Minister of Women's Affairs: Protecting a woman's right in the alimony is protecting the family and promoting social justice.

Ramallah – September 2, 2026 – The Minister of Women's Affairs, Ms. Mona Khalili emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation between the Alimony Fund and partner institutions, which contributes to women's and children's access to justice, rights, and legal and social services. She stressed that justice is not achieved merely by the issuance of a ruling, but when a woman can access her right, implement it, and receive service and protection in a timely manner.

 This came during her participation today in the opening of a workshop titled "Exploring Ways to Cooperate Between the Alimony Fund and Partner Institutions to Enhance Women's Access to Justice and Legal Services," which was conducted by the Alimony Fund under the leadership of its acting General Director, Ms. Fatima Al Moaqat, and under the patronage of Dr. Laila Ghannam, Governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, and with the participation of the Minister of Social Development, Dr. Samah Abu Aoun, and the Minister of Labor Dr. Inas Al-Attari, and the director of the Sawa program, Mr. Simon Ridley, alongside representatives of national, international, and civil institutions.

 Al-Khalili pointed out that the issue of alimony touches the essence of social justice and human dignity, affirming that protecting and empowering women is a "shared national responsibility that requires the integration of roles and the unification of efforts," especially in light of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip and the accompanying loss, displacement, poverty, and destruction of sources of livelihood and services, which has resulted in additional economic and social burdens on families, with women being at the forefront of bearing these consequences. She emphasized that alimony for many women "is not just a legal right, but a basic social and economic safety net," pointing out the obstacles women in marginalized and affected areas face in accessing legal, judicial, and social services, and the importance of the alimony fund in transforming the legal right into actual protection.

 In the context of the ministry's vision based on protection and empowerment, Al-Khalili emphasized that "there is no real empowerment without legal and social protection, and no effective protection without women's access to their rights and services." She pointed to the importance of the National Observatory for Violence Against Women in providing data on forms of violence, gaps, and needs, including economic violence and women's financial exposure, and linking this data to response and protection tools, foremost among them the Alimony Fund, which shifts the work "from monitoring the problem to responding to it, from data to decision, and from legal right to actual protection."

Al-Khalili called for moving from coordination to "a practical partnership based on shared responsibility," through developing clear referral pathways, exchanging expertise and information within legal frameworks, expanding legal awareness, facilitating women's access to services, and establishing mechanisms for follow-up and measuring results. She affirmed the ministry's readiness to continue working with the Alimony Fund and partners to enhance the justice and social protection system, looking forward to coming up with a clear action plan, defined responsibilities, and effective follow-up mechanisms, reaching "partnership in action, from commitment to results."

At the end of her speech, Al-Khalili reiterated her thanks to the Alimony Fund, the Sawaasiah Program, and the participating institutions, affirming that "protecting a woman's right to alimony is protecting the family, protecting children, promoting social justice, and preserving human dignity."