Ramallah – September 8: The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) organized a study circle today at its Ramallah headquarters titled “Access to Justice and Gender Equality in Palestinian Legislature”. This comes as part of the Mobile Legal Clinic Project “Utilizing a Grassroots Approach to Defend Women’s Rights” funded by the Arab Human Rights Fund. The event included representatives of government intuitions, grassroots and women’s organizations, feminist frameworks, judges, and lawyers, as well as feminist, political and community leaders.
The discussion delved into the problems facing women’s access to the judicial system, and the obstacles preventing it. In addition to providing recommendations to strengthen and encourage women’s access to justice.
The honorable judge Khulud Al-Faqih noted that courts are open to all, and that many people in the judicial system are working day and night to achieve justice and equality.
Al-Faqih added that there are many outdated laws from Ottoman times still applied today and preventing women’s access to justice, and they need to be amended. She also called for changing the school curriculum’s stereotypical image of women, limiting Palestinian women’s roles to traditional professions.
Wafaa Al-Aaraj noted that many economic and social obstacles prevent women from reaching their legitimate legal rights, including customs and traditions that constrict women when demanding their rights from the judiciary. This leads women to seek unofficial judicial structures (under tribal jurisdiction) to get their rights, where male family elders and others from the community resolve conflicts.
Ashraf Abu-Hayye emphasized the need to respect the international laws and agreements signed by the State of Palestine, especially in the personal status law and penal code, which need many amendments to adapt to modern day issues.
Mobile Legal Clinic Project Coordinator, Hana Qaisi said that Palestinian women experience oppression and discrimination in all aspects of political, social, and economic life. This comes as a result of many factors affected by the continued Israeli occupation and its oppressive practices, targeting women directly or indirectly, leaving a massive impact on the roles on Palestinian women. This is also the result of a widespread culture of discrimination against women, entrenching social restrictions and stereotypical images of women’s roles and status. It also deprives them of their basic rights, particularly with the obstruction of the legislative council, and the lack of political will among decision markers to make the laws cohesive with Palestinian basic law and the international conventions ratified by Palestine, CEDAW in particular.
The study circle introduced many recommendations demanding easier access to justice for women, and strengthening gender equality in Palestinian legislature. Recommendations included coordinating between CSOs and working in an integrated system to raise women’s awareness of their rights and how to reach them. As well as demanding laws and legislation to support women’s access to justice. In addition to amending the school curriculum to reflect the law’s role in protecting women and strengthening their access to justice.
Participants noted that this study circle was held in time for the upcoming elections to raise women’s awareness of their right to political and legislative participation.