رام الله – 11/10/2022 – عقدت المبادرة الفلسطينية لتعميق الحوار العالمي والديمقراطية "مفتاح" بالتعاون والتنسيق مع وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين ووزارة شؤون المرأة والائتلاف النسوي لتطبيق القرار الأممي 1325 "المرأة، السلام والأمن" جلسة معلوماتية حول العمل بأجندة المرأة السلام والامن استناداً للقرار الاممي 1325 على المستوى الفلسطيني بمشاركة الشابات والشباب الدبلوماسي في وزارة الخارجية.

واستهلت الجلسة بكلمة ترحيبية من وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين تلتها كلمة من المديرة التنفيذية لمؤسسة "مفتاح" د. تحرير الأعرج، أكدت فيها على أهمية التعاون المشترك بين المؤسسة الرسمية ومؤسسات المجتمع المدني الفلسطيني في إطار الجهود الوطنية المشتركة وتعزيزاً لمبدأ التحالف الوطني بينهما حول القضية الفلسطينية، وفي إ طار جهود المناصرة الدولية تجاه خطاب دبلوماسي فلسطيني يعكس واقع المرأة الفلسطينية تحت الاحتلال الإسرائيلي ويضيء على جهود المرأة الفلسطينية في النضال من اجل القضية الفلسطينية ومن أجل التمتع بالحقوق التي تكفلها الاتفاقيات والمعاهدات الدولية، والتي وقعت عليها دولة فلسطين، وضرورة تكاتف الجهود التنسيقية لدعم الرؤية الوطنية الفلسطينية في تنفيذ أجندة المرأة السلام والأمن ارتباطاً بالقرار الأممي 1325 والآليات الدولية ذات العلاقة، بهدف دمج الرؤية النسوية الفلسطينية في نشر الرواية الفلسطينية وتعزيز حضور الخطاب النسوي السياسي في العمل الدبلوماسي الفلسطيني خاصة بالخارج، بما يعزز من جهود المجتمع المدني في المناصرة الدولية لمساءلة الاحتلال الإسرائيلي عن الانتهاكات التي تتعرض لها النساء والفتيات الفلسطينيات.

وفي مداخلتها بالحضور استعرضت د. آمال حمد وزيرة شؤون المرأة أجندة المرأة السلام والأمن في السياق الفلسطيني من حيث واقعه وما يواجهه من تحديات سواء على المستوى الداخلي أو الخارجي، وكيفية توطين القرار 1325 ومواءمته مع الحالة الفلسطينية وتوظيفه اتجاه قضاياها، ويزيد من مشاركتها في صنع القرار على جميع المستويات، وحمايتها من العنف الجسدي والتمييز.

وطالبت د. حمد الأمم المتحدة بإصدار قرار أممي يتعلق بالمرأة الفلسطينية تحت الاحتلال، وضرورة تفعيل القرار 1325 بما يحقق الحماية لها، ومساءلة الاحتلال على انتهاكاته بحقها، وتعزيز القدرة الاستيعابية لقضايا النوع الاجتماعي واحترام حقوق السكان المدنيين واللاجئين. مشيرة إلى أنه من بين عشرة قرارات تابعة للقرار 1325 لم تتطرق إلى خصوصية أوضاع النساء في فلسطين تحت الاحتلال.

في حين، تطرقت ريما نزال منسقة الائتلاف النسوي لتطبيق القرار 1325 إلى جهود الائتلاف في المناصرة الدولية لمساءلة الاحتلال الإسرائيلي حول واقع النساء والفتيات الفلسطينيات تحت الاحتلال، حيث دعت إلى توطين القرار 1325 وضرورة ربطه بالقرارات الدولية ذات الصلة بالقضية الفلسطينية حتى يستقيم مع الحالة والخصوصية الفلسطينية تحت الاحتلال، وأكدت دعم المجتمع المدني ومساندته للحكومة في جهودها لتطبيق القرار الأممي هذا رغم ما فيه من سلبيات أهمها عدم وجود أجندة زمنية لتطبيقه، إضافة إلى الفجوة في تطبيقه.

