Ramallah – Youth activists who participated in a 22-member group of young men and women in a training workshop on the on media tools, mechanisms and media usage to tackle social issues with focus on means of investigative reporting, spoke of their experiences from the training and its impact.
Influence thought patterns
Ansaf Al Asi, a Birzeit University political science graduate said the training had an ‘active impact on the way I think about investigative reporting”. She said it broadened her ideas about article-writing and differentiating between journalistic and investigative work. “The training also helped on ways to analyze news and fact-check it before it is published or used.”
Added value on two levels: media and social accountability
Youth activist Abdallah Qadah said the training added knowledge at two levels: the first pertains to skills on how the media deals with social issues, while the second is about writing skills in the field of investigative reporting.
A tremendous step forward
Majdal Ladadwah from Birzeit University described the training workshop as a ‘tremendous step towards changing the status quo of today’s journalism, which she called ‘really unfortunate.”
She went on to say that one of the most important subjects discussed during the workshop was the problem of journalists trusting what they write. “I was shocked at the primitive way journalists write up their reports,” she said. “But the information we received has changed a lot of prevalent conceptions. Today we are more capable of using the media in many issues, whether social or otherwise. We now have a strong basis for investigative journalism which will allows us to shed light on many of our issues, making us more capable of exercising our role in holding others accountable in regards to our public affairs.”
Promoting the skills and capabilities of youth groups
The MIFTAH-organized training workshop is part of the organization’s efforts to promote the potentials and skills of youths in using the media in social accountability, specifically the use of investigative reporting. All of the participants expressed a desire for further training so they could be able to have more opportunities to learn about journalistic writing in general and investigative reporting in particular.
The responsibility of the media in prompting and achieving social accountability
Project coordinator Abeer Zaghari said the training workshop was part of the “Enhancing women access to security and social accountability in Palestine” project, which MIFTAH is implementing in 2015/2016 in partnership with UNDP/UN Women Joint Programme: Strengthening the Rule of Law; Justice and Security for the Palestinian People – SAWASYA.
Zaghari said 22 young activists from various areas of the West Bank participated in the training workshop, which focused on media usages linked to social accountability techniques to contribute in combatting corruption and promote women's rights to access to security. “The training was interactive; the first two days focused on an introduction to the responsibility of the media in promoting and achieving social accountability and to the role of the Palestinian media in this regard. Later, the participants were introduced to the fundamentals, methodology and criteria of investigative reporting so they could choose social issues from the Palestinian reality to shed light on through articles they have started drafting, that will later be published in the “Other Opinion – Rayi Akhar” edition issued by MIFTAH as a supplement to Al-Ayyam Daily Newspaper”, Zaghari explained. On the third day, she maintained, the articles written by the participants were reviewed along with the supervision of the trainer Montasser Hamdan and MIFTAH’s media coordinator Mohammad Abd Rabbo.
Empowerment and raising capacities
The training was aimed at introducing the Palestinian Political and Social Active Youth Network to multi-media tools used in social accountability and advocating for various social issues in order to promote the rule of law in Palestinian society and efforts to combat corruption, according to Zaghari. She said this would help to raise the capacity of Palestinian youth in the field of investigative journalism, which she maintained, the Palestinian society desperately need.
The training included activities such as brain-storming sessions, discussions, group work and exchange of opinions. Other activities included a discussion of the issues that needed to be addressed in the Palestinian society by using investigative reporting, advocacy and lobbing campaigns and the building of alliances, including with the media in preparing and publishing articles. Some of the subjects raised included: daycare centers in Palestine, the financial crises in universities, the security chaos and absence of justice in enforcing the law and the electricity crisis in Gaza.
As part of the follow-up with participants, a Facebook page was set up to allow communication between the youth group, the trainer and MIFTAH's media expert (Coach). Participants exchanged ideas and notes regarding their articles.
On the last day, a recap of the theoretical issues was conducted and the participants’ finalized written products were presented. As a follow up, an in-depth discussion took place on the suggested topics and drafting of relevant articles for publication in MIFTAH’s Ray Akhar edition by the end of 2015.
