Outcome PAL_D_4.2

An enabling environment for the implementation of WPS commitments in Palestine is promoted

During the reporting period, the State of Palestine adopted its second National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security. The NAP, is based on four pillars: (i) prevention/protection, (ii) accountability, (iii) participation, (iv) relief and recovery was endorsed by the State of Palestine in March 2021. Furthermore, the development of a National Observatory on women’s human rights violations in the framework of UNSCR 1325 is ongoing. A national team of expert institutions in the field of monitoring and documentation was created to establish the working mechanism of the National Observatory. This includes mostly civil society organizations (such as Hurryiat Center, Land Research Center, Applied Research Institute (ARIJ), Community Action Center, Addameer), but also relevant Ministries (i.e. the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education). MoWA approved the costing exercise for the NAP, which estimated the total costing for the PALNAP implementation at approximately $6.5 millions. The exercise was undertaken as part of MoWA’s work to ensure adequate resourcing for the PALNAP implementation through the development of a financing mechanism; this will further strengthen this national accountability framework. National partners, including members of the higher national committee and the 1325 National Coalition developed the costing exercise with the support of an expert on gender responsive budgeting. The process and findings were introduced to the 1325 Higher National Committee, who endorsed its findings. On 14 April 2021, the Deputy Special Coordinator/Resident Coordinator Lynn Hastings and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs at the presence of the donor community participated in a roundtable organized by UN Women in relation to the PALNAP. The event had the objective to introduce the NAP and present a pool funding mechanism which would enable an effective governance of any future pledges towards the implementation of the PALNAP. Gender equality advocates, including the General Union for Palestinian Women (GUPW) and the Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC), continued to implement evidence-based advocacy towards holding the occupation accountable for human rights violations, the increased participation of women in the national decision-making process and recovery efforts, and gender responsive humanitarian action. On 18 February, the General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW) in partnership with WILPF hosted a webinar entitled: “The WPS Agenda Under Occupation: Gendered Impacts of the Israeli Occupation on Women and Girls”. The event was held ahead of the 46th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC46). 293 participants from all over the world attended the event. On the 21st anniversary of UN Security Resolution 1325 and to reiterate calls to promote Palestinian women’s role in peace and security, UN Women held an Open Day on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in partnership with the General Union of Palestinian Women in October 2021. The event, held in Gaza City, served as an important space for Palestinian women, gender equality advocates and the international community to reflect on the implementation of UN Security Resolution 1325 in Palestine, 21 years after its adoption. Over the two days of the Open Day, the participants highlighted the important role that Palestinian women can play for national reconciliation, took stock of the challenges to effectively implement the WPS agenda in Palestine, and formulated recommendations to strengthen women’s role in reconciliation and peacebuilding, including for the establishment of a platform where Palestinian women leaders, holding diverse political views and across generations, can convene and strategize on how to increase women’s participation in the Palestinian reconciliation process.