Global Advocacy

The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development works to advocate for women’s rights to peace and security on global and regional levels. Our campaigns focus on combating gender-based violence and the situation of women in Palestine, in addition to accountability mechanisms that help enable a gender-sensitive environment and ensure women’s rights to protection, participation and accountability. Our lobbying and advocacy activities are also implemented in cooperation with other organizations and international partners. In 2019, PWWSD has conducted several advocacy and lobbying activities:

PWWSD participated in the Regional Campaign on Zero Tolerance for Violence Against Women and Girls that was launched on 2-3 May 2019 in Amman, Jordan in the frame of the project “Combating Violence against Women in the Southern Mediterranean Region”, funded by the EU. The project aims to follow up and monitor the governmental commitments in the area of VAWG, liaise with concerned stakeholders, make an assessment of VAWG policies, identify gaps and provide recommendations. The launching conference gathered about 140 participants from 14 countries in the Euro-Med region. The participants represented ministries, institutions, political parties, CSOs and CBOs. They also included members of parliaments, gender and legal experts and activists, journalists and researchers. Following the launching of the mentioned project, PWWSD also participated a regional experts roundtable “Combating Discrimination Against Women in Legislation” carried out by  the Euro Med Feminist Initiative (EFI) organized on 17 June 2019 in Beirut, Lebanon, The roundtable gathered 26 legal and gender experts and researchers from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, France and, Sweden, as well as representatives from the Office of the Minister of State for Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth (EEWAY) and the EU Delegation to Lebanon. At a third level, PWWSD participated in a Regional Experts Roundtable “Promoting Gender Equality through Education” that was held on 18 June 2019 in Beirut, Lebanon. The roundtable gathered 27 legal and gender experts and researchers from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, France and Sweden, as well as representatives from ministry of education from Jordan and Lebanon.

(PWWSD at the launching of the campaign on Zero Tolerance for Violence Agianst Women and Girls, May 2019) 

Geneva, Switzerland- Sep.26.2017: The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) and Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC) coordinated a side event in Geneva, Switzerland under the framework of the project "Promoting Advocacy and Lobbying Decision-Makers at the UN and International Platforms for Palestinian Women Peace and Security in the Framework of UNSCR1325", funded by the Swedish organization Kvinna Till Kvinna. The side event took place on Tuesday, 26 September, at 9:30 am in Room XV at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in conjunction with the 36th Human Rights Council Session.
The purpose of the side event was to shed light on the Israeli violations against Palestinian women under occupation reflecting on the report of the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict from a gender-sensitive perspective, demanding accountability for Israel's grave violations against the Palestinian people and the need to end 50 years of occupation. The side event included the screening of a short film titled, "Occupation is not only a Word" produced by the Network of NGOs in Gaza.
PWWSD also participated in an Inception Workshop carried out by KARAMA Network during the period 9-14 February 2019, in Tunis. The goal of the Inception Workshop was to introduce Karama’s Adolescent Girls Initiative to the MENA partners and to reach an understanding about a new approach to work in this area. This was done through exchanging knowledge, reflecting on a range of issues surrounding work with AG and exploring strategies for deepening and expanding the work with AGs. The workshop aimed to learn about the partners’ work, about common approaches and challenges to working with AG, and to envision new approaches.
PWWSD participated in the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women that was held between 15- 20 March 2019, in New York, USA. Through the delegation supported by Karama, PWWSD attended the CSW 63 with a participation in the following Karama-sponsored activities:
Accountability Workshop: The workshop aimed to address weaknesses in international Women, Peace and Security accountability mechanisms, and determine what effective and sustainable mechanisms would look like.
Roundtable with the Chairman and President of CSW 63: to follow up on an identical event a year earlier, during CSW62.
Press Conference: to speak about the status of women and WPSA in Arab countries.
Luncheon Event: the event enabled representatives of missions’ members of Security Council to respond to the many questions of women activists about the role of Security Council to maintain global security and justice.
The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) participated in the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) takes place in March 2023. Rana Khalil-PWWSD and Dr. Abeer Istanbuli from Land Research Center participated in a side event in New York coordinated by Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling-WCLAC and Arab CSOs and Feminist Network, in partnership with WILFP. This participation comes under the 2nd phase of PWWSD strategic partnership with We Effect Palestine. PWWSD presented a short video about the impact of Israeli military occupations’ violations on Palestinian Rural Women “Time for Justice”, and she will talk more about the Palestinian women economic empowerment. #CSW67 provided a space for meaningful conversation within the context of the priority theme of CSW67. Activists from around the world shared experiences and insights to develop this discourse.
PWWSD participated in the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women #CSW68 in New York, calling for Immediate Global Action to Prevent Genocide Against the Palestinian People. Where they shed light on the dire situation in Palestine amidst the ongoing Israeli genocide, particularly emphasizing the plight of women in Gaza.
#39th session of Human Rights Council: A delegation from the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development participated in the 39th session of Human Rights Council in Geneva, as part of the lobbying and advocacy programme aimed at enhancing women’s rights laws based on peace and security and in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, to provide the Human Rights Council with detailed information of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. General Director of PWWSD, Amal Khreisheh and Ms. Summar Rasras, Lobbying and Advocacy Officer at PWWSD, attended this event along with a side event organized in cooperation with Euro-Mediterranean Women’s Foundation and the Swedish association Kvinna Til Kvinna, to discuss the status of Palestinian women under occupation. During this event, Ms. Khreisheh took the opportunity to disseminate information concerning Israeli violations committed against the Palestinian people which has left a seeming effect on women’s rights and is in serious violation of the foundations and benchmarks laid out for human rights laws, with special infringement upon the 4th Geneva Convention, CEDAW and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 established to provide peace and security to women under occupation.
138th session of UN Human Rights Council: On 5 and 6 June, 2023, and within its international advocacy efforts, Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development- PWWSD, participated in the formal and informal briefings within the 138th session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. PWWSD was represented by Ms. Amal Khreishe and Ms. Rana Khalil, who attended the sessions including the discussion session with the delegation of the State of Palestine. During this session, the commitments of the SOP in the light of the UNCCPR were discussed and the representatives of the state party had to respond to the inquires of the Committee. PWWSD provided several critical remarks to the responses of the state party, especially regarding the civic and political rights of women. The focus of PWWSD’s was on the issues related to public freedoms and political participation. PWWSD insisted that political participation could not be achieved but through arranging public elections (legislative and presidential). Additionally, the organization mentioned in its comments, the reluctance in issuing Family Protection Law that was drafted in the year 2006 and not issued yet.
74th session of the CESCR: A delegation from the Palestinian Working Women’s Association for Development and its partners participated in the opening of the 74th session of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. During this session, they engaged in both formal and informal briefing sessions, engaging in constructive discussions with States Parties, civil society organizations, and stakeholders. Their goal was to assess the practical application of the International Covenant's standards on the ground and to explore ways to enhance the enforcement of these rights in Palestinian society to ensure equal enjoyment for all.
 

(PWWSD  in the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. New York, March 2019)