Ramallah – 12/7/2021 – MIFTAH recently completed its EU-funded “Youth as Human Rights Defenders” project, which it implemented over three and a half years, documenting Israeli human rights violations in three areas: Jerusalem, Hebron and the Gaza Strip.
A virtual reality tour of Israeli violations, including the role of Palestinian youth in documenting these violations, was held at the Mahmoud Darwish Museum in Ramallah. MIFTAH Executive Director, Dr. Tahreer Araj opened the event, explaining how the human rights defenders project focused on the monitoring and documentation of Israeli occupation violations in the three areas. In Hebron, she said, the focus was on the right to freedom of movement, education and religious rights; in occupied Jerusalem, it was on house demolitions, the right to education and religious and cultural rights. As for the Gaza Strip, the VR tour focused on violations against the rights of farmers and fishermen.
Araj continued that in the project’s second year, MIFTAH developed the first detailed analytical report on these violations, which was presented for discussion with local and international rights institutions. Specialized reports and factsheets were also written and discussed with the relevant parties.
After thanking the EU for supporting the project and the grassroots institutions that supported the defenders, Araj concluded by saying: “The importance of this project within the Palestinian context is that it is a crucial tool for monitoring and documenting Israeli violations. It could be used to promote the efforts of civil society and rights institutions in disseminating and exposing the occupation and holding it accountable for its crimes and violations against the Palestinians on international platforms.”
Meanwhile, MIFTAH project coordinator Waad Qannam said the project summarizes the efforts and work over three and a half years by human rights defenders through virtual tours of the three areas. He commended the role of the defenders in occupied Jerusalem, the old city of Hebron and in the Gaza Strip who monitored and documented Israeli violations and were able to convey the message of the Palestinian people to the world in spite of the many obstacles.
Attorney Dr. Mahmoud Abu Swai then presented the results of the second analytical report on the human rights violations, applying international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law to their specificity but also stressing that these were only a small part of the ongoing violations. The report covers the period between 2020 to mid-2021 and cites basic rights such as education, health, freedom of movement, freedom of worship, freedom to access religious sites, the right to live in Jerusalem and Hebron and rights of farmers and fishermen in the Gaza Strip, violated by occupation authorities.
While presenting the report’s recommendations, Abu Swei called for the need to provide concrete support and a strategic plan backed by material means and budgets in Jerusalem and Hebron. He also called for internationalizing attacks on places of worship, on the rights of farmers and fishermen and for doubling efforts to support the Gaza Strip, lift the siege and end the division in addition to exploring the possible legal tools to hold it accountable.
Furthermore, MIFTAH’s Policy Dialogue and Good Governance Program Director, Lamis Shuaibi said the institution wanted to present something different, with new and more advanced tools used by Palestinian youths to communicate and connect at the local and international levels. It also wanted to ensure that the presentation was in harmony with the youth defenders’ work over the past three and a half years.
“The highlighted issues focused on the specific areas and the violations committed there,” Shuaibi said. “The VR tour takes the viewer on a journey of the violations against Palestinians and makes them feel as if they were on the receiving end of these violations. It is a simulation of reality and contributes to disseminating the Palestinian narrative globally from the perspective of Palestinian youth. The project also covers a considerable range of human rights violations including the right to movement, the right to housing and worship along with other denied human rights Palestinians endure, including the right to protection.”
Shuaibi said the project included three campaigns entitled: “Our Protection is our Right” in Gaza; “100 Checkpoints” in Hebron and “We are the Origin” in Jerusalem and were managed by youth activists in these areas who were trained on means of documentation based on the Universal Human Rights Index, international law and international human rights.
في اختتام مشروع الشباب الفلسطيني كمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان: مؤسسة 'مفتاح' تعرض رحلة افتراضية VR للانتهاكات الإسرائيلية في القدس والخليل وغزة
تاريخ النشر: 14/07/2021
بقلم: مفتاح
رام الله – 12/7/2021 – اختتمت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" مؤخراً مشروع الشباب الفلسطيني كمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان والذي استمر العمل به لثلاث سنوات ونصف بتمويل من الاتحاد الأوروبي، وتم خلاله توثيق انتهاكات الاحتلال لحقوق الإنسان الفلسطيني في ثلاث مناطق هي: القدس، الخليل، وقطاع غزة.
وخلال فعالية عرض الواقع الافتراضي VR الخاص بالانتهاكات الإسرائيلية ودور الشباب الفلسطيني في توثيقها والتصدي لها، والتي جرت في متحف محمود درويش في مدينة رام الله، قالت د. تحرير الأعرج المديرة التنفيذية لمؤسسة "مفتاح":" تأتي هذه الفعالية ضمن مشروع الشباب الفلسطيني كمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان من خلال التركيز على رصد وتوثيق انتهاكات الاحتلال في ثلاث مناطق هي الخليل والتي تركزت على الحق في حرية الحركة والتنقل، والتعليم، والحقوق الدينية. أما في القدس المحتلة فكان التركيز على هدم المنازل، والحق في التعليم والحقوق الدينية والثقافية، أما في قطاع غزة، فتركز التوثيق في المناطق (الممنوع الوصول إليها) في شمال وجنوب القطاع، من خلال التركيز على الانتهاكات الواقعة على حقوق المزارعين والصيادين، مشيرة إلى قيام "مفتاح" في السنة الثانية من المشروع بتطوير تقرير تحليلي مفصل حول هذه الانتهاكات، تم عرضه للنقاش مع المؤسسات الحقوقية المحلية والدولية، ومن ثمّ كتابة تقارير متخصصة نوقشت مع الجهات المختصة حول سياسات الاحتلال المتعلقة بانتهاكاته في المناطق الثلاث، بالإضافة إلى تطوير أوراق حقائق وسياسات حول هذه الانتهاكات".
