Ramallah – On December 11, 2018, MIFTAH and the “WIFAQ” Committee for National Reconciliation held a discussion session at the Grand Park Hotel on the national reconciliation files. Women and social leaders and members of the political elite attended the session in which three factsheets were presented that reflected the exclusion of women from the three reconciliation files: public freedoms, social reconciliation and the PLO, in MIFTAH’s efforts to include a Women Peace and Security agenda as part of the reconciliation discussions. MIFTAH worked with WIFAQ to develop factsheets on the three files, which were based on reliable data from MIFTAH reports and Human rights organizations that documented human rights violations and which focused on how this reality impacted Palestinian women during the period of political division; they were also based on in-depth meetings with communities in the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The session was considered a platform for sharing information and data on the developments within the three committees and to brief the participants on the obstacles and challenges facing these committees, which in turn stand in the way of achieving national reconciliation and ending the division.
MIFTAH Executive Director Ibtisam Husary welcomed the guests, saying the goal of the session was to start a broadened dialogue including the various parties that represent Palestinian society at the political and social level. She also said that presenting the three factsheets was aimed at producing a position paper which includes recommendations for implementation at the decision-making and popular level in order to come out with visions of the women’s movement regarding ending the division and achieving national reconciliation. Husary continued that these factsheets are complementary to the detailed reports issued by MIFTAH which included documentation of violations against Palestinian women and girls’ rights during the division. One report focused especially on the violations at the social and security level regarding Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip.
The three factsheets
The first factsheet on public freedoms was presented by WIFAQ Committee member Maysar Atyani entitled: “Towards a policy vision to protect and promote public freedoms in light of the Palestinian division”. She discussed the findings of rights reports over the span of the division since 2007 in terms of the deterioration in the rights and public freedoms system due to the internal situation created by the division.
The factsheet called for a policy framework of the necessary interventions for halting violations to public freedoms and rights, in relation to human security and dignity. In this regard, a number of alternatives were presented that would end the impacts of the division and its violation of citizens’ freedoms and rights in general and of women in particular, which include the following: adopting a group of urgent measures that respect public rights and freedoms of citizens; respect for the amended Palestinian Basic Law; treating the current dysfunction in the executive regulations for the executive authority to coincide with the principles of international legitimacy; separating humanitarian and rights issues from political action; adoption of a national/institutional plan to decrease assaults on public freedoms and rights through interventions that include protection and guidance, in addition to preventative interventions that target the system of laws and legislations associated with women’s rights in particular; to involve the popular base in defending public rights and freedoms to minimize the current violations to these rights and freedoms through a series of steps including: changing the work strategies in issues of awareness, advocacy and lobbying, promoting a culture of dialogue and popular symmetry through involving women and youth in showcasing and discussing their issues, in addition to promoting mechanisms of social protection and benefiting from the experience of the popular committees.
WIFAQ Committee member Rana Da’ana also presented a factsheet entitled “The impact of the division on national and social reconciliation.” She addressed the repercussions of the conflict between Fatah and Hamas, which has harmed the core of the Palestinian cause and its national liberation project including the impact on its social structure, on the social fabric and on the initiatives and meetings that took place to end the division but reaped no results.
In terms of the legislative, executive and judicial structures, the paper indicated that the division contributed to the development of two political contexts by the PA institutional leadership, one in the West Bank and the other in the Gaza Strip, each with different social, economic, cultural and legislative perspectives. It also contributed to two judicial and legislative contexts in the West Bank and Gaza.
Meanwhile, this division had economic and social repercussions, manifested in rampant unemployment among youths and a rise in poverty rates in addition to its impacts on health, education and culture. This in turn had negative impacts on freedoms, the spread of violence, a rise in crime levels and social problems among families, especially since the past two years cast a shadow over women in particular, given that they are more exposed to hardships in the political and economic context.
The factsheet identified several practical perspectives through a number of courses, including: adopting a qualitative and diversified women’s discourse that addresses various social sectors; calling for a gender perspective based on integrating gender in policies; shifting from reacting to the problem to actions taken on the ground; creating alliances that include the interests and perspective of marginalized and excluded sectors in the political and economic fields; investing in the various spaces and platforms available at the grassroots level to effectively mobilize the people and begin a process of accountability.
