Ref: 21/2013

On Monday, 25 March 2013, the Training Unit of
the Palestinian Centre Human Rights (PCHR) concluded a training course in the
field of the right to adequate housing, land and property, and judicial
remedies in cooperation with the Agricultural Development Association
(Agricultural Relief).  The 10-hour
course was held in the Youth Development Association’s hall in Khuza’a village,
east of Khan Yunis in the period 24 – 25 March 2013.  28 members of the agricultural committees of
the association in the eastern area of Khan Yunis (‘Abasan, Bani Sheilah, and
Khoza’aa) participated.

The training program included: the International Bill
of Human Rights (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights); the right
to adequate housing, land and property under the international human rights law
and international humanitarian law; Palestinian land law and ways to prove ownership;
judicial remedy for victims of violations of housing, land and property rights;
and challenges facing members of the agricultural committees in their work.

A team of
specialized trainers supervised the training sessions.  The team included
Mr. Bassam al-Aqra’, Director of PCHR’s Training Unit; Mr. Fadel al-Mzaini, a
researcher at PCHR’s Economic, Social and Cultural Unit; and Ahlam al-Aqra’, a
lawyer at PCHR’s Legal Aid Unit.

In his
concluding speech, Mr. Bassam al-Aqra’ stated that this course is part of
long-term efforts exerted by PCHR to promote the protection of the right to adequate
housing, land, and property in the Palestinian society and to develop the
capacity of agricultural committees in the field of access to justice.  Al-Aqra’ also added that this course is part
of a 9-month project funded by the Norwegian Refugee Council titled “Improving
Access to Justice.”

At the
conclusion of the course, participants highly appreciated PCHR’s efforts to
promote the culture of human rights in the Palestinian society.  They also emphasized that this course
contributed to raise their awareness of the right to housing, land, and
property, which would contribute to solving disputes related to land ownership
disputes among farmers.  They also added
that despite the short time of the training course, it addressed distinguished
subjects, but they requested that more topics should be addressed in such
courses.

All participants received certificates at the conclusion of the
course.

PCHR had organized a similar training course for members of agricultural
committees in Deir al-Balah.  The 10-hour
course was held in the Youth Development Association’s hall in Deir al-Balah in
the period 10 – 11 March 2013.  The
number of participants in the course was 20.