The Centre for Middle Eastern Studies of the Social Promotion Foundation organized the Seminar “Women’s rights in rural areas in Palestine from the perspective of cooperation” on 28th June in Casa Árabe within the framework of the 14 -CO1-244 Agreement for sustainable and equitable rural development in the West Bank, funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
In her words of welcome, María Beamonte, Director General of the Social Promotion Foundation, wanted to remember Mrs. Pilar Lara Alén, Founder and for many years President of the Foundation, who passed away two days earlier and was to be buried coinciding with the celebration of this seminar. Musa Odeh, Ambassador of Palestine in Spain; and Pedro Martínez-Avial, General Director of Casa Árabe, expressed their condolences for the death of whoever was the driving force of these seminars and a good friend of many of them.
In the opening session, Lorena Gamito and Lucía Martínez, responsible for Humanitarian Action, Emergencies and Development at UNRWA Spain, analyzed the situation of women in the Middle East in general and in Palestine in particular, with a focus on rights and equal opportunities. Their analysis concludes in the triple violence to which Palestinian women are subjected: physical and psychological violence, especially in the domestic sphere; structural violence in the public sphere, which hinders their access to economic, social and cultural rights, and cultural violence due to widespread ignorance (both of society and of women themselves), of their rights and the gaps that exist.
Next, the presentation by Mohammed Al Bakri, UAWC Director General in Gaza, opened the session on the challenges of Palestinian women in rural areas. According to him, the main challenges facing Palestinian women are the patriarchal nature of Palestinian society, the lack of unity and coordination among women’s organizations and the special difficulty women have in accessing or giving continuity to health services, education and work in a society where the realization of these rights is not guaranteed for anyone. Overcoming these challenges, concluded Al Bakri, calls for a profound modernization of the Palestinian legislation. And this is not possible as long as the Israeli occupation continues, so that ending the occupation is the necessary first step to improve the situation of women in Palestine.
Gemma Lorente, Associate Professor of the International University of La Rioja and Expert in Women, Gender and Leadership, reaffirmed the idea that peace and development require and presuppose equality. To advance towards equality it is necessary to identify, denounce and tackle the lack of legal security, the difficulties of access to the labour market together with the lack of recognition of all unpaid work and, especially, the gender violence, which must be eradicated from three axes: education, awareness and action. However, the promotion of this equality should not ignore, much less demonize, realities and aspects traditionally related to the feminine, such as motherhood and conciliation; it is about overcoming both the ethics of justice and the ethics of care and developing a new, more comprehensive theory that reconciles and harmonizes the two visions.
Next, Jordi Galbé, Senior Programme Manager of Governance, Gender and Human Rights in the Technical Office of Cooperation of the AECID in Jerusalem, explained the reasons why in Palestine the application of “prefabricated” and standard solutions to problems of women in the rural world and problems of cooperation and development cannot be applied. Palestine presents a complexity, a wealth, a diversity and a kind of problems so varied that it makes necessary to personalize and adapt each proposal to the concrete case, presenting “ad hoc” solutions. Among the tools that aim to contribute to improving the complex situation he highlighted the accession of Palestine to the “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women” (CEDAW), and the imminent three-way review of the state of the rights of women in Palestine, which will gather in Geneva on July 11 representatives of the United Nations, the Palestinian government and Palestinian civil society.
Gema Talaván, Project Manager of Palestine in Social Promotion Foundation and moderator of the table, gave way to the debate, which focused on the Sharia courts, which in many Islamic countries judge cases of family, marriage, divorce and woman. Jordi Galbé, of the AECID in Jerusalem, explained the weight they have in Palestine, both in the West Bank and Gaza, although with some distinctive notes in each territory, and pointed out some of the causes of its importance: its abundant presence throughout the territory, which facilitates access for citizens; the speed of their processes; and, although it may surprise the Western mentality, its prestige and acceptance among Muslim society, both men and women.
The second session, under the title “The future: promotion of equal opportunities in rural areas in Palestine”, brought together three Palestinian women who work in this field and who presented the experiences and reflections that have accumulated throughout their prestigious career.
Soraida A. Hussein, Director General of the Technical Committee for Women’s Affairs in Palestine, argued in her speech about the permanence and impact of colonialism in Palestine, which is characterized by the occupation of territory and the dispossession of other people’s resources. Evidence of this can be found in the administrative, legislative, judicial, military and economic domain of Palestine by Israel. And among the consequences of this colonization appear insecurity, the culture of scarcity and violence and the reinforcement of patriarchy, a patriarchy wounded and surly because of the “masculinity in crisis”, which fails to interpret the roles that society attributes. Regarding “women’s work”, she commented that we must change the mentality of Palestinian society, which understands work as something alien to women (who should only exercise it in the absence of a man and in case of need), and present it as it is, a right enjoyed by women and men alike. presentarlo como es, un derecho del que gozan mujeres y hombres por igual.
Next, Nadia Harb, Director General of the Rural Women’s Development Society (RWDS), commented that it is necessary to improve the living conditions of rural women in Palestine, fostering the associative fabric through cooperatives, ensuring decent work opportunities and improving access to economic resources for families led by women. According to her, all forms of gender-based violence in rural areas must be eradicated, for which intense and extensive awareness-raising and training work is required, as well as the establishment of support groups and community services for survivors and people in risk. Her organization aims to promote the social and political participation of women in rural areas.
In the opinion of Macarena Cotelo, Head of the Project’s Department in Social Promotion Foundation and moderator of the table, the organization led by Nadia Harb is an example that this strategy and those objectives can be achieved since RWDS, which began as a department within a great generalist organization, became independent and constituted autonomously as a women’s organization for women.
Finally, Basema Shuquir, Project Manager of the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee (PARC), and responsible for the 14-CO1-244 Agreement for Sustainable and Equitable Rural Development in the West Bank, in the framework of which this seminar was held, reported on the achievements of this project directed specifically and directly to Palestinian women in the rural world: the establishment of 25 home gardens, the promotion of 25 income-generating projects, the establishment of 4 new cooperatives and the organization of 10 training courses, 8 exchange experiences and 3 national fairs, in which the farmers signed annual distribution contracts with several merchants.
Enric Roig, member of the READI steering committee, proceeded to read the conclusions of the Seminar.
The President of the Social Promotion Foundation, Jumana Trad, closed the Seminar, thanking all the participants for their contributions, as well as the Casa Árabe and the Ambassador of Palestine for their support.