وبعد أن أشادت بالدعم المقدم من الاتحاد الأوروبي للمشروع، وللمؤسسات القاعدية التي قدمت المساندة للمدافعين، اختتمت د. الأعرج كلمتها بالقول:" تأتي أهمية هذا المشروع في السياق الفلسطيني كونه يشكل أداة مهمة لرصد وتوثيق الانتهاكات الإسرائيلية التي يمكن أن تستخدم للمساهمة في تعزيز جهود المجتمع المدني والمؤسسات الحقوقية في نشر وفضح الاحتلال ومساءلته على ما يرتكبه من جرائم وانتهاكات بحق الشعب الفلسطيني في المنابر الدولية".
بدوره، اعتبر وعد قنام منسق المشروع في "مفتاح" فعالية اختتام المشروع بأنها مناسبة مهمة جداً كونها تلخص جهد وعمل ثلاث سنوات ونصف من قبل الشباب الفلسطيني كمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان في المناطق التي شملتها عملية رصد وتوثيق الانتهاكات، من خلال ما اشتملته على جولة افتراضية في تلك المناطق، مشيداً بدور الشباب المدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان في القدس المحتلة والبلدة القديمة من الخليل وقطاع غزة، والذين عملوا على رصد وتوثيق انتهاكات الاحتلال، وتوصيل رسالة الشعب الفلسطيني إلى العالم رغم كل التعقيدات الموجودة.
في حين، عرض المحامي د. محمود أبو صوي نتائج التقرير التحليلي حول الانتهاكات التي رصدها الشباب المدافعون عن حقوق الإنسان في المناطق الثلاث التي ركز المدافعون عملهم فيها، مع تكييف انتهاكات الاحتلال وفقاً للقانون الدولي لحقوق الإنسان والقانون الدولي الإنساني والقانون الجنائي الدولي، منوهاً إلى أن هذه الانتهاكات هي جزء يسير من انتهاكاته المستمرة، علماً بأن التقرير يشمل الفترة الممتدة من عام 2020 وحتى منتصف العام 2021، وهي تشمل حقوقاً أساسية كالتعليم والصحة وحرية الحركة والتنقل وحرية العبادة والوصول إلى الأماكن الدينية والحق بالسكن في كل من القدس والخليل، وحقوق المزارعين والصيادين في قطاع غزة المنتهكة من قبل الاحتلال.
وفي عرضه للتوصيات المتعلقة بهذه المناطق الأكثر عرضة لانتهاكات الاحتلال، دعا أبو صوي إلى وجوب توفير دعم حقيقي وخطة استراتيجية مسلحة بالإمكانات المادية والموازنات للقدس والخليل، وتدويل الاعتداءات على أماكن العبادة وعلى حقوق المزارعين والصيادين، وتكثيف جهود الدعم لقطاع غزة ورفع الحصار عنه وإنهاء الانقسام، وفحص الأدوات القانونية الممكنة لمحاسبة الاحتلال.
من ناحيتها، قالت لميس الشُعيبي مديرة برنامج حوار السياسات والحكم الرشيد في مؤسسة "مفتاح"، أن المؤسسة حاولت تنظيم العروض بشكلٍ مختلف وبأدوات مستجدة بالاستناد لجميع الأدوات التي يعتمدها الشباب الفلسطيني بالتواصل على المستوى المحلي والدولي، بالإضافة إلى مواءمة شكل العروض لشكل العمل الذي أنجزه الشباب خلال فترة الثلاث سنوات ونصف، والتي عملوا من خلالها على توثيق الانتهاكات التي يمارسها الاحتلال الإسرائيلي خصوصاً في القدس والخليل وقطاع غزة.
وأوضحت الشعيبي، أن "القضايا المعروضة ترتكز على مناطق محددة وتستعرض شكل الانتهاكات، حيث تأخذ المشاهد الى رحلة الانتهاكات التي تحصل بالواقع ضد الفلسطينيين وتجعلهم يشعرون وكأنهم يعيشون هذه الانتهاكات، وهي أقرب لتجسيد الواقع وتساهم بنشر الرواية الفلسطينية على نطاق دولي بأفكارِ الشباب الفلسطيني، وتتناول الانتهاكات مساحة من الحقوق منها حقوق الإنسان والقضايا التي تتعلق بالحق في الحركة، والحق في السكن والحق في العبادة، وغيرها من حقوق الإنسان المسلوبة، وكذلك الحصول على الحماية.”
وأضافت الشُعيبي، أنه من ضمن عناوين العروض " حمايتنا حق" في غزة، "100 حاجز" في الخليل، و"احنا الأصل" في القدس، حيث انطلقت المؤسسة بهذا التدخل قبل 3 سنوات ونصف، تم العمل خلالها على استهداف مجموعات الشباب الناشطين في هذه المناطق وتم تدريبهم على آليات التوثيق بالاستناد للفهرس العالمي لحقوق الإنسان ولكتاب المعرفة لقضايا القانون الدولي والحقوق الدولية.
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.
