Ref: 21/2017

In participation of 29 attendees, 13 of whom were females, representing 11 CBOs working in eastern Khan Yunis (Khuza’a), the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) concluded on Wednesday, 10 May 2017, a training course in the field of human rights. The 20-hour course was held in the office of al-Ghad al-Moshreq Society in Khuza’a during 7-10 May 2017.

The program of the course included an introduction to human rights, 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 Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; gender issues, the rule of law, independence of judiciary, and Mechanisms of Monitoring and Documenting Human Rights Violations.

A team of PCHR’s trainers supervised the training sessions. The team included Majedah Shehadah, a Researcher at PCHR’s Women’s Unit; Sharif Abu Nassar, lawyer at PCHR’s Legal Unit; Mohammed ‘Atallah, a trainer at PCHR; Bassam al-Aqra’, director of PCHR’s Training Unit; and Abdul Halim Abu Samra, PCHR’s Public Relations officer in Khan Younis.

At the end of the course, PCHR organized a closing ceremony.  Abdul Halim Abu Samra stressed PCHR’s efforts exerted on the long term to disseminate the culture of human rights in the Palestinian society.  Abu Samrah highlighted that the relationship between PCHR and the participants in the course should not end by the end of the course, but it should start from here and be enhanced. He added,” PCHR’s doors will always be open to participants in order to benefit from PCHR’s experience.”

Basam al-Aqra’, Director of the Training Unit, said that, “the course was characterized with the large number of participated organizations that PCHR cooperated with them for the first time, allowing PCHR to reach relatively new categories”.

Kamal Qudaieh, Director of Brilliant Tomorrow Society, emphasized that it is important to continuously hold joint activities with PCHR that is of great experience and good reputation in the field of human rights. He also pointed out that his society is located in a marginalized area. Moreover, Khawla Abu Rijailah, from Brilliant Future Association, said that, “the course was characterized with its rich topics and contributed to raising participants’ awareness of human rights; trainers’ efficiency and various and interactive training methods used in the course.”

At the end of the course, all participants received certificates.