أما مساعد وزير الخارجية والمغتربين للأمم المتحدة ومنظماتها المتخصصة السفير د. عمر عوض الله، فاستعرض في مداخلته آليات توظيف أجندة المرأة السلام والأمن ضمن الملفات الدبلوماسية والجهود التي بذلتها وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين على هذا الصعيد، مؤكدا على أهمية تطوير دور المرأة وتعزيزه فيما يتعلق بالنزاع الداخلي وهو دور مباشر يقوم على حماية المجتمع الفلسطيني وتحصينه من النزاعات الداخلية، ما يساهم في أن يكون دور للدبلوماسية خلال عملها لصالح قضايا المرأة.

كما دعا إلى تفعيل جميع الأدوات الدولية لجلب الاحتلال ومساءلته على انتهاكاته التي تستهدف النساء الفلسطينيات وهذه الجهود تندرج في قلب عمل الدبلوماسية الفلسطينية. كما أن جزءاً رئيسياً من عمل وزارة الخارجية هو توطين الاتفاقيات التي انضمت إليها دولة فلسطين والذهاب إلى المنظومة الدولية واستخدامها في الاتجاه الصحيح.

وتخللت الجلسة المعلوماتية مجموعة من المداخلات التي دعت إلى الاستفادة من الأدوات والقرارات الدولية التي تتعاطى مع القضية الفلسطينية، وتعزيز دور المرأة وطنياً واجتماعياً، والتركيز على القضايا الاستراتيجية التي تهم المرأة، وإعادة قراءة كامل الاتفاقيات ومواءمتها في السياق الفلسطيني التاريخي والاجتماعي والثقافي والسياسي، والتأكيد على التكاملية بين مؤسسات المجتمع المدني والمؤسسات الحكومة والقطاع الخاص، والتعاون مع الدبلوماسية الرسمية مع التركيز على قضية الانتهاكات الإسرائيلية بحق المرأة الفلسطينية، وتنظيم جهود مناصرة دولية عبر وزارة الخارجية. إضافة إلى التوجه للشعوب والمجتمعات في الخارج لحشد الدعم والتأييد والمناصرة للقضية الفلسطينية، والتجسير مع جميع الفئات الشعبية التي تناصر قضايا المرأة وتدعمها.

تأتي هذه الجلسة في إطار التعاون بين مؤسسة "مفتاح" والمؤسسات الوطنية ذات العلاقة لتعزيز مشاركة المرأة السياسية ودعم تنفيذ أجندة المرأة السلام والامن، بالاستناد إلى أطر الشرعية الدولية ابتداءً بالقانون الدولي الإنساني، واتفاقيات حقوق الإنسان والقرارات الأممية ذات الصلة، ومنها الحق في تقرير المصير، والاتفاقيات الدولية ذات العلاقة، والتوصيات العامة ذات الصلة الصادرة عن اللجان التعقادية، خاصة المتعلقة باتفاقية القضاء على كافة أشكال التمييز ضد المرأة (سيداو).

Ramallah – 11/10/2022 – MIFTAH, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Women’s Coalition for Implementation of UNSCR1325- WPS, held an informatics session on this agenda based on Resolution 1325, at the Palestinian level. The meeting was also attended by youths from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ diplomatic corps.

A MoFA representative gave the welcoming speech, followed by MIFTAH Executive Director, Dr. Tahreer Araj, who stressed on the importance of joint cooperation between official institutions and Palestinian civil society organizations. She said this was within the framework of joint national efforts, including promoting national alliances between them regarding the Palestinian cause. Araj continued that it was also part of international advocacy efforts towards a Palestinian diplomatic narrative that reflects the reality of Palestinian women under Israeli occupation and sheds light on their efforts within the Palestinian cause. This includes securing their rights, guaranteed by international treaties and conventions to which Palestine is a signatory. Araj stressed on the importance of increasing coordination to support the Palestinian national vision in implementing the WPS agenda, which is linked to UNSCR 1325 and the relevant international mechanisms. She said the objective of this was to integrate the Palestinian women’s vision in the dissemination of the Palestinian narrative and the promotion of the women’s political narrative in Palestinian diplomacy, especially abroad. This, she continued, could bolster civil society’s international advocacy efforts in holding the Israeli occupation accountable for violations against Palestinian women and girls.

