Bethlehem – October 5: The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) held a discussion circle in Bethlehem on international conventions for combating violence and discrimination against women, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
25 female students and decision-makers participated in the session, held at Husan Women’s Center in Bethlehem.
PWWSD Community Educator, Wujdan Al-Azza opened the the session and talked about the organization’s role in protecting women’s rights and empowerment. She then introduced some international agreements and resolutions related to protecting women’s rights, including CEDAW and its artices.
Feminist activist and Husan shadow council member, Fatina Manasra addressed the discrimination faced by women in the local election nomination and candidacy process dominated by political and family biases. She also discussed women’s oppression and discrimination in many forms, providing real-life examples, demanding serious work to be done to strengthen women leaders on all levels, and calling on the young women in attendance to persevere and actively participate in schools, universities, and cooperatives.
Husan village council member, Hiyam Z’oul talked about her experience and the difficulties she faced as the only woman in her local council, and how to support her and any future women in the village council. She also addressed women’s issues including domestic violence and ongoing job and workplace discrimination.
Z’oul discussed the upcoming elections, saying that women were not consulted even in their own candidacy, and the selection process was decided by men and political parties. Where all female political activists and leaders in the village were excluded.
The young women attending addressed participation and lobbying techniques to bring change and protect women’s rights. Including holding more workshops to study and utilize these international agreements.
Women’s rights activist and Husan Secondary School teacher, Amani Aweina talked about discrimination within the halls of the UN itself. Mentioning how Israel gets a free pass to be an occupying state and to exercise terrorism and violence against the Palestinian people, where women take the brunt of this injustice as mothers, sisters, and wives. Calling on international bodies to stand in solidarity with oppressed people, not to protect the oppressor from accountability.
Aweina also addressed girls’ right to choose their place and course of study. Noting that girls are discriminated against by providing their male counterparts in the same household with more options. Although statistically, girls are more likely to excel in their study, parents still refuse to respect their choices because of their gender, and give weak excuses to support their false arguments, such as fearing for the girl’s protection.
Participants concluded the session by recommending the following:
- Demanding that women’s organizations work to advance women economically, as a cornerstone of their empowerment and liberation.
- Working to bring to justice perpetrators of violence and discrimination against women, to deter others from committing these actions.
- Providing a full course on international resolutions related to women, such as CEDAW and UNSCR 1325, for youth groups who may lack this information.
- Working with the Ministry of Education to allow women’s organizations to empower female students in this regard, by holding meetings in schools and universities.
- Working with institutions to achieve women’s full development, and working with women’s organizations to diversify their programs. As most of them tackle the same issues, while other needs get occasional attention.