Annual Report - Palestinian Center for Human Rights

4.3) Participation in Meetings of the National Campaign to Encourage Women’s
Participation in Elections
This campaign combines a number of human rights and women’s organizations,
including PCHR, represented by the unit. The campaign focused in 2005 on efforts to
encourage women to participate in local council elections. It also issued a leaflet to
advertise the campaign and its goals. In 2005, the unit organized a series of meetings
with members of the Palestinian Legislative Council to gain support for the campaign.
One of the major activities of the campaign in 2005 was the meeting between its
members and Palestinian President Mahoud ‘Abbas on 29 August. The unit director
attended this meeting. The campaign called upon President ‘Abbas not to ratify the
amended election law for local bodies councils, particularly with regard to article 17,
in order to ensure the representation of women in elections. The meeting was
positive, as President ‘Abbas expressed support for women’s demands and
recommended the Palestinian Legislative Council to hold an urgent session to discuss
this issue. A delegation from the campaign met also with the Speaker of the
Palestinian Legislative Council, Rawhi Fattouh, to call on him to hold a session to
discuss amendments to the law, but he refused, on the grounds that it was important
not to delay holding the elections.
4.4) Cooperation with International and Regional Organizations
Al-Quds Association for Cooperation with the Arab World
In 2005, the unit opened the door for cooperation with the al-Quds Association for
Cooperation with the Arab World in Malaga, Spain, through participating in a number
of activities that the unit was invited to attend. During these activities, the unit’s
efforts to serve women in the Gaza Strip were outlined, and future cooperation and
coordination between the unit and women’s organizations in Andalusia were
discussed.
In this context, Luna Abu Swaireh, delegated by the unit, participated in a number of
activities in Malaga and Sevilla in the period from 8 to 12 March 2005, on the
occasion of the International Women’s Day. She delivered a number of lectures on
the suffering of Palestinian women under the Israeli occupation. She also participated
in a number of marches organized for this occasion.
From 24 to 28 August 2005, the unit head visited Andalusia. The visit aimed to
discuss cooperation with women’s organizations in Spain and explain the unit’s
activities. This visit included a number of activities. The unit head met with a speaker
from the Andalusia Parliament and discussed with her the issues of political
participation of women in Spain. The unit head also briefed the speaker on the
suffering of women in the OPT and their role in the Palestinian political life,
highlighting their struggle to obtain their political rights.
Amnesty International
In February 2005, Amnesty International published a special report on women in the
OPT. The report raised international interest in this issues. It included an interview
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