Evaluation and recommendations
In his evaluation of the training, trainer Muntaser Hamdan said the majority of the trainers were eager to learn and develop their abilities and skills in the field of accountability and journalism. Hamdan maintained that the participants still needed more specialized training workshops in journalism given their overall impression of the weakness of the local media and its impact on society.
Supporting youth cadres
MIFTAH program director for Participation Enhancement Program , Lamis Shuaibi said this kind of training was to ‘support and empower youth cadres so they could bring the issues of society to the fore.” She said it was an attempt to direct the energy of youth towards impacting public opinion on the vaguer and more unknown issues, through means such as information sharing or professional investigative reporting. It is also aimed at empowering youths to pose issues and hold decision-makers accountable for their responsibilities towards social justice.
ضمن مشروع تعزيز وصول النساء لقطاع الأمن والمساءلة المجتمعية
نشطاء شباب يروون تجربتهم من الدورة التدريبية حول' توظيف وسائل الاعلام في المساءلة المجتمعية'
تاريخ النشر: 12/09/2015
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – روى نشطاء شباب من كلا الجنسين، كانوا شاركوا ضمن مجموعة شبابية تضم 22 شابة وشاب، في دورة تدريبية حول استخدام وسائل الإعلام في المساءلة المجتمعية خاصة فيما يتعلق بممارسات الصحافة الاستقصائية، تجربتهم المستفادة من التدريب، وما تركه من أثر عليهم، سيسهم في تغيير تطبيقاتهم المتعلقة بوسائل الاعلام وما يتضمنها من اليات استقصائية ستنعكس بشكل واضح في حياتهم العملية كما قالوا.
تغيير في أنماط التفكير
الناشطة أنصاف عاصي، خريجة علوم سياسية من جامعة بيرزيت، قالت، أن التدريب " كان له أثر فعال في تغيير فكرتي عن موضوع الصحافة الاستقصائية، إذ وسع مجال تفكيري في كتابة المقال والتفريق بين العمل الصحفي والعمل الاستقصائي، إضافة إلى ما تركه من أثر على المستوى الشخصي حيث ساعدني في تحليل الخبر والتأكد منه قبل نشره أو استخدامه".
ترى أنصاف أيضا أن ما تلقته من معلومات وما اكتسبته من مهارات من التدريب، سيمكنها من تطبيقه على أرض الواقع. "إذ بالإمكان استخدام الأخبار الموجودة في أي مقال صحفي والتقصي عنها والتأكد منها ونشرها بالأدلة بعيدا عن مجال الصحافة العادية والتقليدية". تضيف أنصار.
إضافة على مستويين: الاعلامي والمجتمعي
في حين يرى الناشط الشبابي عبد الله قدح، أن الإضافة التي حققها من التدريب كانت على مستويين: الأول، ما اكتسبه من مهارة في تعامل الإعلام مع القضايا المجتمعية، أما الثاني، فاستفادة من حيث الكتابة في مجال الصحافة الاستقصائية.
ويعتقد قدح، أن ما تلقاه من تدريب، وما تزود به من معلومات ومعرفة، جعله أكثر قدرة على تطبيقه من خلال استثمار الاعلام المجتمعي والإعلام التقليدي لنشر قضايا تتضمنها الصحافة الاستقصائية.
خطوة كبيرة
الناشطة الشابة مجدل لدادوة، من جامعة بيرزيت، وصفت الدورة التدريبية بأنها خطوة كبيرة نحو تغيير الوضع المتعلق بالصحافة المتداولة حاليا على أرض الواقع فهو وضع "مأساوي وتعيس للغاية".
تضيف: "كان من أهم ما تم نقاشه في الورشة هو موضوع ثقة الصحفي بنفسه مما كتبه. في حين شكل لي استغراب للطريقة البدائية التي يكتب بها الصحفيون تقاريرهم، لكن ما تلقيناه من معلومات ومهارات غير من كثير من المفاهيم السائدة، واليوم بتنا أكثر مقدرة على استخدام وسائل الاعلام في كثير من قضايانا سواء الاجتماعية أو غيرها، وأن نتبع الأسس الصحيحة في الصحافة الاستقصائية التي يمكنها أن تسلط الضوء على كثير من قضايانا ومشكلاتنا. وبالتالي نحن اليوم أقدر على ممارسة دورنا في مساءلة الآخرين في كل ما يتعلق بشؤوننا العامة".
