Launches Two Specialised Training Courses Targeting Lawyers and LGU Staff on Gender Issues
Bethlehem: Saturday, 10 December 2011 – In cooperation with the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) and Palestinian Bar Association (PBA), the Institute of Law (IoL) at Birzeit University launched two specialised training courses on Gender Issues at the Bethlehem InterContinental Hotel. A training course targets lawyers in Hebron and Bethlehem and the other local government unit (LGU) staff in Bethlehem.
As part of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on Promoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women in the occupied Palestinian territory, six UN Agencies, namely UNDP/PAPP, UN-Women, ILO, UNESCO, UNFPA and UNRWA, are implementing a Joint Programme funded by the Government of Spain on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, covering the period 2009-2012. The Program aims to achieve three major Outcomes:
1. Reducing gender based violence and all form of violence against women and the girl child;
2. Increasing the representation of women’s and women’s issues in decision making bodies;
3. Advancing equal opportunities for women’s economic participation, especially women survivors of gender based violence.
With reference to output 1.3 “Capacity to provide refuge, security, and access to justice strengthened” and output 2.2, “Organize training and workshops to raise awareness on gender in local authorities and related NGOs”, UNDP seeks to:
1. Develop specialised curricula and training material and conduct training for judges, lawyers and prosecutors on gender issues and the provision of assistance to victims of violence and gender based violence.
2. Provide gender awareness training to local government staff in 15 districts to develop their capacity on mainstreaming gender in district development planning and service provision.
The training courses were inaugurated by the Legal Researcher Mr. Mu’in Al -Barghouthi, Project Manager; Mrs. Hanan Imseih, Director General of the MoLG Gender Unit; Mr. ‘Amr al ‘Amleh, MoLG Bethlehem Office Director; and Mr. George Sa’adeh, representative of the Bethlehem Municipality. In his opening remarks, Mr. Al- Barghouthi explained that both training courses would focus on justice and local governance sectors in Palestine. Held simultaneously in cooperation with the MoLG and PBA, the training courses elaborate on significant gender issues with a view to promote the gender concept and embed it in the work of LGUs. As they deliver public services to citizens, the training addresses significant areas of LGUs’ functions, including budgeting, planning, policy making form a gender perspective. Gender issues will also be integrated in the work of lawyers in their capacity as defenders of the right to equality and administration of justice, taking into account the sound understanding and enforcement of laws by analysing practical issues and regulations from a gender perspective.
The two training cours
es will last for five days, from 10 – 14 December 2011. A total of 50 LGU staff members and 40 lawyers from Bethlehem and Hebron governorates will take part in the training event. In line with the training curriculum of each course, a select number of professional trainers will provide training on several relevant topics.
