On Monday, 26 October 2009, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
(PCHR) received two delegations from its international partners, Oxfam
International and Christian Aid. The meetings were held in PCHR’s head
office in Gaza City.
The first delegation was comprised of: Richard Stanforth, Regional
Policy Officer in Oxfam – UK; Ben Jackson, Director of Crisis Action in
the UK; and Martin Konecny, Political Analyst and Campaigner for Crisis
Action in Brussels. Crisis Action is an international, non-profit
organization which aims to help avert conflicts, and prevent human
rights abuses. To achieve its goals, it cooperates with several
partners, including Oxfam International, which is a confederation of 14
like-minded organizations working together and with partners and allies
around the world to fight poverty and injustice.
The delegation from Christian Aid was comprised of: Janet Symes, Head of
Middle East Region; and Lynda Kerley, Country Programme Manager.
Christian Aid is a Christian organization that insists the world can and
must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life free
from poverty. It provides urgent, practical and effective assistance
where need is great, tackling the effects of poverty as well as its root
causes
Members of the first delegation from Oxfam and Crisis Action met with
Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, and Hamadi Shaqqura, Director of PCHR
Democratic Development Unit. The meeting discussed the human rights
situation in the Gaza Strip in light of war crimes committed by Israeli
Occupation Forces (IOF) against Palestinian civilians. Sourani and
Shaqqura focused on the urgent need for international organizations to
ensure the High Contracting Parties' commitment to act against crimes
committed by IOF, and the European Union's fulfillment of its
obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. They also
stressed the need to work for the implementation of the recommendations
of the Goldstone report, which detail for the first time a clear and
specific implementation agenda. The meeting further discussed means of
development of international advocacy for Palestinians and ways to
benefit from the experience of international organizations.
Sourani also met with the Christian Aid delegation. He briefed members
of the delegation on developments related to the human rights situation
in the Gaza Strip, and the human suffering consequent to the
deterioration of economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian
population due to Israeli violations of human rights, especially the
illegal siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. The meeting discussed also
future cooperation between PCHR and Christian Aid.
It is worth noting that PCHR has strong relations with Oxfam
International and Christian Aid. The two organizations contribute to
funding PCHR's work and programs, and even adopts its positions and
policies, which is a source of pride for PCHR due to the credibility and
professionalism of the two organization in their work worldwide.
