Ramallah – 17/8/2020 – Based on its interventions to develop government policies responsive to the needs of marginalized social sectors, MIFTAH held a meeting last month to discuss the vocational and technical education program at the Ministry of Education. This was preceded by another session on the budget for the integration and protection budget of the Ministry of Social Development.
In the first session, held on August 17, the discussion revolved around the vocational and technical education program from a gender perspective, aimed at preparing students to make the move from university to practical life and to increase the percentage of female students in vocational education. The participants discussed the program’s budget and offered qualitative and quantitative analysis for all vocational and technical education outputs. This program’s funding is primarily based on projects from international parties. While the ministry’s technical and vocational education program has a limited budget, its developmental expenses are high given that it is supported by the Joint Financing Arrangement (JFA), which means there are available financial resources to redevelop the program so it guarantees an annual 5% increase in the enrollment of female students in vocational education and also opens new, compelling vocational specializations for students such as: cell phone programing, designing automated programs and information management.
There was also a focus on the need to make compatible buildings to accommodate special-needs students and to encourage their integration in vocational education. This program is considered an important entryway for dealing with the growing unemployment crisis, which has reached 52% among BA graduates this year, according to the latest Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics numbers.
| This program will be considered an important entryway for dealing with the growing unemployment crisis, which has reached 52% among BA graduates |
The participants recommended the need to best invest in the available opportunities for this program and to ensure a comprehensive response from training centers to the emotional and physical needs of students and to provide them with vocational guidance starting from the lower classes until Grade 10. They also recommended the formulation of a national capacity-building plan for educational cadres by producing a guidebook for educational counselors.
Meanwhile, the session held a week earlier on August 10 on integration and protection, discussed the goals and objectives of the program in multidimensional protection, care, rehabilitation and social empowerment in accordance with case-management criteria for vulnerable and marginalized social sectors. The focus was on battered women in particular. The participants also discussed the third goal of the integration and protection program policy pertaining to the protection of women subjected to assault or violence of all forms. They discussed providing a supportive psychological, social, legal and material environment that would ultimately result in the creation of an umbrella of official protection for battered women.
The participants called for increased numbers of targeted women in the program’s interventions and to include services compatible for women with special needs, stressing on the need to ratify the family protection law. They argued for their demand by saying that the program’s objective and services are based on the need for a comprehensive and contemporary legal framework to address the challenges Palestinian families face. They called for government interventions to improve the services provided by the Ministry of Social Development within the context of this program by increasing its allocated budgets. The budget of the integration and protection program at the Ministry of Social Development is approximately NIS52 million, which comprises only 6.2% of the ministry’s budget in spite of its wide scope targeting special needs women, children and the elderly
| The need to ratify the family protection law, since the program’s objective and services are based on the need for a comprehensive and contemporary legal framework |
This session is part of MIFTAH’s efforts towards lobbying and advocacy for promoting good governance in Palestine through developing public policies and budgets responsive to marginalized and vulnerable social sectors, which fall under MIFTAH’s “Finance for Development” project implemented in partnership with OXFAM.
جلستان في 'مفتاح' تناقشان موازنة برنامج الإدماج والحماية لوزارة التنمية الاجتماعية وبرنامج التعليم المهني والتقني في وزارة التربية والتعليم من منظور النوع الاجتماعي
تاريخ النشر: 19/08/2020
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – 17/8/2020 – مرتكزة على تدخلاتها في بلورة سياسات حكومية مستجيبة لاحتياجات الفئات المجتمعية المهمشة، عقدت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" جلسة تم فيها مناقشة برنامج التعليم المهني والتقني في وزارة التربية والتعليم، وكان قد سبقها جلسة حول موازنة برنامج الإدماج والحماية لدى وزارة التنمية الاجتماعية، عقدت الاثنين الماضي.
ففي الجلسة التي عقدت اليوم الاثنين الموافق 17/8/2020 تمحور النقاش، حول برنامج التعليم المهني والتقني من منظور النوع الاجتماعي الهادف إلى تهيئة خريجين أكفاء للانتقال للحياة الجامعية والعملية، وزيادة نسبة إدماج الطالبات في التعليم المهني. كما ناقش الحضور موازنة البرنامج، وتقديم تحليل كمي ونوعي لجميع مخرجات التعليم المهني والتقني، حيث يعتمد هذا البرنامج في تمويله بالأساس على مشاريع من جهات دولية، علماً أن برنامج التعليم التقني والمهني هو أحد برامج وزارة التربية والتعليم، وعلى الرغم من ان موازنته محدودة، الا أن النفقات التطويرية فيه مرتفعة، كونه يحظى بدعم تطويري من سلة التمويل المشترك JFA، وبالتالي، فإن هناك موارد مالية متاحة يمكن الاستفادة منها لإعادة تطوير البرنامج بما يضمن زيادة التحاق الطالبات في التعليم المهني بنسبة 5% سنوياً من إجمالي الملتحقين بهذا النوع من التعليم، وفتح تخصصات مهنية جديدة ومحفّزة للطالبات مثل: برمجة الهواتف الخلوية، تصميم برامج محوسبة، وتنظيم معلومات إدارية.
