist movement has to review its cultural identity and to select its cultural and literary references; there is a need to develop work strategies in order to reactivate the feminist popular base, to mobilize for a larger women’s participation in politics.

Three Women Winners of the Nobel Peace Prize 2011

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development was pleased to receive news that three female activists were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2011. We believe that this international acknowledgment of women’s efforts in the political and social life will eventually lead to greater recognition of women’s positive participation in all aspects of life.

The Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, activist Leymah Gbowee, and Yemeni activist Tawakol Karman shared the Nobel Peace Prize "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work and in appreciation of their immense roles in securing peace in their counties; the peace negotiations in Liberia that closed the curtains on years of a bloody civil war,  and the peaceful protests in Yemen that have called for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down after 33 years in power in Sanaa.

This achievement will undoubtedly set examples for other women activists working on human - and women’s rights as it opens a new era of justice where both women’s and men’s efforts are perceived equally.

Not only is the moral aspect of rewarding these three women essential, it also its effects on the ongoing political reformations in the world in general. Moreover, the fact that Tawakol Karman is the first Arab woman to be granted an international prize of such value is considered a great accomplishment for the Arab women’s movement, as it urges the decision makers and the Arab governments to integrate more women into their political systems and grant them the equal space to express themselves and practice their legitimate rights as humans.

We, as the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development applaud these successful nominations and hope for greater recognition of women’s efforts on the international, Arab and Palestinian level.

International Day for Eradicating Poverty – 17 October 2011

In regards to the International Day for Eradicating Poverty, 17 October 2011, the Palestinian Working Women for Society Development (PWWSD) issues the following statement: Eradicating extreme poverty is at the top of the agenda of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) set by the Millennium Summit. The theme for this year’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty “Working together out of poverty” highlights the need for a global anti-poverty alliance, one in which both developed and developing countries participate actively. Equally as important, it is a process where both men and women are to be equally included and held responsible for its success 

.The Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD) recognizes that empowering women is an important part of working to eradicating poverty. The PWWSD works intensely to raise awareness of women’s issues and to empower women to become a fully integrated part in the Palestinian economy and the decision making process. It is not until women are fully included into civil society that we can achieve this goal.

Women in Palestine suffer from both social exclusion and discrimination which makes them extremely vulnerable to poverty and poverty-related sufferings. As the Palestinian economy is suffering increasingly from the Israeli occupation and the financial crisis, the women of Palestine are forced to bear the heaviest burden. We at the Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD) call upon the world leaders to support the Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations. It is not until Palestine is free from occupation that the people of Palestine can truly make their way out of poverty.

PWWSD applauds Prisoners Swap and appeals Human Rights Organizations to protect the Prisoners

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development welcomes the prisoners’ swap between Israel and Hamas, which will include 1027 prisoners, among which 36 female prisoners will be released.

The organization accentuated the prisoners’ issue as a unifying demand for all Palestinian political parties, which have participated in the solidarity campaign and fully embraced this national cause. It sees this swap as a cornerstone in the Palestinian political agenda, demanding the political parties to work until the freedom of all prisoners, and the ending of their suffering. PWWSD acknowledges the Turkish-Egyptian-German role in completing the swap deal, at the same time calls upon international human rights organizations, the UN, the Arab League and the OIC to interfere to protect the remaining Israeli prisoners in the Israeli prison, and to stop the continuous violations of their rights, which have led to the hunger strike that was launched two weeks ago.

The PWWSD calls for more mass and feminist action to support the prisoners’ just cause.

PWWSD participates in Rally in Solidarity with Palestinian Prisoners

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development participated in a solidarity sit-in with the prisoners’ hunger strike, in front of Offer prison on Tuesday.  Many employees, workers and volunteers from the PWWSD have taken part in the rally, to express their solidarity with all the prisoners who have been on strike since two weeks.   The strike was launched by detainees affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, protesting the treatment of PFLP leader Ahmad Saadat, who has been held in isolation for three years, but soon other prisoners from different political parties joined in.

Palestinian political parties, factions, NGOs, political and feminist activists, in addition to independents participated in the sit-in.  On her part, Amal Khreishe, the general director of the PWWSD, emphasized the importance of such mass activities to sympathize with the prisoners and support them until freedom.

The Israeli forces tried to break up the rally by firing tear gas toward demonstrators, and by transmitting high-frequent sound waves which caused strong headaches.

The participants held Palestinian flags, photos of loved ones in Israeli custody, and banners denouncing Israeli policies. They also chanted demanding the release of the detainees.