تعزيز قدرات ومهارات المجموعات الشبابية
وكانت فعاليات الدورة التدريبية اختتمت مؤخرا، بتنظيم من المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح"، في إطار تعزيز قدرات ومهارات المجموعات الشبابية في مجال استخدام الإعلام في المساءلة المجتمعية"، وتحديدا استخدام التحقيقات الاستقصائية في هذا المجال، وسط تأكيد وإجماع المشاركين على أهمية تكرار عقد مثل هذه الدورات المتخصصة وإتاحة المزيد أمامهم والمزيد من الوقت للتدريب في مجال الكتابة الصحافية بشكل عام والصحافة الاستقصائية بشكل خاص لما في ذلك من حاجة لتطوير فهمهم للعمل الصحافي المبني على التقصي والتحقق من المعلومات وفق منهجية عمل واضحة ووصولاً لاداء ممنهج في المساءلة المجتمعية .
مسؤولية الإعلام في تعزيز وتحقيق المساءلة الاجتماعية
وقالت عبير الزغاري، منسقة المشروع، أنه الدورة التدريبية تلك تندرج ضمن مشروع "تعزيز وصول النساء لقطاع الأمن والمساءلة االمجتمعية في فلسطين"، الذي تنفذه "مفتاح" خلال العام 2015/2016، بالشراكة مع برنامج الامم المتحدة الانمائي/هيئة الامم المتحدة للمرأة: برنامج سيادة القانون: العدالة والامن للشعب الفلسطيني - سواسية.
وأشارت الزغاري إلى مشاركة 22 شابا وشابة في التدريب من مناطق الوسط والشمال والجنوب في الضفة الغربية المختلفة، وتمحور حول توظيف وسائل الإعلام المختلفة في المساءلة الاجتماعية ومكافحة الفساد بكافة أشكاله. وأضافت" كان التدريب تفاعليا حيث ركز في اليومين الأولين حول التعرف على مسؤولية الإعلام في تعزيز وتحقيق المساءلة المجتمعية والتطرق لدور الإعلام الفلسطيني الحالي في هذا النحو. ولاحقاً، تعرف المشاركون/ات على أساسيات ومنهجية ومعايير التحقيق الاستقصائي، لاختيار قضايا مجتمعية من الواقع الفلسطيني لتسليط الضوء عليها من قبل الشباب المشارك في الورشة التدريبية من خلال مقالات ستُنشر لاحقاً في جريدة "رأي آخر" التي تصدر عن مؤسسة "مفتاح" بشكل دوري. وعليه، تم في اليوم الثالث مراجعة مقالات كتبها المشاركون/ات بشكل عملي كجزء من التدريب على تحضير وكتابة مقالات وتقارير استقصائية.
التمكين ورفع كفاءة المتدربين
فيما هدف التدريب كما قالت الزغاري - إلى تمكين مجموعة شبكة الشباب الفلسطيني الفاعل سياسياً ومجتمعياً من التعرف على أدوات استخدام وسائل الإعلام المتنوعة في المساءلة المجتمعية ومناصرة قضايا مجتمعية مختلفة لتعزيز سيادة القانون في المجتمع الفلسطيني وتعزيز جهود مكافحة الفساد، ما يساعد في رفع كفاءة الشباب الفلسطيني في مجال الصحافة الاستقصائية التي نحن بأمس الحاجة إليها لعدم وجود كوادر كافية في المجالات المختلفة.
وكان اليوم الأول من التدريب، خصص لعرض مقدمة مفاهمية حول الصحافة ودورها ومسؤولياتها بما في ذلك الصحافة الاستقصائية ومناقشة دور الاعلام في فلسطين، والمسؤوليات المناطة بالإعلام ودورها في المساءلة المجتمعية، وسط تفاعل المشاركين/ات الشباب مع سلسلة الأنشطة والفعاليات التي اشتملها اليوم بما في ذلك أنشطة العصف الذهني والنقاش وعمل المجموعات وعرض الآراء الخاصة بالمشاركين في هذا المجال.
