Ref: 03/2007

Date: 07 February  2007

PCHR Hold More Consultative Meetings to Promote Cooperation and Coordination with Local Community Institutions in the Gaza Strip 

On Tuesday , 6 February 2007, PCHR held a consultative meeting with civil society organizations in Rafah to discuss means of cooperation and networking.

At the beginning of the meeting, which was held in the lobby of Sharek Youth Dorum in Rafah, Jaber Wishah, Deputy Director of PCHR, talked about PCHR’s plan of action and activities for 2007, emphasizing that the goal of such meetings is to promote joint activities to serve the local community.

‘Abdul Halim Abu Samra, PCHR Public Relations Officer in Khan Yunis, then talked about possible areas of cooperation between PCHR and other institutions according to areas of activities.

Moreover, Bassam al-Aqraa’, Director of PCHR’s Training Unit, and Majeda Shihada, a researcher at PCHR’s Women’s Rights Unit, briefed the attendants on their units’ activities and previous experiences of fruitful cooperation with other institutions.

Last week, PCHR held a similar meeting in Khan Yunis, which was attended by 40 persons representing a number of active institutions in Khan Yunis. In the two meetings, the participants discussed the current tragic situation and internal fighting in the Gaza Strip, which have impacted the activities of civil society organizations, and called for holding more similar meetings to promote cooperation among these organizations to serve the local community.

The participants in the two meetings agreed on:

1)   Holding periodic meetings in each district.

2)   Discussing the establishment of a permanent body fro civil society organizations in each district to promote cooperation and joint activities.

3)   Preparing a guide on civil society organizations working in each district to raise the awareness of people on their activities.

Another meeting will be held tomorrow in Khan Yunis as an implementation of the aforementioned recommendations and to allow other civil society organizations to join the discussions related to cooperation and networking.