Marginalized Groups Receive Training about their Constitutional Rights

Date 2017-03-27

LOCATION Al-Dheisheh Camp & Khuza'a

MUSAWA – The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession organized two training courses for marginalized groups: the first course was held in Al-Dheisheh refugee camp/ Bethlehem, and the second one was held in cooperation with Brilliant Tomorrow Society in Khuza’a/ Khan Yunis. Each training went-on for 3 consecutive days, where women, workers, refugees, people with special needs and their parents were made aware of their Constitutional Rights- Political, Civil, Social, Economic and Cultural, in addition to court proceedings. The courses attracted a total of 91 people, including 57 women.

Mainly, the trainings aimed at spreading the culture of human rights in marginalized areas and introducing citizens, particularly marginalized groups, to the rights they are entitled-to, at the forefront of which are the right to equality before the law and the judiciary, the right to access to justice, and the right to fair trial guarantees. In addition, the trainings raised the participants’ awareness on the tools and mechanisms of monitoring and following-up violations, while shedding light on MUSAWA’s role, as well as other CSOs, in addressing these violations. Also, marginalized groups were empowered to claim their rights and their horizons were expanded on the legal means available for them to protect these rights, pursuant to the provisions of the Basic Law and the international treaties Palestine has acceded-to, particularly Article (7) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights.

During the trainings, the participants were divided into groups to carry-out practical activities which made the delivery of information easier on the participants. Also, reference was made to the Palestinian laws that are related to equality before the law and the judiciary. At the end of the trainings, the participants recommended that more trainings of the same kind be delivered in other areas in order to spread the information among the largest possible segment of the Palestinian community.

These trainings come as part of a project, conducted by MUSAWA both in the West Bank and Gaza, and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).