في حين خصص اليوم الثاني من الدورة التدريبية للتدريب على الصحافة الاستقصائية والتعريف بهذا الفن الفعال والأسس والمعايير التي يستند إليها، إضافة إلى تدريب المشاركين/ات على وضع الفرضيات ومنهجية التحقيقات الاستقصائية ومعايير اختيار القضايا التي يتم العمل عليها في فلسطين، وحملات الضغط والمناصرة وبناء التحالفات بما في ذلك التحالف مع وسائل الاعلام باعتبارها شريكة في تعزيز المساءلة المجتمعية وفي نهاية اليوم التدريبي جرى تكليف المجموعة الشبابية المشاركة باعداد وانجاز مقالات حول القضايا التي تم الاتفاق عليها التي اشتملت على عناوين لها علاقة بحياة المواطن/ة الفلسطيني/ة التي منها، مقالات حول دور الحضانة في فلسطين، أزمة الجامعات المالية، الفوضى الأمنية وغياب العدالة في تطبيق القانون. وأزمة الكهرباء في غزة.
وفي إطار المتابعة مع المشاركي/ات جرى إعداد صفحة عبر الفيس بوك للتواصل بين االمجموعة الشبابية والمدرب لمناقشة آليات العمل ومتابعة انجاز المواد المطلوبة، حيث تم بالفعل التواصل مع المشاركين وإبداء الملاحظات والمساعدة في إتمام التقارير التي سيتم انجازها من قبل الشباب/ات.
وفي اليوم الأخير جرى إعادة التأكيد على القضايا النظرية وعرض أعمال المشاركين/ات المنجزة وفتح نقاش معمق وإبداء ملاحظات حول ما تم انجازه من أعمال في إطار التحضير والإعداد لهذه المواد المفترض أن تكون جاهزة للنشر في الملحق الذي تصدره مؤسسة "مفتاح".
تقييم وتوصيات
وفي تقييمه لنتائج التدريب، قال المدرب منتصر حمدان، أن غالبية المتدربين أظهروا شغفا وتعطشا للتدريب وتطوير قدراتهم ومهاراتهم في مجالات المساءلة والصحافة وظهر ذلك من خلال تفاعلهم مع الأنشطة والفعاليات مؤكدين حاجتهم لمزيد من الوقت في مجال التدريب خاصة في مجال الصحافة والإعلام، فيما تباينت قدرات ومهارات المشاركين في الدورة خاصة أنهم من خلفيات تعليمية متنوعة مع وجود عدد قليل منهم من خريجي الصحافة والإعلام.
في حين ظهرت حاجة المشاركين لمزيد من الدورات في مجال الصحافة ودورها خاصة في ظل وجود انطباع عام لديهم بضعف وسائل الإعلام المحلية، وضعف تأثيرها في المجتمع المحلي.
وأكد حمدان على الحاجة للمتابعة مع مجموعة الشباب والشابات المشاركين ومراكمة خبراتهم في مجال المساءلة المجتمعية وتطوير قدراتهم في هذا المجال، وتعزيز ومتابعة إنجازات الشباب في هذا المجال.
دعم الكوادر الشابة
بدورها قالت لميس الشعيبي مديرة برنامج تعزيز المشاركة المجتمعية لدى مؤسسة "مفتاح"، أن هذا النوع من التدريبات بمثابة دعم للكوادر الشابة ولطاقاتهم في حمل قضايا المجتمع واخراجها للعيان، كمحاولة لتوجيه الطاقات الشبايية في التأثير بالرأي العام اتجاه القضايا التي يشوبها الغموض والضبابية سواء في الكشف عن البيانات ذات العلاقة أو إجراء التحقيقات المهنية بهذا الإطار، وتمكين هذه الكوادر الشابة في قوة الطرح ومساءلة صناع القرار في المسؤوليات المناطة بهم اتجاه قضايا المجتمع.
MIFTAH releases 2021-2022 comparative actual spending reports for the social and security sectors, including social justice and gender indicators
Date posted: April 04, 2023
By MIFTAH
MIFTAH recently released 2021-2022 comparative actual spending reports for the social sector (health, education, higher education and scientific research, social development and labor), and for the first time, the security sector (Ministry of Interior and National Security). The reports were based on annual financial data released by the Ministry of Finance in Palestine for 2021-2022 and on an accrual basis.
