Ramallah – Ma’an – Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mona Al-Khalili, stressed the Ministry’s keenness to embody an effective partnership with civil society institutions, in a way that serves Palestinian women’s issues and advances their role.
This came at the opening of the dialogue meeting organized by the Ministry with a wide range of civil society institutions, especially women’s institutions, which was held at the Ministry’s headquarters this morning.
Minister Al-Khalili pointed out that the genocidal war our people are facing in the Gaza Strip and a dangerous escalation in the West Bank deepens the suffering of Palestinian women who are exposed to complex and serious violations. Al-Khalili stressed that this reality requires more cooperation, coordination and partnership from all of us, especially in the field of agreement on national priorities related to the status of Palestinian women at all levels.
The ministry stressed that talking about the reality of Palestinian women cannot take place in isolation
from the difficult circumstances that Palestinian women suffer in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and the violations to which women in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank and Jerusalem are exposed, especially the grave violations against Palestinian female prisoners. She stressed that confronting this reality requires more coordination and cooperation with civil society institutions to provide protection for women, expose the practices of the occupation, and hold it accountable through available international mechanisms.
Minister Al-Khalili stressed that the nineteenth Palestinian government possesses the political will to deal with women’s issues and rights as national priorities. She indicated that the Ministry, in partnership with civil society institutions, will present its work priorities to the government in a way that contributes to bridging the gaps and achieving the desired progress that Palestinian women aspire to, whether in the field of the legislative environment, poli
tical and economic participation, or the fields of health, employment, education, social protection, and others.
In turn, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Daoud Al-Deek, confirmed that the Ministry is open to partnerships with civil society institutions, and is open to the participation of women themselves in issues related to their rights and future.
The agent stressed that the official Palestinian and civil discourse with international institutions must be more consistent and clear in their bearing of their responsibilities towards the rights of Palestinian women and against the violations of the occupying state, especially in the midst of the war of genocide against our people in the Gaza Strip, and condemning the grave violations against Palestinian women in a clearer language. And away from equivocation and double standards.
In their interventions, feminist organizations pointed out the importance of focusing on the priorities, needs and suffering of women in the Gaza Strip, and
activating the National Observatory to monitor and document all of these violations on the way to holding the occupation accountable for its crimes. They stressed the importance of institutionalizing partnership and activating the various national committees to ensure tangible progress in the status of Palestinian women in various legislative, political, economic and social fields. This requires coordination and sustainable strategic partnership in discussing and setting priorities for action.
The feminist organizations also stressed their keenness to develop the relationship and partnership with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and the necessity of formulating a unified Palestinian feminist position and discourse regarding the occupation’s violations against women, whether in the Gaza Strip or in the West Bank.
At the end of the meeting, Minister Al-Khalili stressed the continuation of meetings to discuss the most important files and issues, and agree on a joint road map.
She indicated the Ministry’s read
iness to develop partnerships with civil society institutions in everything related to women’s issues, international reports, and national committees.
Source: Maan News Agency