Ref:
17/2010
On 14 February 2010, the Palestinian
Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) received a delegation from Oxfam Novib. The delegation was headed by Farah Karimi,
Director of Oxfam Novib, who was on her first visit to the Occupied Palestine Territory
(OPT). The delegation included four
additional Oxfam Novib staff members.
Oxfam Novib is a member of Oxfam
International and maintains a very close working relationship with PCHR. Oxfam Novib, which has activities in different
areas of the world aimed at providing support and influencing decision-makers,
is one of the partner organizations that support PCHR’s activities and projects.
The members of the delegation met
with Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, and with the members of the PCHR Board of
Directors, as well as the Directors of PCHR’s units in PCHR’s head office in
Gaza City. At the outset of the meeting,
Sourani reviewed the deteriorating human rights situation and focused on the
collective punishment measures imposed on civilians in the OPT, especially the
siege imposed on Gaza and the resulting violations of economic and social
rights. He also discussed continued
Israeli crimes in the West Bank.
During the meeting, the importance
of continuously strong relations with international organizations was stressed,
and their important role in confronting many of the Israeli violations of human
rights, most significantly the siege and collective punishment imposed on the
Palestinian civilian population, was highlighted.
PCHR’s various activities and
programmes as well as the current challenges faced were addressed in detail
during the meeting. Sourani pointed out
that PCHR’s work aims at enhancing the rule of law and protecting human rights under
extremely difficult conditions. He
reiterated that PCHR’s work is independent and professional and that
independence and professionalism are the key guarantee to confront all
obstacles and difficulties.
Sourani highly appreciated the role
played by Oxfam Novib in supporting PCHR’s activities and programmes. He expressed thanks, on behalf of himself and the
entire Centre, to Oxfam Novib for its work as a pressure group that is active
across the world to support the vulnerable and the poor.
It should be noted that Oxfam
International is a coalition of 14 member organizations that cooperate in order
to put an end to poverty and injustice across the world.