| يعتبر برنامج التعليم المهني والتقني مدخلاً مهما لمعالجة أزمة البطالة المتفاقمة، والتي بلغت 52% بين خريجي درجة البكالوريوس |
كما تم التركيز على ضرورة مواءمة كافة المباني لاحتياجات الطالبات والطلاب ذوي الإعاقة، لتشجيع اندماجهم في التعليم المهني. فيما سيعتبر هذا البرنامج مدخلاً مهما لمعالجة أزمة البطالة المتفاقمة، والتي بلغت 52% بين خريجي درجة البكالوريوس لهذا العام، وفقا لآخر إحصائيات صدرت عن الجهاز المركزي للإحصاء الفلسطيني.
وأوصى المشاركون، بضرورة الاستثمار الأفضل للفرص المتاحة لهذا البرنامج، والتأكيد على شمولية استجابة مراكز التدريب لاحتياجات فئات الطلبة معنويا وفيزيائياً، وتزويدهم بالتوجيه المهني ابتداء من الصفوف الدنيا وحتى الصف العاشر، ووضع خطة وطنية لبناء قدرات الكادر التعليمي من خلال إعداد دليل إرشادي للمرشدين التربويين.
في حين، ناقشت جلسة الأسبوع الماضي التي عقدت بتاريخ 10/8/2020 حول الإدماج والحماية، أهداف البرنامج وغاياته المتمثلة بحماية ورعاية وتأهيل وتمكين اجتماعي متعدد الأبعاد وفق معايير إدارة الحالات ضمن الفئات المجتمعية الضعيفة والمهمشة، حيث تم التركيز على فئة النساء خاصة المعنفات. كما نوقش الهدف الثالث من بيان سياسة برنامج الإدماج والحماية المتعلق بتوفير حماية للنساء اللواتي يتعرضن للاعتداء والعنف بكافة أشكاله لما يشكله من خطر على حياتهن، والعمل على توفير البيئة الداعمة نفسياً واجتماعياً وقانونياً ومادياً، وصولاً إلى تشكيل مظلة حماية رسمية للنساء المعنّفات.
| ضرورة إقرار قانون حماية الأسرة من العنف، معللين مطلبهم بأن هذا البرنامج معتمد في أهدافه وخدماته على ضرورة وجود إطار قانوني شامل |
وطالب المشاركون بزيادة أعداد النساء المستهدفات من تدخلات البرنامج، وتضمين خدمات موائمة للنساء من ذوات الإعاقة، مشددين على ضرورة إقرار قانون حماية الأسرة من العنف، معللين مطلبهم بأن هذا البرنامج معتمد في أهدافه وخدماته على ضرورة وجود إطار قانوني شامل وعصري للتعامل مع التحديات التي تواجهها الأسرة الفلسطينية في الوقت الراهن.
وطالبوا بتدخلات حكومية لتحسين واقع الخدمات المقدمة من قبل وزارة التنمية في إطار هذا البرنامج من خلال زيادة الموازنات المخصصة له، حيث بلغت موازنة برنامج الادماج والحماية في وزارة التنمية الاجتماعية حوالي (52) مليون شيكل، وهي تشكل ما نسبته (6.2%) فقط من موازنة وزارة التنمية الاجتماعية رغم نطاق عملها العريض والذي يستهدف ذوي الإعاقة، النساء، الأطفال، والمسنين.
تأتي هذه الجلسة، ضمن مساعي "مفتاح" المتمثلة بجهود الضغط والمناصرة لتعزيز الحكم الرشيد في فلسطين، من خلال بلورة سياسات وموازنات عامة مستجيبة للفئات المجتمعية المهمشة والضعيفة، ضمن مشروع التمويل من أجل التنمية الذي تنفذه "مفتاح" بالشراكة مع مؤسسة "أوكسفام".
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.
