ActionAid Palestine to Promote Role of Palestinian Youth in Supporting Economic and Digital Rights of Palestinian Women in Gaza Strip
Gaza – Palestine - ActionAid Palestine (APP) supported youth initiatives to promote economic and digital rights of Palestinian women in Gaza. Those initiatives are led by youth groups particularly protection committees led by women and accountability and response committees based in Rafah and Khan Younis. Those committees were established through AAP’s programs in partnership with Wefaq Association for Women and Child Care. The role of youth focused on organizing a technological heritage art exhibition for women and young women entrepreneurs within the initiative of “Ambitions for Chane” through AAP’s project of “ Strengthening Palestinian young people, Particularly Young Women’s Leadership and Influence for Resilient, Just and Green Societies”, within Strategic Partnership 2 with ActionAid Denmark and funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
40 young entrepreneur women from different areas in Gaza Strip participated in this exhibition. This initiative aimed to shed light on digitization and the economic and digital rights of women and young women entrepreneurs in the Gaza Strip under challenges of gender equality. The initiative supported women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs)by marketing their products and projects. The exhibition offered women with opportunity for networking with private sector institutions and local civil society organizations.
The youth played different roles in organizing this exhibition as identifying women entrepreneurs and motivating them to participate in the exhibition and taking all logistical and technical preparations to ensure the participation of a large number of women. They also communicated with community institutions and businessmen and women inviting them to the exhibition so that they can meet with women and increase opportunities for marketing women’s products.
The exhibition included handicrafts and manufactured products, as well as technological corners for a number of women and young women entrepreneurs to display and market their products. Women are also motivated to use their time and continue their projects despite the hard political and economic conditions and electricity cut caused by illegal blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip.
The exhibition included awareness and motivational speeches for participants. The women and media activist, Hedaya Shamun from the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) highlighted gender-based corruption in addition to other speeches highlighting the importance of raising awareness of women about legal procedures needed for registering their projects.
The director of Wefaq association, Buthaina Sobeh said: “this exhibition was organized in Rafah to promote handicraft products and convey the voice of entrepreneurs and young women to donors, lending institutions and ministerial institutions to give them some guidance and facilitate legal and licensing procedures needed for their small projects”.
Hanan Barhom is a young woman entrepreneur having disability and running a small enterprise for embroideries and art products: “I came to the exhibition to display my products and prove to people that people with disabilities can work and are capable of production, and they should always be partners in all activities and events. I express my thank to all those exerted efforts in organizing this exhibition”.
The entrepreneur Aisha Abu Jarida from Rafah who runs a small project “Al-Badia Heritage”, highlighted her participation: “I participated in the exhibition to display the heritage products and preserve the Palestinian heritage”.
AAP’s Humanitarian program officer in Gaza Strip, Samah Kassab said: “APP supports efforts of our partner WEFAQ association to strengthen resilience of women by promoting their products and innovative digital products”.
Abdul Rahman Abu Azoum, is a youth activist who participated in organizing this exhibition, said: "We feel as active that we need to carry our responsibilities towards showing the prominent role of entrepreneurial women by highlighting their technological, technical, entrepreneurial and traditional projects and utilization of technology for expanding and spreading their business through digital marketing."
Salam Zoroub, a young woman who participated in the organization of this exhibition: "this exhibition is unique as it integrates the role of technology in entrepreneurial work and women’s products women by presenting digital marketing tools that will help women in selling their various products and handicrafts."
Hossam Madi is a youth activist in Rafah city advocating for women’s rights. Hossam participated in organizing many of the activities of this exhibition: "Our message is to strengthen the economic role of women and their ability to establish their income generating project by building their skills and capacities. Furthermore, the exhibition could be a gateway for the participants to market their products and introduce them to local market and increase their customers from different cities”.
Dina Al-Sheikh Eid is a woman participated in the exhibition through her corner of accessories: “I make those accessories and I have a problem in marketing, and I tirelessly try to develop my capacities and skills to create my own marketing space in this exhibition through which I can sell my products. This exhibition motivated me by introducing my enterprise to local audience”.
Background Information
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty in more than 45 countries around the world. AAP started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact.
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Palestine
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
Email: