Program Definition:
The program for the social empowerment of rural women is a collection of activities and interventions geared towards women living in rural Palestine, and in particular, in its marginalized rural regions. This program compliments the economic empowerment program, which focuses on savings and credit.
General Aim:
The general aim of the program is to organize and mobilize women in a social framework around their common concerns with the goal of empowering them socially, politically, and economically in the hope that this will subsequently contribute to change and development in their societies.
The Program’s Principal Interventions:
1. Developing the ideal domestic economy to ensure food security for rural families. This includes food security projects, emergency programs, agricultural exhibitions, and food production demonstrations.
2. Implementing a training program designed to benefit and develop women's practical and technical skills. This includes vocational training, training in nutrition, empowerment, and leadership, as well as training in administrative, financial and communication skills.
3. Raising awareness via workshops and lectures of rights and obligations with a focus on laws relating to the life and personal affairs of women and families in general.
4. Advocating and promoting campaigns with the aim of defending issues related both generally and particularly to women.
5. Developing and establishing an infrastructure to support rural women and help in their daily affairs. This includes support and development for women's clubs, kindergartens, and public libraries.
6. Providing education in the form of literacy programs and training for obtaining general secondary education and tawjeehi diplomas.
7. Networking and coordination with other actors that have a similar relationship, whether they are government, local, or international organizations.
Noteworthy Accomplishments:
1. The establishment and development of 123 women's clubs, bringing women together from different provinces throughout the country. These clubs have become havens for rural women to express themselves.
2. The establishment of 270 new home gardens and the expansion and development of 580 already existing home gardens.
3. The establishment and development of a public library in Jama'een that is administrated by a trained cadre from the women's club, as well as another library in Deir Ghazaleh.
4. The establishment of day-care centres for children in Kharas and Tarqumia, which support close to 200 children at three age levels (kindergarden 1 and 2, as well as preschool). The centres are under the administration and supervision of the women's clubs. This effort also includes the establishment of a public park in Beit Fourik.
5. The enrolment of 543 women in secondary education courses, with a pass rate of 66%.
6. Eighteen members of women's clubs won seats in the last local council elections.
7. The establishment of income-generating production programs.
8. The organization of thousands of workshops on awareness and empowerment.
9. The organization of thousands of training courses in the fields of vocational training, legal training, social leadership, project management, food manufacturing, and literacy training.
