Ramallah: MIFTAH recently completed training workshops over the course of four days for members of the women’s shadow committee for the national reconciliation committees, held concomitantly in Ramallah and Gaza. The training revolved around “conflict management skills, building civic peace and the art of negotiating and debate”.
MIFTAH project director Najwa Yaghi said the trainings were a continuation of MIFTAH’s efforts within the framework of promoting women’s political and social participation in achieving national reconciliation and pushing for an end to the political division. MIFTAH formed a women’s shadow committee comprised of members of the Secretariat of the Women’s Coalition for UN Resolution 1325 in addition to other women political and social leaders. Their goal was to devise a women’s agenda to be included in the discussions of the official reconciliation committees and to push for a consensus on issues that encourage national reconciliation. To this end, the shadow committee was given the necessary skills and information to carry out its tasks.
Training subjects
A total of 29 women participated in the training in Ramallah and Gaza and received skills in methods of conflict management and building civil peace through an introduction to concepts of conflict, its stages, types and sources, tools for conflict analysis and understanding the patterns and mechanisms for dealing with it such as mediation, arbitration and negotiation. The training program followed a participatory methodology whereby the participants were actively involved. Furthermore, some of the exercises helped in creating a better space for creativity and flexibility.
According to the trainers, the information and skills the participants received helped them to analyze conflicts and to find realistic and applicable solutions in line with the intervention. They were introduced to several techniques for conflict resolution such as mediation, arbitration, negotiation and dialogue in addition to the tools for each technique and communication and listening skills. This gave them a deeper understanding of the conflict and its reasons vis-à-vis the controversial issues involved and they learned the importance of starting from a win-win basis during the intervention. .
Recommendations
The participants all recommended that training continues, especially those related to conflict-management skills. They expressed their desire to learn more about the internal Palestinian division and to follow up with the unofficial sessions on it. They said it was imperative to be part of the negotiating process (both internationally and regionally) and in the preparation of a work agenda according to which the shadow committee can operate. They also recommended that the monitoring shadow committee is revived so it could monitor the course of reconciliation negotiations and detect the gaps in the discussions and negotiations and understand their reasons. The committee would seek out solutions to overcome these gaps in the interest of national unity. They noted that the shadow committee needs a preparatory phase during which it can develop its vision, approaches and role. They said their committee should also communicate with the reconciliation committees so it could have more of a presence in them.
The trainers recommended the need to determine the goals and vision of the committee so they could formulate a work plan and distribute the roles within it. They also said the shadow committee needed to be divided into a number of specialized committees in the various fields such as legal, social, and media committees. This way, the members could work in a group suitable for their own expertise and experiences. The trainers continued that conditions and criteria must be set down for joining the committee in addition to formulating a code of conduct for the members to ensure their efficacy and their commitment to the goal for which it was established. They recommended meetings with decision-makers in official institutions, especially over controversial issues pertaining to the women’s, security, economic and social agendas. Finally, they said awareness meetings should be increased for members of the group on the various contentious issues between the two sides of the divide.
ضمن مشروع 'تعزيز مشاركة النساء في بناء السلم والأمن'..
'مفتاح' تختتم أربعة أيام تدريبية للجنة الظل النسوية للجان المصالحة الوطنية
تاريخ النشر: 17/12/2016
بقلم: مفتاح
اختتمت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" مؤخرا تدريبات نظرية وعملية على مدى أربعة أيام لناشطات للجنة النسوية الموازية للجان المصالحة الوطنية عقدت في كل من رام الله وغزة بالتزامن، وتمحورت حول "مهارات إدارة النزاع وبناء السلم الأهلي، وفن التفاوض والمناظرة".
وقالت نجوى ياغي، مديرة مشاريع في "مفتاح"، أن هذه التدريبات جاءت استكمالا للجهود التي قادتها "مفتاح"، في إطار تعزيز المشاركة السياسية والمجتمعية للنساء في الجهود الرامية لتحقيق المصالحة الوطنية والضغط باتجاه إنهاء الانقسام بين شطري الوطن، حيث عملت "مفتاح"، على تشكيل لجنة ظل نسوية للجان المصالحة من أعضاء مؤسسات سكريتاريا الائتلاف النسوي لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325 ومن مجموعة من النساء القياديات على المستويين السياسي والمجتمعي بهدف وضع الأجندة النسوية على طاولة مباحثات لجان المصالحة الوطنية الرسمية والضغط باتجاه التوافق على القضايا التي من شأنها أن تدفع باتجاه تحقيق المصالحة الوطنية، من خلال تزويد لجنة الظل النسوية بالمهارات والمعلومات اللازمة لها للقيام بالمهام المنوطة بها.
