The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy- MIFTAH was granted a special consultative status to work with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), through which MIFTAH seeks to contribute to promoting the Palestinian narrative and international advocacy based on international legitimacy and United Nations resolutions related to the Palestinian cause.

The ECOSOC is the principal organ that coordinates the economic, social, environmental and related work of the 14 United Nations specialized agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions. It serves as the central forum for discussing international economic, and social and environmental issues, and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to Member States and the United Nations system.

ECOSOC provides NGOs the opportunity to be heard by a truly global audience and contribute to its agenda. ECOSOC has been the main entry point into the UN system for NGOs. ECOSOC remains the only main UN body with a formal framework for NGO participation

What is Consultative Status?

Consultative Status is an accreditation framework that benefits both the United Nations and the NGOs. Consultative arrangements are to be made, on the one hand, for the purpose of enabling the Council or one of its bodies to secure expert information or advice from organizations having special competence in the subjects for which consultative arrangements are made, and, on the other hand, to enable international, regional, sub-regional and national organizations that represent important elements of public opinion to express their views according to ECOSOC resolution 1996/31, part II, paragraph 20.

NGOs with Consultative Status can work with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in various ways, including in consultation with Member States. They can also contribute to a number of activities including information dissemination, awareness raising, development education, policy advocacy, joint operational projects, participation in intergovernmental processes and in the contribution of services and technical expertise

An NGO with consultative status can attend international conferences and events, make written and oral statements at these events, organize side events, enter United Nations premises, and have opportunities to network and lobby.

MIFTAH considers obtaining this Consultative Status timely and paramount to begin organizing its participation through the Council's sessions during 2021.

Ramallah – MIFTAH and the Norwegian Representative Office to the PA signed on Monday, November 26 a new one-year cooperation agreement in a ceremony held in Ramallah.

Head of the Board of Directors, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, signed on behalf of MIFTAH while Norwegian representative, Ms. Hilde Haralstad signed on behalf of the Norwegian Representative Office.

During her speech at the signing, Dr. Ashrawi said, "For the past 18 years the Norwegian Representative Office has been one of the oldest and most significant of MIFTAH's supporters in its efforts towards promoting the principles of democracy and good governance in Palestine”. She also said this support was a continuation of the crucial work at this stage in supporting and empowering young leaders and women as change-makers, saying it gives this sector the ability to influence and change, especially in light of the difficult circumstances and challenges of the current political stage. Ashrawi also reiterated the importance of collective efforts in a coordinated and holistic manner between the various parties, which inevitably lead to change.

Dr. Ashrawi reaffirmed the Norwegian support for the Palestinian cause, expressing hope that Norway and other likeminded countries continue to stand on the right side of human rights and good governance and recognize the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, freedom, justice and statehood. She concluded her speech by expressing sadness for Ms. Haralstad's departure from Palestine, where she has served since 2016.

Meanwhile, Ms. Haralstad confirmed Norway's continued support for Palestine in its quest for statehood and human rights. She said she was proud to have partnered with an institution that supports the principles of democracy and good governance and which works for women's and youth issues such as MIFTAH. She also stressed on the important role Palestinian civil society institutions play in supporting the Women's Peace and Security agenda and expressed her sadness for leaving Palestine, saying she would continue to support the Palestinian cause.

The signing was attended by women's and rights institutions in addition to MIFTAH board members, representatives from the General Union of Palestinian Women and representatives from other MIFTAH funders and partners.

Ramallah – In line with national efforts to support and promote the stability of Palestinians on their land through improving health services, a coalition of Palestinian civil society organizations (MIFTAH, ARIJ, AMAN) recently launched a campaign entitled, “Right to Health (R2H)”.

This campaign was launched after the aforementioned institutions prepared the necessary reports to assess the availability of services offered to citizens, especially in isolated residential areas known as “Area C.” The reports included government revenue analysis and identified government spending priorities, which contribute to improving services in the social sector in general and the health sector in particular. The reports provide evidence and killer facts that support relevant parties to advocate towards better access to health services for citizens in isolated and marginalized areas.

The campaign addresses facts and figures, most significantly pertaining to the weakness of health services, especially in Area C and in regards to tax exemptions granted to big corporates of up to NIS50 million annually. Hence, the campaign R2H presented solutions for the government to benefit from these exemptions by redirecting the money to the benefit of the Ministry of Health to improve health services.

Furthermore, the reports pointed out that the Ministry of Health suffers from a shortage of nurses and midwives in Palestine by 33% and that only 4% of the medical staff serves nearly 720,000 citizens living in rural areas.

The R2H campaign seeks to increase the budget allocations of the Ministry of Health to reinsure the right of all citizens to health care in accordance to the international Human rights treaties and conventions, in addition the R2H campaign contributes to shedding light on means for implementation of the 2017-2022 national policies agenda which includes “Comprehensive and quality health care available to all.”

The R2H campaign is expected to mobilize citizens’ to pressure the Ministry of Finance and Planning to increasing government’s expenditures on health programs and services that target citizens in marginalized areas, therefore improving their access to better health care through providing sufficient medial staff, equipment and medicines.