2016-10-17

West Bank & Gaza

Human Rights Defenders / West Bank / Gaza

In cooperation with the Palestinian Human Rights Defenders Network, MUSAWA organized a periodic meeting for the coordinators of the PHRDs Network in the northern and southern governorates (through video conference between the West Bank and Gaza). The meeting was held at MUSAWA’s offices in Ramallah and Gaza in the presence of the Network’s coordinators and other members; a total of 29 members, 13 of whom are women.

Several topics were discussed in the meeting: creating name badges for the members; drafting a Code of Conduct; discussing the most efficient means for communication amongst the members; establishing an executive secretariat and strengthening the relations amongst the various groups; activating the legal clinic and relevant obstacles and recommendations; forming committees for the groups which monitor human rights violations and courts; and approving field visits to courts and detention centers.

At the end of the meeting, participants reached the following results: the issuance of name badges for the members was approved; all of the Code of Conduct drafts were discussed and a final one still has to be approved and adopted; contacting the members who did not attend the meetings by all means; and four visits to Palestinian courts, prisons and other facilities will be conducted in order to introduce the Network and its vital role in the Palestinian society.

This meeting comes as part of a project to empower Palestinian human rights defenders, conducted by MUSAWA in both the West Bank and Gaza, and supported by the European Union.