Sorca Clarke
Question:62. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide a list of all projects, and their organisations, promoting gender equality in Palestine that Ireland contributes to. [49700/23]
View answerTuesday, 14 November 2023
Questions (62)
Written answers
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), a Palestinian human rights organisation, established in 1995 by Palestinian human rights lawyers and defenders as an independent, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation based in Gaza. Its strategic priorities are supporting promote gender equality, strengthening rule of law, and increasing access to justice for victims of human rights abuses, with a focus on women who are victims of gender-based crimes. Ireland has been funding PCHR since 2010 and provided €100,000 to PCHR in 2023.
MIFTAH (Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy) works to empower local leadership, and to influence policy and legislation to ensure the safeguarding of civil and social rights for all Palestinians. MIFTAH works on issues such as empowering young community women and, on a policy level, works with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on developing a more gender-responsive government budget. Ireland has been funding MIFTAH since 2010 and provided €100,000 in 2023.
SHAMS (the Human Rights and Democracy Media Centre) works to strengthen the principle and culture of human rights, prevent discrimination, and enhance civilian oversight and social accountability of the Palestinian security institution. SHAMS has implemented many projects addressing women’s rights within the occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza strip. In 2022, Ireland provided €38,000 in support to a project aiming to fight inequality and gender-based discrimination in mass media and contribute to gender-based equality in media discourse.
In 2022, Ireland funded the Society of Women Graduates in the Gaza Strip with a grant of €24,999 to support their project ‘Women Act’ which aims to strengthen the participation of women in local politics in Gaza.
In 2022, Ireland supported the “Women for Women” initiative of the Ajyal Association for Creativity and Development with a grant of €4,000. This project coaches young women to work with their peers as community leaders, teaching them to articulate and fight for issues affecting their lives.
Ireland has supported the Aisha Association for Women and Children through a grant of €5,828 in 2022 to their ‘Gaza Women’s Yoga and Circus Hub’ project. It aimed to address the severe lack of social and recreational safe spaces accessible for women, girls and people with disabilities in Gaza City.
Finally, the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme brings up to 25 students from Palestine to Ireland each year to undertake a one-year Masters programme. Since the programme began in 2019, 86 female students have been awarded a Fellowship. The annual cost of the full IPSP programme is €1 million.