The Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Local Aid Coordination Secretariat (LACS) Hold a Meeting to Review International Programs and Projects and Coordinate Future Interventions

The Ministry of Women's Affairs, in coordination with the Gender Working Group of the Local Aid Coordination Secretariat (LACs), the Italian Development Cooperation, and UN Women, organized a meeting aimed at displaying the interventions and programs implemented by international institutions in the fields of gender and women, with the presence of a representative from the Ministry of Finance and Planning. The meeting also aimed to coordinate future interventions in programs, grants, and projects, with wide participation from representatives of donor countries members of LACs, including Spanish Cooperation, the United Nations Population Fund, the Belgian Consulate, the Finnish Representation, the German Representation, the Canadian Representation, the German Development Agency, the European Union, the British Consulate, the Norwegian Representation, the Japanese Cooperation Agency, and the European Police, in addition to the General Union of Palestinian Women, the Businesswomen Forum, and the Rural Women's Association.

In her opening speech, the Minister of Women's Affairs, Ms. Muna Khalili appreciated the ongoing partnership with international and UN institutions, expressing her gratitude for the support they provide to the Palestinian government, civil society organizations, and programs aimed at protecting women's rights, enhancing their participation, and empowering them. She emphasized that this support gains double importance during one of the most complex phases in the history of the Palestinian people, where Palestinian women shoulder double burdens due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the escalating occupation attacks in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the suffocating economic crisis. She emphasized that supporting Palestinian women is not only a humanitarian response but also an investment in the resilience of Palestinian society and the future of the Palestinian state. The minister affirmed that the Palestinian government continues to implement its reform agenda despite, the exceptional circumstances, based on a firm conviction that building institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and respecting human rights are not issues that can be postponed, but are part of the state's resilience and its ability to face challenges.

She explained that the Ministry of Women's Affairs continues to work on reactivating and strengthening gender units in ministries and government institutions, completing legislative reforms, in addition to preparing a national vision that ensures women's representation does not fall below 30% in legislative and national council elections, and continuing to fulfill the international obligations of the State of Palestine, foremost among them the preparation of the periodic report on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The minister called on international partners to continue supporting national efforts and to shift from funding short-term projects to investing in national priorities and enhancing the sustainability of Palestinian institutions. She emphasized that the current phase requires a sustainable national program for economic empowerment that focuses on investing in women, creating job opportunities, boosting local production, and empowering women in marginalized areas threatened by settlement. She also welcomed the UN decision to place Israel on the blacklist of countries that use sexual violence as a weapon of war, affirming that it represents an important step in the path of international justice, and that Palestinian women deserve the protection guaranteed by international law, and that ending impunity is a fundamental condition for achieving justice and peace.

 For his part, Mr. Mirko Tricoli, Vise President of the Gender and Social Work Group (GSWG) and Head of the Cooperation Department at the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), praised the efforts made by the Ministry of Women's Affairs, particularly the initiatives aimed at enhancing women's economic empowerment, emphasizing their importance in light of the current economic and humanitarian challenges. He reviewed the most prominent programs implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in partnership with government institutions and civil society, and with the support of the European Union, which focus on gender-based economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, and agricultural projects, contributing to strengthening the resilience of Palestinian women. He also emphasized the importance of the sustainability of these programs, affirming the agency's commitment to continue supporting Palestinian women in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including supporting recovery and reconstruction efforts and protecting women. He pointed out that the conference scheduled to be held in Brussels next July will provide an opportunity to review the Palestinian reality and enhance international support for developmental and humanitarian needs.

 The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Women Office in Palestine, Caitlin Shinden, pointed to a report issued by UN Women regarding the catastrophic effects of the aggression on women and girls, which confirms the significant increase in the number of martyrs, injuries, and disabilities. She emphasized that these data necessitate the expansion of programs aimed at supporting women, particularly in the areas of protection, psychological and social support, and reproductive health. She also pointed out the escalating protection challenges in the West Bank, in light of settler attacks, movement restrictions, and ongoing displacement, emphasizing the importance of continuing to implement programs to combat violence against women, building on the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and enhancing partnerships in implementing projects that respond to the priorities of early recovery in the Gaza Strip.

 For her part, the President of the General Union of Palestinian Women, Intisar al-Wazir, appreciated the support provided by international institutions and organizations to the Palestinian people, emphasizing that the humanitarian and economic burdens resulting from the aggression are particularly exacerbated for women and children. She also praised the economic initiatives implemented by the Ministry of Women's Affairs in the northern governorates in partnership with the General Union of Palestinian Women, for their impact on strengthening women's resilience and improving their livelihoods. She emphasized the necessity of directing more programs and projects toward the Gaza Strip in light of the ongoing repercussions of the genocide war and the extensive destruction it has caused to the infrastructure, particularly the health sector. She affirmed the importance of supporting psychological, medical, and reproductive health services for women, in addition to prioritizing protection and economic empowerment programs, especially for women who have become the breadwinners of their families, thru supporting small projects and enhancing recovery and resilience opportunities.

 On his part, the advisor to the Minister of Women's Affairs for Foreign Relations and Projects, Dr. Hanna Nakhla, presented a briefing on several priority issues, during which he reviewed the key points in the UN Secretary-General's report regarding the inclusion of the Israeli occupation in the blacklist for using sexual violence as a weapon of war. He also discussed the launch of the National Observatory for Monitoring Violence Against Women, as a national tool that contributes to monitoring and analyzing patterns of violence and their geographical distribution, supporting the direction of programs and interventions according to actual needs in various governorates. He also reviewed and displayed the "Hind and Youssef" platform for children, aimed at raising awareness among children, including students, about human rights and the values of equality from an early age, through cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to implement it in schools, and presented the economic empowerment model.

 During the meeting, international partners reviewed a comprehensive presentation of the interventions and programs implemented and currently being implemented, including the targeted areas, implementation mechanisms, and existing partnerships with the Palestinian government, civil society institutions, and international and UN institutions, reflecting the integrated efforts to enhance the impact of the interventions and ensure their alignment with national priorities. These interventions focused on supporting the political and economic empowerment of women, enhancing the protection system, and strengthening the capacities and contributions of civil society institutions, in addition to presenting the budgets allocated for gender equality and justice issues. The partners also clarified that these interventions are being implemented along two parallel tracks; the first is a developmental track focusing on enhancing the economic, social, and political participation of women, and the second is a humanitarian and relief track that responds to the urgent needs of women and girls in the current circumstances.

The meeting concluded with a briefing by the Minister of Women's Affairs, emphasizing that the next phase requires deepening the partnership between the Palestinian government and international partners, and transitioning from coordinating interventions to joint planning based on national priorities and measurable outcomes. In this context, an agreement was reached to prepare a national matrix for priority interventions and projects, and to form a technical team to monitor their implementation and measure the progress made, contributing to enhancing the efficiency of international support and ensuring the sustainability of its impact on empowering Palestinian women and strengthening their resilience, in line with the vision of the Palestinian government and the plans of the Ministry of Women's Affairs.