Minister of Women’s Affairs, Dr. Amal Hamad then presented on the WPS agenda in the Palestinian context in terms of challenges at the internal and external levels, how to nationalize UNSCR1325 and adapt it to the Palestinian cause, how to increase women’s participation in decision-making and protect them from violence and discrimination.

Hamad called on the UN to pass a UN resolution on Palestinian women under occupation and stressed on the need to enact Resolution 1325 to ensure protection for women and accountability of the occupation for its violations against them. She also said this would boost capacity for gender issues and respect for the rights of the civilian and refugee population, pointing out that none of the 10 UN resolutions pertaining to UNSCR1325 addressed the specificity Palestinian women under occupation. She called for the nationalization of UNSCR1325 and the need to link it with international resolutions of relevance to the Palestinian cause so it is aligned with the Palestinian case. Hamad confirmed the support of civil society for the government in its efforts to implement the UN resolution, in spite of its negative aspects, including its lack of a timeline and the gaps in implementation.

Meanwhile, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Omar Awadallah, presented on the mechanisms for employing the WPS agenda within the Ministry’s diplomatic files and efforts in this regard. He stressed on the importance of developing and promoting the role of women regarding the internal rift, maintaining that this is a crucial role for the protection of Palestinian society from internal disputes.

Awadallah also called for employing all international tools to hold the occupation accountable for its violations, which target Palestinian women. He said a major part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ work is to nationalize treaties signed by the State of Palestine and utilize them in the right direction.

The session included a number of presentations calling for: benefiting from international resolutions and tools pertaining to the Palestinian cause; promoting women’s national and social role; focusing on strategic issues pertaining to women, reviewing agreements and adapting them to the historic, social, cultural and political Palestinian context; confirming integration between CSOs, government institutions and the private sector; cooperation with official diplomatic parties, with a focus on Israeli violations against Palestinian women; organizing international advocacy efforts through MoFA; mobilizing people and communities abroad to support, advocate and lobby for the Palestinian cause and to create bridges between all sectors that champion and support women’s causes.

This session is part of MIFTAH’s cooperation with the relevant national institutions to promote women’s political participation and endorse the implementation of the WPS agenda, based on a framework of international legitimacy. This includes international humanitarian law, human rights treaties and relevant UN resolutions, such as the right to self-determination and the general recommendations issued by the contractual committees, especially those pertaining to The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, CEDAW.

Ramallah – 19/9/2022 –MIFTAH recently released its 2021/2022 biannual expenditure reports for a number of social sector ministries, as part of its cooperation with UNDP and its social justice program interventions for public fiscal policies. The objective of this program is to promote international transparency standards in public spending policies, in order to shed light on gaps in expenditures in the social sector and their impact on public policies, to ensure standards of social justice in the development of public policies and spending plans.

The findings of the reports for the Ministries of Labor, Education, Health and Social Development, included percentages for their actual spending for the first half of 2022, in comparison to actual spending for the same period in 2021. This reflected several indicators, which showed how public spending was channeled and how committed the Palestinian government is to the financial ceilings of official institutions, in their ratification of the general budget. The reports’ findings showed several gaps in the actual spending of official institutions in the social sector.

According to the Ministry of Social Development’s biannual report, the actual spending was lower in the first half of 2022, compared to 2021. It dropped by ILS111 million from the first half of 2021, whereby the spending rate did not exceed 78% of expenditures in 2021. The report also showed a drop in actual spending in referral costs, which include cash payments to underprivileged families, during the first half of this year. It dropped from ILS461 million during the first half of 2021 to ILS349 million in the first half of 2022. It should be noted that the Ministry of Social Development only disbursed one piecemeal installment for underprivileged families during the first half of this year instead of two.