The third file revolved around the PLO and was broached by WIFAQ member Rateeba Al Natsheh who presented a factsheet entitled “Reforming the PLO as a national necessity.” It included the problems and challenges faced by the PLO in terms of its setback in effectiveness, representation and the shrinkage of jurisdictions in favor of the PNA after the center of the Palestinian leadership moved into the occupied homeland. This has necessitated a call for restructuring the PLO as a basis for all Palestinians and in accordance with a collective political program that restores its prestige and momentum.
The factsheet pointed to clearly insufficient representation of women over the years in the PLO, which was apparent in the representation of women in the PNC session in 1996, held in Gaza in which only 7.5% of the attendees were women. That is, 56 women of 730 members, while in 2018, the percentage rose to 10%.
The factsheet also identified several issues that need to be addressed to lay the groundwork for a gender-sensitive policy framework, including: the problem of Palestinian representation, mostly political and rights representation; the future of the Palestinian national project; overlapping Palestinian institutional action; problems in decision-making and its mechanisms; vision, course and reference, and the course of reconciliation in the context of the PLO.
During the session, the WIFAQ committee showcased a number of alternatives entitled “Effective national policies for reforming the PLO and for representing all Palestinians”. These included: holding periodic elections from the base to the Executive Committee and preparing a program for reforming and reviving the PLO as a unifying body for Palestinians inside the homeland and the Diaspora.
Presentations
The sessions included several presentations, including from Dr. Khalil Assaf, member of the freedoms committee. He commented on the first session on the public freedoms file, citing the ongoing efforts of the committee to hold meetings in order to discuss issues pertaining to these freedoms. It should be noted that the committee meetings in the West Bank convened separately from the committee meetings in the Gaza Strip and without broaching any issues pertaining to violations or to the promises to make a civil society institution a member of the public freedoms committee.
The second presentation was given by Mr. Hani Al Masri, Director General of “Masarat” Center. He commented on the social reconciliation file, citing Hamas’ positions before the division when it propositioned itself as an equal and alternative to the PLO. Al Masri also criticized the Oslo Accords, which recognized the right of Israel to exist, which he said was completely different than realizing it as a state, given that the former is a blow to the Palestinians’ historical narrative.
Al Masri warned of the repercussions of the division and its continuation on national unity, calling for this unity’s preservation. He also called for adherence to the rights of our people to self-determination and the right of return for refugees given that it constitutes the core of the Palestinian cause. He maintained that confronting the division and its repercussions calls for a reaffirmation of the social contract in the Palestinian National Charter, an agreement on the foundations and goals we seek to achieve and the means of achieving them. Al Masri stressed on the role of women and civil society and on the importance of elections, all of which are issues that require pressure from everyone until the ultimate goal is achieved of establishing a democratic Palestinian state that embraces political pluralism and a genuine opposition.
In his presentation, PLO Executive Committee Secretary Saeb Erekat commented on the reformation of the PLO, differentiating between two current projects in the Palestinian arena today. The first, he said was the national project, led by the PLO, which abides by international legitimacy and human rights, and the factional, religious project that believes the Gaza Strip is the gateway to an Islamic state. He pointed out that Hamas began to break away from the PLO when it refused to join the national unity leadership in 1988 and worked alone outside the framework of this leadership.
Erekat called on the participants to preserve the Palestinian national project and the PLO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and reaffirmed his support for just representation of women in PLO departments of no less than 30%, which was voted on during the last Central Council meeting. He also said that “determining the relationship with Israel requires two things: the independence of PLO departments and an end to the division.”
Recommendations
The presentations of the women leaders who participated reaffirmed the role of Palestinian factions and civil society institutions in combatting gender and class exclusion, which casts a shadow over Palestinian society and the Palestinian political system. They said this has manifested itself in society’s polarization and fragmentation, stressing on the need to take serious joint steps to stand up to the division and preserve the national project.
The recommendations also called for an agreement on a unifying national project; reconsideration of the sanctions imposed on the Gaza Strip; respect for rights and public freedoms in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; allowing the women’s narrative the necessary space for pressuring both sides of the division; demanding the PLO to carry out its role in accountability; reviving the role of the various factions and parties in this regard; calling for the review of a unified policy based on true political partnership; amending the mechanism for national action to be based on dialogue.