موضوعات التدريب
كانت المشاركات في التدريب في كل من رام الله وغزة وعددهن 29 تلقين العديد من المهارات في تقنيات إدارة الصراع وبناء السلم الأهلي، من خلال التعرف على مفاهيم النزاع، مراحله وأنواعه ومصادره، وأدوات تحليل النزاعات والتعرف على أنماط وآليات التعامل معه، ومفهوم الوساطة والتحكيم والتفاوض، واعتمدت المنهجية التشاركية في برنامج التدريب، بحيث تم إشراك المشاركات بشكل فعال في اكتساب المعرفة، وساعدت بعض التمارين العملية في خلق المجال الأفضل للإبداع والمرونة، .
ووفقا للمدربين الذين نفذوا تدريبات الأيام الأربع، فإن المعلومات والمهارات التي زودت بها المشاركات تعلقت بتمكينهن من تحليل النزاع وأسبابه والبحث عن حلول واقعية قابلة للتطبيق تخدم هدف التدخل، من خلال التقنيات المتعددة لحل النزاعات، من قبيل الوساطة والتحكيم والتفاوض والحوار، وأدوات كل تقنية ، ومهارات خاصة بالاتصال والتواصل والإصغاء، ما مكنهن من فهم معمق للنزاع وأسبابه تبعا للقضايا الخلافية، وأهمية الانطلاق من قاعدة رابح – رابح أثناء التدخل.
توصيات
وفي مجمل التدريبات تلك، أوصت المشاركات فيها باستمرارها، خاصة ما تعلق منها بمهارات إدارة النزاع والتعمق في الانقسام الفلسطيني الفلسطيني بشكل أكبر لفهم تفاصيله ومتابعة جلسات الحوار غير الرسمية، والتركيز على المهارات المعرفية والسلوكية لعضوات اللجنة بشكل مستمر، وضرورة الاشتراك بتجارب عملية للمفاوضات (دولية وإقليمية)، وإعداد خطة عمل محددة بشكل زمني ضمن السياق السياسي الثقافي الفلسطيني تعمل في إطاره لجنة الظل النسوية، وتفعيل لجنة الظل المراقبة، والتي من شأنها مراقبة مسيرة سير مفاوضات المصالحة، ودراسة الفجوات في جلسات الحوار والمفاوضات وأسبابها، والبحث عن حلول لتجاوزها بما يخدم الوحدة الوطنية، وحاجة لجنة الظل لمرحلة تأسيسية تبلور خلالها رؤيتها، وتوجهاتها ، ودورها، وضرورة التواصل مع لجنة المصالحة وتعزيز دور لجنة الظل لتصبح أكثر حضورا في اللجنة الرسمية.
وأوصى المدربون بضرورة تحديد أهداف ورؤية اللجنة من أجل وضع خطة عمل للجنة الظل وتوزيع الأدوار على اللجنة، وتقسيم لجنة الظل إلى عدد من اللجان التخصصية في جميع المجالات: القانونية، الاجتماعية، الإعلامية، لتفعيل عضواتها بما ينسجم مع خبراتهم العلمية والعملية، ووضع شروط ومعايير وشروط للانضمام للجنة، وكذلك وضع مدونة سلوك لعضوات لجنة الظل لضمان فعاليتها وخدمة الهدف الذي تأسست من أجله، وعقد لقاءات مع صناع القرار في المؤسسات الرسمية تحديدا في القضايا الخلافية ذات العلاقة بالأجندة النسوية والأمنية والاقتصادية والاجتماعية، وتكثيف اللقاءات التوعوية لأفراد المجموعة بمختلف القضايا الخلافية بين طرفي الانقسام.
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.