The Ministry of Education report, including higher education and research, indicated a 3.2% increase in actual spending in the first half of 2022, compared to actual spending in the same period in 2021, which stood at ILS53 million. Spending was primarily on salaries, wages and social contributions in the first half of 2022, at 88.6%, compared to 88.3% of actual spending for the education sector in the first half of 2021.

The actual spending of the Ministry of Health in the first half of 2022 was ILS1,072 million from a total of ILS7,491.5 million of actual spending in the 2022 biannual general budget, or 14.3% of total expenditures. The report also showed that actual spending on commodities and services increased during the first half of 2022, compared to 2021, where it amounted to ILS565.8 million, compared to ILS544.9 million in the first half of 2021.This clause also includes the purchase of medicines and medical referrals.

At the Ministry of Labor, actual spending for the first half of this year was ILS24.6 million of ILS7,491,5 million of the 2022 biannual general budget’s total actual spending, or 0.33% of overall expenditures. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor’s spending rate during the same period in 2021 was only 0.29% of overall expenditures, which indicates the ministry’s humble share of public expenditures in spite of its major role in leading the operational sector and its policies in Palestine.

MIFTAH, in cooperation with civil society institutions, is looking to release position and demand papers to present to the various social sector institutions, with the objective of influencing current spending policies employed by the government. This is in addition to providing organized and periodic access to this data on a website that includes citizens’ budgets and expenditure reports, which MIFTAH developed.

Ramallah – 20/9/2022 – This week, MIFTAH released the 2022 Citizens’ Budgets for several social sector ministries, as part of its cooperation with UNDP and its social justice program interventions in public fiscal policies. The objective of this program is to promote standards of international transparency in public spending policies, to guarantee standards of social justice in public policies through providing facts and figures and strengthening the oversight role of civil society institutions.

The Citizens’ Budgets this year included the Labor, Education, Health, Finance and Social Development Ministries, as part of cooperation with official institutions in the social sector. The value of the citizens’ budget comes from the fact that it is a simplified document highlighting the ministry’s budget for a specific fiscal year. It shows how the funds are distributed according to programs and provisions, planned expenditures and developmental projects in each ministry. This allows citizens to monitor public funds and how they are distributed to the various official institutions in order to promote the participation of citizens and various social sectors in the planning of general budgets in a way that takes into consideration their needs.

The citizens’ budget shows the share of each ministry in the social sector in the overall general budget, which was ILS19 billion in 2022. The Health Ministry’s share was 12% of overall public expenditures, with a budget of ILS2.1 billion shekels. The health care services program took the lion’s share of the Ministry’s budget, or 76.8%.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education’s 2022 budget was ILS3.4 billion, or 18.7% of overall public expenditures and distributed over six main programs. The primary education program took the lion’s share of the budget, at 52.82%, while the vocational education program only had a share of 1.94%.

As for the Ministry of Social Development, its citizens’ budget stood at 4.7% of the overall general budget, with the combatting poverty and empowerment program taking the biggest share of 92.7% of the ministry’s allocated budget. Furthermore, ILS489 million were allocated to the cash referral program from which 125,000 Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza Strip benefit. The EU contributed 45% of this amount while the government covered 55% of the program.

The Labor Ministry’s 2022 citizens’ budget was released, with the Ministry’s share only ILS78 million, or 0.45% of overall public expenditures. Most of this money was allocated to the vocational training, operations and cooperation program, at 54.7%.

It is noteworthy that MIFTAH completed the publication of citizens’ budgets this year by posting them on an e-platform, which it launched in cooperation with the targeted ministries, in order to strengthen cooperation and ensure periodic release of these budgets. This followed a cabinet decision to adopt and ratify the e-platform for the publication of public fiscal information and citizens’ access to it.