As part of the series of trainings on “Enhancing women’s access to the labor market’ and the project “Tawasol - Labor market orientation points (T-LMOP)”, which MIFTAH implements in cooperation with the Italian Development Cooperation Agency, Tawasol network coordinators and labor market assistants in various districts completed a series of informative sessions conducted through seven days workshops . The activity is part of the broader program, “Empowerment of women and local development”.
Zaghari: Enriching knowledge
In this context, MIFTAH project’s coordinator Abeer Zaghari said the training aimed at enriching the knowledge and skills of Tawasol coordinators and labor market assistants in the districts on concepts related to economic equality and gender equality at the workplace. They also aimed at promoting women’s technical qualifications in Tawasol centers in addition to expanding the knowledge of labor market assistants on gender-based violations against women in the market and mechanisms for supporting opportunities for women who survived gender-based violence.
Hanan Ghashash: unconventional skills
Hanan Ghashash, director of Tawasol’s gender department and coordinator in the Qalqilya district, said the importance of the training was that it came in tandem with a new project on labor market assistants for women, which is considered the fundamental basis for directing women towards breaking into the labor market, according methods and mechanisms included in the strategies of the state. Hence, she says they learned about the concept of a labor market assistants and formulating plans and programs to introduce the labor market information system. This helps to change the stereotypes of working women in our society and opens new labor prospects for women, she maintained.
Hashash said the training methods were congruent with the project but that there was a need to continue these trainings to keep up with new skills of unconventional labor approaches. “The training enriched our knowledge and we were able to open new doors, learn new ideas and creative skills.”
Samah Salman: promoting knowledge and expertise
Director of Tawasol’s women’s and child department in Jericho and Tawasol coordinator in Jericho and the Jordan Valley Samah Salman said, “The training clarified the duties of the labor market assistant and highlighted the methods and mechanisms of the orientation points plan for the Palestinian labor market information system.” She also said they monitored and gathered women’s data in the labor market system, which boosted their knowledge on the percentage of unemployed female students and graduates. It also provided statistics on women working in Israel settlements and the networking process for create job opportunities in companies, namely operational ones. This is aimed at achieving real economic empowerment for Palestinian women,” Salman said. She continued that the training allowed for an exchange of expertise between the coordinators and assistants on the orientation points project by pinpointing priorities, formulating an action plan, identifying needs and obstacles and finding solutions for them. “At the personal level, I acquired several skills in terms of capacity and confidence-building as a coordinator” she said.
Sabreen Tarwa: A better understanding of justice and equality
Sabreen Tarwa, from the women’s and child department in Tawasol in Saeer and a labor market assistant, said when she first attended the training, she knew nothing about Tawasol’s labor market mechanisms in the districts or how women approached the labor market. Neither was she well informed about economic empowerment, job searching, directing women towards employment and networking with women’s organizations. “Now I have a better understanding of the concepts of justice, equality, discrimination, gender and partnership between men and women,” she said, adding that they were also introduced to the women’s labor law, its strengths and weaknesses and promoting self-confidence.
Tarwa said it was imperative that MIFTAH continued its trainings and made concerted efforts for a unified plan for the Ministries of Women and Labor in cooperation with the governorates and Tawasol centers.
Lamis Shuaibi: interventions
MIFTAH Program’s Director Lamis Shuaibi, meanwhile, stressed that these trainings were part of interventions carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Tawasol coordinators in order to support the institutionalization of policies responsive to women’s needs for supporting their participation in the labor market. This is reflected in three main areas, she said: availability of job opportunities, women’s access to the labor market, and the capabilities and competencies required to enter this labor market.
'مفتاح' تختتم سلسلة ورش تدريبية حول 'تعزيز فرص وصول النساء لسوق العمل'
تاريخ النشر: 02/06/2016
بقلم: مفتاح
في إطار سلسلة ورش تدريبية حول "تعزيز فرص وصول النساء لسوق العمل"، وضمن مشروع "النقاط التوجيهية لسوق العمل في مراكز تمكين النساء – تواصل"، الذي تنفذه "مفتاح" بالتعاون مع وكالة الإيطالية للتعاون الإنمائي ضمن برنامج "تمكين النساء والتنمية المحلية"، اختتمت منسقات شبكة تواصل في مختلف المحافظات ومرشدات سوق العمل، تدريبات استغرقت سبعة أيام.
الزغاري: إغناء للمعرفة
وفي هذا السياق، تقول عبير الزغاري، منسقة المشروع لدى "مفتاح": "يهدف التدريب إلى إغناء المعرفة والمهارات لمنسقات تواصل ومرشدات سوق العمل في المحافظات بمفاهيم متعلقة بالمساواة الاقتصادية وركائز المساواة بين الجنسين في أماكن العمل، وتعزيز كفاءة النساء الفنية لدى مراكز تواصل، إضافة إلى توسيع النطاق المعرفي لدى مرشدات سوق العمل حول الانتهاكات التي تمارس بحق النساء في سوق العمل والمبنية على أساس النوع الاجتماعي، الاليات في المجالات التي تدعم فرص النساء الناجيات من العنف المبني على أساس النوع الاجتماعي.