The data showed that the Ministry of Interior and National Security had the highest percentage of actual spending in 2022, accounting for 22.8% of overall public expenditures, or ILS3.68 billion. This was a slight increase from the Ministry’s share in 2021. Meanwhile, actual spending on the education sector (Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research) stood at 21.5% of overall public expenditures, or ILS3.48 billion. This was also an increase from the education sector’s share in 2021, which was 20.6% of public expenditures.
Moreover, actual spending on the Ministry of Health also increased in 2022, comprising 15% of overall public expenditures, at a sum of ILS2.4 billion. This was higher than in 2021, where its share was 14.4%. As for the Ministry of Social Development, actual spending was still low, amounting for 6.2% of overall public expenditures in 2022, compared to 5.8% in 2021. The Ministry of Social Development’s actual spending in 2022 was approximately ILS1 billion. As for the labor sector, actual spending on this sector in 2022 was 0.31% of overall public expenditures, while in 2021 it was 0.28%. Actual spending on the labor sector in 2022 was ILS50.1 million.
Upon review of actual spending reports of the targeted ministries from a gender and social justice perspective, it is clear that actual spending on the Ministry of Social Development does not coincide with the scope of its responsibilities as the forerunner of the social sector in Palestine, including its programs for combatting poverty and the protection of poor and marginalized social sectors. Moreover, non-compliance to the disbursement of payments for poor families within the CTP continued according to estimates, whereby only two of four installments for 2022 were disbursed, one at minimum value. This adversely affected the financial security of the most underprivileged and marginalized sectors of society, in addition to the insufficient estimated budget and actual spending on the social protection program, in spite of its importance in providing protection and social services to battered women, children, special-needs persons and the elderly.
The data also pointed to the low percentage of women working in the security sector, which stood at 6% of the total number of workers in this sector, while they comprised 46% of the civil sector. This shows a gap in actual spending on the security sector from a gender perspective, given that the lion’s share of actual spending in 2022 was on salaries and wages. Hence, women only benefited very little from these allocations, which were nearly ILS2.9 billion in 2022.
The data also indicated that the development expenditures for the Ministry of Labor were only ILS4.5 million in 2022, even though planned development expenditures were ILS32 million, which is much higher. This casts a shadow on gender-related programs and projects, which were allotted sizeable budgets within development expenditures, such as creating sustainable opportunities as alternatives for Palestinian men and women working in settlements, for which ILS10 million were earmarked.
Even though there was an increase in actual spending in 2022 at the targeted ministries in general, this increase was mainly concentrated on salaries and wages. In spite of the importance of providing a decent life for employees, there is still a need to increase spending on development expenditures, since they are at the forefront of developing government services, including the nationalization and institutionalization of various social services.
MIFTAH concludes town hall meetings on political participation and citizens’ rights for women and youth
Date posted: January 09, 2023
By MIFTAH
Ramallah – 29/12/2022 – Within its efforts to promote democratic values and the peaceful transfer of power within the Palestinian government system, MIFTAH’s field advisory team completed over 100 town hall meetings in the second half of 2022. The meetings were held in coordination and cooperation with CSOs, LGUs and grassroots organizations and targeted women and youth in several West Bank and Gaza Strip districts. The objective of these meetings was to raise awareness among the electorate on the electoral system in Palestine and on civil society demands to increase women and youth participation in local and general elections as candidates and voters, on the premise that this boosts their presence in decision-making levels and involves them in public affairs.
The town hall meetings included several exchange visits between LGU members in the various districts. The women shared the experiences and challenges they faced after becoming council members. The meetings focused on the concept of citizenship within a broader definition of the various forms of political participation and the importance of involvement from youth and women in public life. They also pointed to the different forms of democracy and the main pillars of the democratic society Palestinians seek to create. The participants furthermore discussed the various forms of electoral systems and shed light on the gaps in electoral laws regarding the presence of women and youth.