WIFAQ is a national women’s initiative that seeks to include the women’s agenda on the table of national dialogue as a priority and to boost public awareness on national reconciliation and on ending the political division. It includes several women cadres from the West Bank and Gaza whose vision coincides with that of the Palestinian women’s agenda for peace and security. The committee was formed by MIFTAH in 2016 as part of its OXFAM-funded interventions within the Conflict and Fragility project to promote women’s participation in peace and security.
'مفتاح' ولجنة 'وفاق' للجان المصالحة الوطنية تعقدان جلسة حوار موسّعة حول ملفات المصالحة
تاريخ النشر: 13/12/2018
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – 11/12/2018 - بحضور ذوي الاختصاص من القيادات النسوية والمجتمعية والنخب السياسية الفلسطينية، عقدت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" ولجنة "وفاق" للجان المصالحة الوطنية أمس الاثنين الموافق 10/12 2018 – في فندق جراند بارك برام الله جلسة حوار موسّعة حول ملفات المصالحة الوطنية، تم خلالها عرض أوراق حقائق عكست مواطن اقصاء واستبعاد النساء من ملفات المصالحة الثلاث:؛ الحريات، المصالحة المجتمعية، وملف منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، في إطار سعي "مفتاح" لوضع أجندة المرأة السلام والأمن ضمن الحوارات المتعلقة بملفات المصالحة الوطنية، حيث عملت "مفتاح “على دعم لجنة (وفاق) النسوية في بلورة أوراق حقائق تناولت الملفات الثلاث، واستندت فيها إلى بيانات موثّقة تناولتها تقارير "مفتاح" والمؤسسات الحقوقية التي وثقت انتهاكات لحقوق الانسان، وبالتركيز على تلك الواقعة على المرأة الفلسطينية خلال فترة الانقسام السياسي، ومن خلال اللقاءات المعمقّة مع المجتمع المحلي في الضفة الغربية (بما فيها القدس) وقطاع غزة ، حيث سلطت الضوء على رؤيتهم/ن للواقع الفلسطيني خلال فترة الانقسام الفلسطيني. واعتبرت الجلسة منصة لمشاركة العديد من المعلومات والبيانات المتعلقة بتطورات العمل داخل اللجان الثلاث واطلاع الحضور على العقبات والتحديات التي تواجه عمل اللجان المختصة بمتابعة ملفات المصالحة الوطنية، والتي تقف عائقا أمام تحقيق المصالحة الوطنية وإنهاء الانقسام والتي في مجملها عكست غياب الشارع الفلسطيني عنها.
تضمنت الجلسة كلمة ابتسام حصري المدير التنفيذي لمؤسسة "مفتاح" التي رحبت فيها بالحضور، مشيرة إلى أن الهدف من عقد الجلسة هو فتح باب حوار موسع يضم الأطراف المختلفة والممثلة للمجتمع الفلسطيني على المستويين السياسي والمجتمعي، وأن طرح أوراق الحقائق الثلاث هدفه الخروج بورقة موقف تتضمن توصيات للتنفيذ على مستوى صانع القرار، وعلى المستوى الشعبي، للخروج برؤى الحركة النسوية فيما يتعلق بإنهاء الانقسام وتحقيق المصالحة الوطنية، حيث تعتبر هذه الأوراق مكملة لتقارير مفصلة كانت أصدرتها "مفتاح" تناولت في مجملها توثيقاً لانتهاكات حقوق النساء والفتيات الفلسطينيات خلال فترة الانقسام، وجاء أحد التقارير بشكل مركز حول الانتهاكات على المستوى الاجتماعي والأمني بالنسبة للمرأة الفلسطينية في قطاع غزة أثناء الانقسام".
أوراق الحقائق الثلاث
وفيما يتعلق بالملف الأول، وهو ملف الحريات عرضت ميسر عطياني عضو لجنة "وفاق" ورقة عمل بعنوان:" نحو رؤية سياساتية لحماية وتعزيز الحريات العامة في ظل الانقسام الفلسطيني"، تطرقت فيها إلى ما أظهرته التقارير الحقوقية على مدار عمر الانقسام منذ العام 2007 من تدهور في منظومة الحقوق والحريات العامة بفعل الوضع الداخلي الذي أحدثه الانقسام.