حنان غشاش: مهارات غير تقليدية
بالنسبة لحنان غشاش، مديرة دائرة النوع الاجتماعي ومنسقة تواصل في محافظة قلقيلية، فإن أهمية التدريب الذي شاركت فيه، تكمن في تزامنه مع مشروع جديد جاري العمل عليه حول مرشدات سوق العمل للنساء، وهذه تعتبر من البنية الأساسية لتوجيه السيدات لاقتحام سوق العمل، ضمن آليات وأساليب مدروسة وموجهة ضمن استراتيجيات الدولة. أضافت: "من هنا كانت الاستفادة في توضيح المفاهيم لمرشدة سوق العمل، ووضع الخطط والبرامج بالتوجهات الاعلامية للتعريف بالنظام بما يخدم العمل للسيدات وتغيير الصورة النمطية لعمل المرأة في مجتمعاتنا، وفتح آفاق عمل جديدة للنساء".
ترى غشاش، أن أساليب التدريب متوافقة مع المشروع تماما، لكن هناك حاجة إلى استكمال التدريبات، ومعرفة المهارات المستجدة لأنماط العمل غير التقليدية، وقد أثرى التدريب معلوماتنا، وطرقنا من خلاله أبوابا جديدة، وأفكار ومهارات إبداعية ومتميزة.
سماح سلمان: تعزيز المعرفة وتمكين الخبرة
أما سماح سلمان، مديرة دائرة المرأة والطفل في أريحا، ومنسقة مركز تواصل في أريحا والأغوار، فقالت: "كان التدريب توضيحا لمهام مرشدة سوق العمل، وكيفية العمل وتحديد الآليات من خلال وجود خطة للنقاط التوجيهية في سوق العمل الفلسطيني في كل محافظة ورصد وجمع بيانات النساء في نظام سوق العمل الفلسطيني، ما يعزز معرفتنا بالإحصائيات المتعلقة بنسب طالبات العمل والمتعلمات الخريجات العاطلات عن العمل، ونسبة النساء العاملات في المستوطنات الإسرائيلية، وصولا إلى عملية التشبيك لإيجاد فرص عمل عمل لهن من خلال الشركاء وعلى رأسهم المؤسسات التشغيلية، والوصول إلى التمكين الاقتصادي الحقيقي للمرأة الفلسطينية". وتضيف: "الاستفادة التي حققناها من التدريب، هو تبادل الخبرات ما بين المنسقين والمرشدات حول مشروع النقاط التوجيهية بسوق العمل من خلال العمل تحديد الأولويات ووضع خطة عمل وتحديد الاحتياجات والمعيقات وإيجاد حلول لها. أما على الصعيد الشخصي، فقد اكتسبت منه مهارات عديدة في مجال بناء القدرات كمنسقة وتوكيد الذات".
صابرين طروة: أكثر فهما لمفهوم العدالة والمساواة
في حين قالت صابرين طروة، من دائرة المرأة والطفل في مركز تواصل في سعير، ومرشدة سوق العمل، أنها حضرت إلى التدريب ولم تكن تعرف شيئا عن آليات عمل مركز "تواصل" في المحافظات بما يتعلق بسوق العمل، وكيفية توجيه النساء لسوق العمل، والتمكين الاقتصادي، وفي البحث عن عمل، وتوجيه النساء نحو التوظيف والتشبيك مع المؤسسات لصالح النساء الباحثات عن عمل. الآن بتنا أكثر فهما لمفهوم العدالة والمساواة والتمييز، والنوع الاجتماعي والشراكة بين المرأة والرجل، والتعرف على قانون العمل الخاص بالمرأة، ومعرفة نقاط القوة والضعف، وتعزيز الثقة بالنفس وتوكيد الذات".
تعتقد طروة، أن من الضروري استكمال "مفتاح" تدريباتها للأعضاء المشاركات في التدريب، وتوحيد الجهود لخطة موحدة لوزارات المرأة والعمل، بالتعاون مع المحافظات ومراكز تواصل.
لميس الحنتولي: حملة تدخلات
في حين، أكدت لميس الحنتولي، مديرة البرامج لدى "مفتاح"، أن هذه التدريبات تأتي ضمن حملة التدخلات التي تقوم بها المؤسسة بالتعاون مع وزارة شؤون المرأة، ومنسقات مركز تواصل لدعم مأسسة سياسات تستجيب لاحتياجات النساء في دعم مشاركتهن في سوق العمل، بما ينعكس في ثلاث أمور: توفر فرص العمل، وصول النساء إلى سوق العمل، والمقدرة والكفاءة التي يتمتعن بها للدخول إلى سوق العمل.
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.
