Gaza – January 30, 2023
The Women’s Affairs Center (WAC) in Gaza, in partnership with the Abdel Shafi Community Health Association (ACHA) and the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), concluded the project “Protecting and Respecting the Rights of Marginalized Women, Girls, and Survivors of Gender-Based Violence in the Gaza Strip”, funded by the European Union.
A closing conference was held in Gaza City under the slogan “Women Make Change”, attended by civil society representatives, media outlets, and several project beneficiaries.
In her remarks, Maria Velasco, Deputy Head of the EU Representative Office in Jerusalem, commended the interventions that improved the lives of participating women, emphasizing the EU’s ongoing commitment to promoting women’s rights in Palestine.
Dr. Akram Nassar, Director of QRCS Gaza Office, highlighted the project’s role as a model of genuine partnership, noting that it provided training on small business management, gender-responsive work skills, financial grants, temporary job opportunities, and community awareness initiatives.
Amal Syam, WAC Director, stressed that the partnership among the three organizations enriched the project’s outcomes, particularly by empowering marginalized women and survivors of violence, and ensuring the full inclusion of women with disabilities in all activities.
Meanwhile, Hatem Abu Al-Qaraya, General Director of ACHA, expressed his pride in achieving the project’s mission of building a violence-free society, pointing to the wide range of services offered, including sexual and reproductive health care, legal support, psychosocial assistance, and family planning.
The closing event also showcased the project’s key achievements, including legal, economic, and psychosocial support interventions across Gaza governorates. It featured success stories, short films such as “Sawsan’s Shop” and “A Restricted Dream”, and a play titled “Her Story”, which addressed issues of inheritance, early marriage, and gender-based violence.