ودعت ورقة العمل هذه إلى طرح إطار سياساتي للتدخلات التي ينبغي من خلالها الحد من الانتهاكات الواقعة على الحريات والحقوق العامة لما يرتبط ذلك بمفهوم أمن الإنسان وكرامته. وفي هذا السياق تم التأكيد على مجموعة من البدائل التي تنهي آثار الانقسام وانتهاكاته لحقوق وحريات المواطنين بشكل عام والنساء بشكل خاص أولاها: تبني مجموعة إجراءات عاجلة تحترم الحقوق والحريات العام للمواطنين، واحترام القانون الفلسطيني الأساسي المعدل، ، ومعالجة الخلل القائم في اللوائح التنفيذية والتناقض الصارخ ما بين القوانين المكتوبة والإجراءات المطبقة على المواطنين، وتعزيز الرقابة الذاتية والوطنية والمؤسساتية من قبل مؤسسات المجتمع المدني على القوانين والتشريعات الفلسطينية ومراقبة إصدارها، وتشكيل جبهة عمل وطنية للحد من تغول السلطات في قمع الحريات، ومواءمة اللوائح والقرارات التنفيذية الخاصة بعمل السلطة التنفيذية بما يتلاءم مع المبادئ الواردة ضمن الشرعية الدولية. وفصل القضايا الإنسانية والحقوقية عن العمل السياسي. والدعوة إلى تبني خطة وطنية – مؤسساتية للحد من التعدي على الحقوق والحريات العامة، من خلال تدخلات تشمل الحماية والتوجيه، إضافة إلى تدخلات وقائية تستهدف منظومة القوانين والتشريعات المرتبطة بحقوق النساء بوجه خاص، وإشراك القاعدة الشعبية في الدفاع عن الحقوق والحريات العامة للحد من الانتهاكات القائمة على الحقوق والحريات من خلال مجموعة من الخطوات أبرزها: تغيير استراتيجيات العمل في قضايا التوعية والضغط والمناصرة، وتعزيز ثقافة الحوار والتناظر الشعبي من خلال إشراك النساء والشباب في عرض قضاياهم ومناقشتها، إضافة إلى تعزيز آليات الحماية المجتمعية والاستعانة بتجربة اللجان الشعبية>
بدورها، استعرضت رانه دعنا ، عضو لجنة "وفاق"، ورقة حقائق حول "أثر الانقسام على المصالحة الوطنية والمجتمعية"، تطرقت من خلالها إلى تداعيات الصراع الدامي بين فتح وحماس والتي مست بجوهر القضية الفلسطينية ومشروعها الوطني التحرري، وتأثيرها على تركيبته وبنيته الاجتماعية، وعلى النسيج المجتمعي، وما تخلل ذلك من مبادرات ولقاءات لإنهاء الانقسام لم تسفر عن أية نتائج.
وفي تطرقها إلى البنية التشريعية والتنفيذية والقضائية أشارت الورقة إلى أن الانقسام ساهم في بلورة سياقين سياسيين لقيادة مؤسسات السلطة الفلسطينية، أحدهما في الضفة الغربية والآخر في قطاع غزة برؤى اجتماعية واقتصادية وثقافية وتشريعية مختلفة عن الأخرى، إضافة سياقين قضائيين وتشريعيين مختلفين بين الضفة وغزة.
في حين كان لهذا الانقسام تأثيرات اقتصادية واجتماعية، تجلت بتفشي البطالة في صفوف الشباب، وارتفاع معدلات الفقر، إضافة إلى تأثيراته على الصحة والتعليم والثقافة، ما ترك تأثيرات سيئة على واقع الحريات وانتشار العنف، وارتفاع في مستوى الجريمة والمشكلات الاجتماعية بين العائلات خاصة في السنتين الأخيرتين ألقت بظلالها على النساء اللواتي بتن أكثر انكشافا ومعاناة للسياق الاقتصادي والسياسي المعاش.
