Ref: 16/2021

Date: 25 February 2021

On Thursday, 25 February 2021, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) in cooperation with the Palestinian Bar Association concluded a training course for young lawyer in the field of defending women’s rights. The 25-hour training course was held over the course of five consecutive days, from 21 – 25 February 2021, in Gaza City with the participation of 27 male and female lawyers.

The course focused on strengthening and developing lawyers’ capacity in international human rights law, in particular conventions relating to women’s rights, and discussions on the extent to which domestic laws are compatible with human rights standards. The course also included topics relating to gender-based violence, intervention and protection mechanisms, the national transformation program, the Bill to Protect Women Against Gender-Based Violence, the Security Council Resolution SCR 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, mechanisms for women’s access to justice, as well as PCHR’s role in providing help for battered women.

In conclusion of the course, PCHR organized a closing ceremony, where Abdulhalim Abu Samra, Head of Training Unit at PCHR, emphasized that PCHR seeks through such training courses to develop the capacity of young lawyers, enhance their engagement in legal profession, support human rights and use the human rights language lawyers in their profession in order to defend human rights in general and the rights of battered women in particular. Abu Samra stressed the role of lawyers in developing the justice system in Palestine, as lawyers constitute an integral part to this institution. He also pointed out that lawyers are key human rights defenders, stressing the importance of sustaining their relationship with PCHR in order to benefit from its experiences and establish a society that prospers in justice.

For her part, Rana al-Haddad, Member of the Palestinian Bar Association and Head of the Training and Women Committee, thanked PCHR for holding this training course and stressed the importance of continuing the long-standing relationship and joint cooperation with PCHR in order to support and enhance human rights in the Palestinian society. She also pointed out that this training course was organized in response to the social need for protections for rights and freedoms and the need for lawyers to step up in this field. She called upon lawyers, as human rights defenders, to address human rights violations in society and to build their experiences in accordance with the principles of respect for and rule of law.

The participants praised PCHR’s unique role in raising their legal capacities, and commended the course’s rich topics that contributed to building their capabilities and is sure to reflect positively on their professional work and help them use human rights language in their work to enhance equality, justice and equity in society.

At the end of the ceremony, participants received certificates.