Ref: 41/2016

The Women’s Rights Unit at the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) organized two training courses on security and wellbeing last week.  The first course targeted 65 women, including the administrative staff and prisoners, in the Interior Ministry’s women’s prison in Gaza while the second targeted 35 women, including the administrative staff and inmates, in the Social Affairs Ministry’s Al-Aman Shelter for Women.

The course held on 09 and 10 November 2016 was opened with a welcoming speech by lawyer Hanan Matter, Director of the Women’s Rights Unit.  She introduced PCHR’s activities, particularly the Women’s Rights Unit’s.  Majedah Shehadah, a researcher at the Unit, started the training program, which included the concept of wellbeing and security and the skills and strategies to identify and solve the threats facing women.

At the end of the training, Amal Nofal, Warden of the Women’s Prison, talked about the importance of such courses for such “stigmatized” category of women. She also underscored the training role in promoting the policewomen’s concepts towards the prisoners in addition to the great psychological reflection on the prisoners.

In the same context, Hanadi Skeik, Director of Aman Shelter, expressed the strong ties between PCHR and Aman Shelter, noting that it is more like a partnership to serve women subject to violence.  She also praised PCHR’s role and long-term efforts to disseminate and promote the culture of human rights in the Palestinian Society in addition to enhancing Palestinian women’s culture.

The participants praised the contribution of these courses to making change on their concepts and believes.  They also praised PCHR’s keenness in women’s issues and decreasing violence against women.  They also demanded more courses to be held to reduce women’s suffering and to support them.