General Union of Palestinian Women

The National Strategy for the Advancement of Palestinian Women

Introduction:
Palestinian Women, whose main concern since the turn of the century has been the advancement of the Palestinian national cause, reaffirm their unity and their joint dual struggle towards furthering national liberation and social freedom.

The development of women's political, economic, social and legal status cannot be isolated from the general political situation of the Palestinian people who are still under occupation and are struggling for independence and sovereignty over their land.

In 1988 the Palestinian National Council in Algiers declared a peace initiative based on international legitimacy _ particularly resolutions 181, 242 and 338. This was followed by the Declaration of Principles, the Oslo Accords of 1995 and the subsequent agreements which resulted in allowing limited political rights in Palestine, namely the election of a president for the National Authority and representatives of the Legislative Council. In spite of all these changes, comprehensive plans and programs for social, economic, legislative and legal development continued to be hindered by Israeli occupation policies. These policies have been based on the continued hegemony over the land and natural resources, the consolidation and expansion of settlement activities; the fragmentation of the geographic and demographic unity of the Palestinian people, the escalation of measures to Judaize Jerusalem and isolate it from the rest of Palestine, and  undermining any possibility for the emergence of an independent Palestinian state and the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their land and natural resources.  Israel's total disregard of United Nation Resolutions concerning the Palestinian issue (particularly resolutions 194 -- the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees, and resolution 2253 -- the Resolution to maintain the Arab character of Jerusalem) remains the major obstacle for the implementation of any comprehensive development plans in the various fields.

 Palestinian women in Palestine and abroad assert that the PLO Program and its fixed axioms -- the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, the right of return and self determination, and the right to establish a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital -- are the basic prerequisites for peace in the region.

 The Declaration of Independence by the PNC ( Nov.15.1988), asserts that the State of Palestine is established on  a base of social justice, equality, and the prohibition of discrimination with regard to  race, religion, color or sex.
After the endorsement of the Action Plan, of the 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing, 1995, and in view of Arab Regional and Palestinian national documents adopted during the preparatory stages of the conference, and in accordance with the decisions of the Arab Ministers Conference, held in Amman at the end of Sept. 1996, diligent efforts were made on the official and popular levels to draft a national strategy for Palestinian women taking into consideration Palestinian capabilities and Palestinian women priorities in Palestine and abroad.
Thus, new organizational bodies were formed to achieve this aim. The General Union of Palestinian Women, in its capacity as representative of Palestinian women, formed follow-up committees in the West Bank, Gaza and abroad and organized workshops there in harmony  with the main  areas  of concern of the Beijing Conference Program and in accordance with Palestinian Women's priorities.  Women from various NGOs participated in these workshops held in the West Bank, Gaza and abroad.

 A coordinating committee from women's administrations in the various ministries was formed to organize governmental efforts regarding this  concern. The committee organized workshops for translating the International Platform of Action  and documents into mechanisms, activities and programs.   Under-secretaries of various ministries and representatives of NGOs operating in line with the focal points of the Beijing Conference participated in these workshops.

These efforts  culminated in  joint activities with the participation of representatives of the General Union of Palestinian Women, and  research centers and the governmental coordinating  committee.  The ultimate aim was to produce a national unified strategy for Palestinian women based on women's' priorities and the amount of available data and information as well as available financial resources.