وحددت ورقة الحقائق مجموعة من الرؤى العملية من خلال عدة مسارات أبرزها: تبني خطاب نسوي تنوعي ونوعي يحاكي فئات المجتمع المختلفة، والدعوة إلى منظور جندري قائم على إدماج النوع الاجتماعي في السياسات، والانتقال من ردة الفعل الإشكالية إلى الفعل الممارس على الأرض، وعقد تحالفات تضمن مصالح ورؤية الفئات المهمشة والمقصيّة من الحقلين السياسي والاقتصادي، والاستثمار بالمساحات والمنابر المختلفة المتاحة على مستويات قاعدية للتحشيد الجماهيري الفاعل، والشروع بالمساءلة والمحاسبة.
أما الملف الثالث من جلسة الحوار الموسّعة، فكان حول منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية، عرضت خلاله رتيبة النتشة، عضو لجنة "وفاق" ورقة حقائق حول المنظمة بعنوان "إصلاح منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية كضرورة وطنية"، اشتملت على ما تواجهه منظمة التحرير من إشكاليات وتحديات من حيث تراجع فعاليتها وتمثيلها وانكماش صلاحياتها لصالح السلطة الفلسطينية بعد انتقال مركز القيادة الفلسطينية إلى داخل الوطن المحتل، في وقت لم يرافق هذا التغيير الجغرافي والسياسي تغيرات تتناسب والمرحلة الجديدة في منظمة التحرير، ما استوجب المطالبة في إعادة بناء وهيكلة منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية كأساس يحاكي الكل الفلسطيني، ووفق برنامج سياسي جامع يعيد لها هيبتها وزخمها.
وأشارت ورقة الحقائق هذه إلى قصور واضح في تمثيل النساء عبر سنوات عمل منظمة التحرير، وهو ما أظهره تمثيل المرأة في دورة المجلس الوطني في العام 1996 التي عقدت في غزة والتي لم تتجاوز أل 7.5% بواقع 56 امرأة من أصل 730 عضوا، في حين بلغت النسبة 10% في دورة العام 2018.
وحددت ورقة الحقائق هذه عدة قضايا تؤسس لتأطير سياساتي بمنظور جندري، أهمها: إشكالية التمثيل الفلسطيني أهمها التمثيل السياسي والحقوقي، وإشكالية مستقبل المشروع الوطني الفلسطيني، وإشكالية عمل وتداخل العمل المؤسساتي الفلسطيني، وإشكالية صنع القرار وآليات اتخاذه، وإشكالية الرؤية والمسار والمرجعية، إضافة إلى إشكالية مسار العمل بمفهوم المصالحة في سياق منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية.
وعرضت لجنة "وفاق" خلال الجلسة مجموعة من البدائل تحت عنوان" سياسات وطنية فاعلة لإصلاح منظمة التحرير وتمثيل الكل الفلسطيني من أبرزها: عقد انتخابات دورية من القاعدة حتى اللجنة التنفيذية، إعداد برنامج لإصلاح وتفعيل المنظمة، كجامع للفلسطينيين في الداخل والشتات. علما
مداخلات
واشتملت الجلسة على العديد من المداخلات من أبرزها مداخلات لكل من د. خليل عساف، عضو لجنة الحريات الذي عقًب على ما ورد في الجلسة الأولى المتعلقة بملف الحريات بالإشارة إلى محاولات اللجنة المستمرة لعقد اجتماعات لها لمناقشة القضايا المتعلقة بالحريات العامة، علماً بأن اجتماعات هذه اللجنة في الضفة الغربية كانت تتم بمعزل عن اجتماعات اللجنة في قطاع غزة، ودون أن يتم التطرق إلى القضايا المتعلقة بالانتهاكات ووعد بضم إحدى مؤسسات المجتمع إلى عضوية لجنة الحريات هذه.
أما المداخلة الثانية فكانت للسيد هاني المصري، مدير عام مركز مسارات، حيث عقب على ما جاء في ملف المصالحة المجتمعية، بالإشارة إلى مواقف حماس قبل الانقسام حيث كانت تطرح نفسها نداً وبديلا لمنظمة التحرير، كما انتقد اتفاق أوسلو الذي اعترف بحق إسرائيل في الوجود وهو أمر يختلف تماما عن الاعتراف بها كدولة، كونه يضرب الرواية التاريخية الفلسطينية.
