General Union of Palestinian Women

The National Strategy for the Advancement of Palestinian Women

Health:
The political and economic situations of the Palestinian society and the absence of guidance and preventive services reflected on the social conditions of women particularly in the fields of public and primary health care mother and child care and health awareness in general.  The aim of the strategy in this concern is to improve the quality of health-care services, to  establish general health awareness, to provide requirements for preventive medicine and guidance services, to develop the health infrastructure and to increase the resources for health programs.  This could be achieved by improving the quality of services, uniting and coordinating the efforts of the various ministries and institutions, setting health program, establishing rehabilitation and training centers, and raising public awareness in general.

Education:

In addition to the existing problems related to women's education such as stereotyping, curricula, regulations related to the economic situation, cost of education, and problems arising from a legacy of some social norms and their negative effects, the Israeli occupation played a major role in destroying the education process.  Our struggle in the field of education for the advancement of women and for changing their conditions is geared towards improving the various levels of education (literacy, adult education, follow-up, training  and qualifying women, education in general, and academic, vocational, and technological education).
 Progress in this struggle will lead to greater participation of women In the labour market and effective participation in institutions and decision - making posts and will lead to active involvement in all aspects of work in society.
 This requires: a certain amount of resources, combined efforts and coordination of efforts of the various institutions and associations, progress in combating illiteracy, setting educational and cultural programs, making use of scientific and technological progress in this field, improving all branches of education, fighting negative traditions and norms and enhancing general awareness.

The Girl / Child:
Progress on women's conditions is greatly dependent on the improvement of childhood conditions, the girl/child in particular.  This could be achieved by ensuring early childhood needs; gender equality programs that develop children's skills, capabilities and potentials; dealing with the causes of school drop-outs; setting regulations to guarantee the implementation of the law of compulsory education; resolving problems arising from early marriage and insisting on adhering to the minimal age for marriage (18 years).
To solve many problems that face early childhood, it is important to establish effective coordination between institutions and associations and to combine their efforts to widen the kindergartens network, to improve their programs, and to train and prepare preschool instructors.

The Media:

The public information media has a great responsibility in advancing women's conditions and can play a major role in changing the stereo-type image of  women and in developing their role in society by stressing their social and economic roles. The media can mobilize the women sector to participate more effectively and can disseminate information and spread knowledge about their role in society. This requires a balance in dealing with women's issues: social, educational and economic etc. This calls for greater participation of women in the various aspects of the media and by spreading and establishing positive concepts and values in society.  This could be attained by setting a suitable, forward looking media policy that provides reliable data and information and by providing training for women and establishing mutual exchange of experiences in the various aspects of the media, especially women media institutions and benefiting from the various media services such as publications and literary writing as well as radio and television programs that have social significance.

The Environment:

 The environment of Palestine suffers from several forms of destruction. Water and air pollution, improper use of chemical fertilizers, sewage, organic and plastic wastes, settlement sewage and wastes and the various destructive settlement activities such as uprooting of trees, all of which have harmful effects on the Palestinian environment and society as a whole, and on women in particular. It is therefore of paramount  importance to enable the Palestinian people to have sovereignty over their resources, to safeguard their environment, to prevent the settlements and the occupation practices from destroying the environment, to implement international accords related to occupation and to involve women in the setting and implementation of environmental policies. To achieve this, the Palestinian people are in need of mobilizing the efforts of Arab and international organizations, ensuring financial resources, improving public services, renovating the infrastructure, and preparing and training women by special environmental programs and by developing curricula and programs that serve and protect the environment.