2016-08-27

West Bank & Gaza

Human Rights Defenders / West Bank / Gaza

Throughout August 2016, eight meetings in eight different areas (Ramallah, Jerusalem and Jericho; Salfeet and Nablus; Tulqarm and Qalqilya; Jenin and Tubas; Bethlehem and Hebron; Gaza and North Gaza; Gaza’s Middle Governorate; Khan Yunis and Rafah) were carried-out by MUSAWA in cooperation with the Palestinian Human Right Defenders Network. The meetings were attended by 102 male and female members (39 females and 63 males), who aimed at reaching an agreement on the mechanism by which members will implement the Network’s activities in the upcoming period, forging its internal regulations, contributing to the expansion of the Coalition for Palestinian Human Rights Defenders Declaration (PHRDD), and taking part in monitoring and raising awareness about the next local council elections.

The meetings addressed several issues, including forging the rest of the Network’s rules of procedure; holding awareness workshops about the right to vote and to be elected (determining the locations and names of members); the Palestinian Human Rights Defenders Declaration; proposing a membership questionnaire; expanding the Network by adding new members; and the participation of male and female members in monitoring the local elections.

At the end of the meetings, participants reached the conclusion that MUSAWA’s monitoring staff should be trained on monitoring the elections process. They also agreed to work on expanding the Network by adding new members while adhering to the standards and procedures, and to organize awareness workshops in marginalized areas about the importance of participating in the elections process and the right to vote and to be elected.

These meetings come as part of the Empowering Palestinian Human Rights Defenders project, implemented by MUSAWA in the West Bank and Gaza, and supported by the European Union.