Al-Zawaida - 10/09/2024
The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development—REFORM held a dialogue session at its Gaza office titled "Palestinian Youths' Vision for Reconstructing the Gaza Strip: Aspirations and Challenges." The session was attended by 35 young women and men activists from political parties and participants from the “United in Diversity V” project.
The session aimed to foster an interactive dialogue with Palestinian political activists to ensure the inclusion of all social segments as a fundamental condition for a transparent and comprehensive reconstruction process.
Ibrahim Abu Zayed, the project's coordinator in the Gaza Strip, stated, “Palestinian political institutions must harness the energy of Palestinian youth and their willingness to participate in community and reconstruction committees. This is crucial to breaking the current state of individualism and monopoly in Palestinian decision-making, paving the way for a genuine partnership that represents all perspectives within Palestinian society, without exclusion or marginalization. Such an approach would promote the values and culture of active citizenship, making the reconstruction process a pathway to restoring the essence of the Palestinian cause at both regional and international levels by unifying the structures and institutions of the political system to strengthen a collective national identity."
Political researcher Dr. Talal Abu Rukba, who developed a framework summarizing the youths' vision for reconstruction in collaboration with the "United in Diversity V" team, highlighted the youth's aspirations for the next phase. He noted that 80% of the surveyed youth believe the primary priority in the Palestinian reconstruction process should be reforming the political system, addressing its structural crisis, which has hindered the ability to confront the military policies that threaten the Palestinian presence in both the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
64.9% of youth identified the lack of democracy and generational renewal within Palestinian political institutions as the main obstacles to their effective participation in reconstruction efforts. Additionally, 30.6% pointed to the patriarchal culture dominating decision-making processes as a key factor hindering youths' political participation Meanwhile, 47.7% attributed the fragmentation and division within the youth community, along with the social and political polarization they face, as major challenges affecting their future participation in the reconstruction process.
Dr. Mansour Abu Karim, a political researcher, emphasized the importance of youth and institutional initiatives in enhancing youths' participation in political life and the Palestinian political system, including the reconstruction issue.
At the end of the session, the participating youth and social activists recommended that Palestinian institutions commit to an approach that ensures the effective involvement of youth in decision-making processes at both national and local levels.
They further urged the establishment of a national standard for meaningful youths' participation in these processes. Additionally, the participants called on the Palestinian government to implement a decision guaranteeing the systematic integration of active youth participation in reconstruction efforts, advocating for the adoption of a national reconstruction plan that incorporates youth input while addressing their needs and visions.
This session comes as part of the "United Diversity V” project, implemented by The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development—REFORM, in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid. This project aims to promote young men and women's participation in decision-making processes through monitoring plans and policies of organisations and holding local organisations accountable at the level of public policies that increase youths’ participation in public life.
The project also aims to enhance the values of good governance and transparency in the work of local organisations and to inform policy makers of citizens' rights and needs. The project will build the capacities of its target groups in participatory processes and facilitation skills using the Facilitating Reform Methodology, developing their accountability skills and monitoring the extent to which public policies respond to the needs of local communities.
For more information on this project, its objectives, and outcomes, please click here.