The participants pointed to the importance of periodic legislative and presidential elections and the danger of the ongoing absence of the PLC on matters pertaining to civic peace. They also warned against the absence of oversight and accountability, maintaining that the defunct PLC has contributed to shrinking civic space and public freedoms and therefore, the ability or desire to become involved in political life, especially for women and youth. In most of the meetings, the participants also indicated that the absence of a regular democratic process in Palestine contributed to the overall exclusion of youth from participation and to the marginalization of the role of women in Palestinian political decision-making.
The town hall meetings stressed on the importance of pressing for legislative, presidential and local elections in all West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Strip districts. They also endorsed the demand for equality in electoral laws, starting with raising the women’s quota to a minimum of 30%, raising the candidacy age and lowering the threshold. They urged Palestinian factions to assume a key role in the process of inclusion for women and youth in the public sphere and to prevent the progression of tribalism in the democratic process. The attendees emphasized the importance of monitoring the performance of LGUs in their interaction with local communities and the consistency of their meetings. Finally, they said female council members must be given the opportunity to exercise their role in their respective councils as equals to their male counterparts.
MIFTAH holds town hall meetings on an annual basis as part of its awareness campaign on citizens’ rights and the promotion of the democratic approach for a peaceful transfer of power, in addition to the involvement of women and youth in elections as both candidates and voters. Each year, through these town hall meetings, MIFTAH aims to reach the widest possible segment of the electorate and the different social sectors in all parts of Palestine.
MIFTAH completes training workshop in the Gaza Strip on family protection and advocacy
Date posted: January 05, 2023
By MIFTAH
Gaza – 2/1/2023 – MIFTAH recently completed a training workshop on measures and regulations on family protection in the Gaza Strip. The workshop was part of MIFTAH’s strategic objectives to prioritize family issues in communities and to support local institutions in increasing awareness on citizenship and constitutional rights for Palestinian women and on combatting all forms of GBV and discrimination in Palestinian society.
The workshop’s objectives included providing institutions with important information on the legislations, laws and measures for family protection in effect in the Gaza Strip, in a bid to enhance the oversight role of CSOs in holding accountable official parties responsible for enforcing these measures and legislations. The training also included offering institutions the necessary mechanisms for managing digital and media campaigns to press for the ratification of laws and legislation that protect women’s rights.
The discussions focused on a number of points, including legal (including sharia law) rebuttals to claims from parties opposing legislation, including the Family Protection Law. They also discussed how applicable this law would be in the Gaza Strip once ratified by the President.
The participants unanimously agreed that they supported adoption of the law, giving no credence to the claims of more extreme elements in Gaza on the Family Protection Law. They called on MIFTAH to hold general, open meetings with the public to introduce them to the law and its importance, so that they could defend themselves from the extremist discourse surrounding it.
Opinions and impressions
One of the participants, Latifa Shatat, said such training workshops were crucial for every Palestinian, male and female. “It is great we are pressing for protection laws such as the Family Protection Bill. This law will have tremendous impact on society as a whole. I can say from experience as a social and mental health worker that protection is the most important element in our work, especially in cases involving women and children, who are the most vulnerable social sectors. I commend MIFTAH and anyone who participates in spreading a culture of nonviolence, protection, justice and equality.”
Meanwhile, Haifa Al Araj said the training offered important details about the Family Protection Law and also ways of conducting initiatives and activities that could produce positive results in mobilizing support it.
Another participant, Hatem Abu Ta’a, said the training was a new starting point for him as an institution director in terms of integrating the demand to implement the Family Protection Law in all advocacy and lobbying activities and programs. He said he became more aware of the impediments to the law’s implementation at the official and social level, saying, “This training reminds us to renew our calls to demand implementation and ratification of the law at the official level.”
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abu Rabee said ratification of the Family Protection Law would be a huge step, for women and children especially. “This law will amplify women’s voices and their ability to access help with stronger and more supportive centers throughout the homeland. As a strong supporter of this bill, I want to stress on the importance of civil society institutions explaining the clauses in the bill pertaining to CEDAW and to also focus on working with parties that oppose the law in particular.”
The training workshop is part of MIFTAH’s “Policy dialogue and Good Governance” Program, which aims at influencing public policies and legislation in favor of protection for citizens’ rights in Palestinian society, based on the principles of social justice and respect for human rights.
