December 23, 2015
Palestine
Palestine’s economy is highly dependent on outside support, which is estimated upwards of 1,8 trillion USD (approximately 43 trillion CZK). Around 30% of the country’s GDP comes from outside help, which allows the operation of up to half of the Palestinian national services. Unemployment affects mainly graduates and women and at the same time the difference with salaries between genders is above 12%.
Since May 2015, Charity Czech Republic, together with Charity Jerusalem, has provided thematic workshops for women and graduates as well as for women also apprenticeship for a year with a minimum of a one-month internship. Activities take place in four locations where women from rural areas study – Betlehem region, East Jerusalem, Ramallah and Jericho. This year, 275 students took part in the apprenticeship program, and Charity Czech Republic financially supported 30% of their studying expenses. The rest of the expenses are financed by other non-governmental organizations, and a small amount is financed by the women’s own sources.
Sometimes the participants face a number of difficulties. The most complicated situation is with students from Jericho, where their education collides with their traditional culture. Many of the students have to travel because many live in distant villages and some must also stay at the boarding school (both costs are provided by the Charity Czech Republic). Because of the fact that the classical family model does not permit a woman to work, courses are oriented at practical skills that could be used to establish a small family business. For example, graduating from cookery and confectionery classes could allow women to cook or bake from their homes and offer their products to other residents of their villages afterwards.
Besides apprenticeship education opportunities, there are also courses for career consulting, which were passed by 9 high school classes of 30 students each, approximately. Two classes of 20 students from university completed courses focused for their age group. Charity Czech Republic tries to convince students to go in the direction that seems interesting for them and in which they could be successful. Most of them don’t really think about their future and let the family decide for them.
Within the activities of Charity Czech Republic there is also a media campaign in the form of printed posters and radio relations (both in Arabic). It familiarizes women with their rights, for example with the right for the same salary as men, with the right for maternity leave, or the right for working conditions that do not threaten pregnancy. Information is generally focused on work safety, the right to sick leave and so on.
Smooth progress is unfortunately worsened by the bad safety situation in the last two months, resulting from uprising tensions between Israel and Palestine. Travelling within Palestine is very complicated and prolonged, because there are plenty of security checks on the ways that make the activities of the humanitarian organization worse as well as for students going to school.
Support for socially disabled in Palestine is financed by the sources from the Three Kingss Collection of Charity Czech Republic and Czech Development Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the program of Foreign Development Cooperation of the Czech Republic.