وحذر المصري من تداعيات الانقسام واستمراره على الوحدة الوطنية داعيا إلى الحفاظ عليها، وعلى التمسك بحقوق شعبنا في تقرير مصيره، وحق العودة للاجئين باعتبارها تمثل جوهر القضية الفلسطينية، مؤكدا أن مواجهة الانقسام وتداعياته يستوجب التأكيد على العقد الاجتماعي في الميثاق الوطني الفلسطيني، والاتفاق على الأسس والأهداف التي نسعى إلى تحقيقها وآلية الوصول إليها، مشددا على دور المرأة والمجتمع المدني ، وعلى أهمية الانتخابات وهي قضايا يجب أن يشارك الجميع في الضغط لتحقيقها، وصولا إلى قيام دولة فلسطينية ديمقراطية، تضمن التعددية السياسية بوجود معارضة حقيقية.
في حين دعا د. صائب عريقات أمين سر اللجنة التنفيذية لمنظمة التحرير الفلسطينية في مداخلته والتي عقب عليها على مرقة اصلاح منظمة التحرير إلى التفريق بين مشروعين قائمين الآن في الساحة الفلسطينية. مشروع وطني تقوده منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية يلتزم بالشرعية الدولية وحقوق الإنسان، ومشروع حزبي ديني يعتقد بأن غزة هي مدخل لولاية وخلافة إسلامية، منوها إلى أن حماس بدأت انقسامها على منظمة التحرير حين رفضت في العام 1988 الانضمام إلى القيادة الوطنية الموحدة وعملت منفردة خارج إطار هذه القيادة. مؤكدا رفضه لتعددية السلطات مع تأييده للتعددية السياسية.
ودعا عريقات الحضور إلى الحفاظ على المشروع الوطني الفلسطيني وعلى م. ت. ف باعتبارها الممثل الشرعي الوحيد للشعب الفلسطيني، مؤكدا دعمه لتمثيل عادل للمرأة في دوائر منظمة التحرير بما لا يقل عن 30%، وهو ما تم التصويت عليه في جلسة المجلس المركزي الأخيرة. وقال :" تحديد العلاقة مع إسرائيل يتطلب أمرين: الأول: استقلالية دوائر منظمة التحرير، وإنهاء الانقسام".
توصيات
فيما أكدت مداخلات المشاركين والمشاركات من القيادات النسوية على دور الأحزاب الفلسطينية ومؤسسات المجتمع المدني في مواجهة الاستبعاد والاقصاء الجندري والطبقي والذي يلقي بظلاله على المجتمع الفلسطيني والنظام السياسي الفلسطيني متمثلاً بحالة من الاستقطاب والتشرذم للمجتمع الفلسطيني، وضرورة اتخاذ خطوات جدية مشتركة للوقوف في وجه الانقسام والحفاظ على المشروع الوطني.
كما دعت التوصيات إلى الاتفاق على مشروع وطني جامع، وإعادة النظر في إجراءات فرض العقوبات على قطاع غزة، واحترام الحقوق والحريات العامة في الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة، ومنح الخطاب النسوي وسائل الضغط المناسبة على طرفي الانقسام، ومطالبة منظمة التحرير في القيام بدورها في موضوعي المساءلة والمحاسبة، وتفعيل دور الفصائل والأحزاب المختلفة على هذا الصعيد، والدعوة إلى مراجعة سياسية موحدة تقوم على الشراكة السياسية الحقيقية، وتعديل آلية العمل الوطني لتقوم على أساس الحوار.
تجدر الإشارة إلى أن (وفاق) هي مبادرة نسوية وطنية تسعى لوضع أجندة المرأة على طاولة الحوار الوطني كاولوية وتعزيز الوعي الجماهيري الواسع من أجل المصالحة الوطنية وإنهاء الانقسام السياسي، وتضم العديد من الكوادر النسوية على مستوى الضفة والقطاع، والتي تنسجم برؤيتها مع اجندة النساء الفلسطينيات للأمن والسلام، وقامت (مفتاح) بتشكيلها منذ 2016 ضمن تدخلاتها التي تسعى من خلالها إلى تعزيز مشاركة النساء في السلام والأمن وبتمويل من أوكسفام OXFAM .
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.
