For the second year in a row, Birzeit University’s Institute of Law launched on March 2, 2013 its Specialized Professional Diploma Program in Legislative Drafting.

The first of its kind in the Arab world, the diploma program is designed to provide capacity-building and enhance legislative drafting skills. A special event was held to kick off the program, attended by Vice President for Community Affairs Samia Halileh, program advisor Fawwaz Abu Zir, assistant to the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers for Legal Affairs Jamil Salem, institute Director Ghassan Faramand,  and director of the institute’s Legislative Assistance Department  and coordinator of the Diploma Program in Legislative Drafting Mahmoud Alawneh.

 

 

Thanks to joint cooperation between the institute and the Palestinian Cabinet, the second class of the diploma program was inaugurated. A memorandum of understanding between the government and the institute provides for the upgrading and consolidation of good legislative drafting standards and techniques in Palestine.

“Special attention should be paid to legislative drafting in the Palestinian legal system. This can only be achieved by cooperation between partner official bodies, including the Cabinet Secretariat as well as all legislative and law-making agencies,” said VP Halileh. “Following graduation, participants will make a concerted effort and contribute effectively to the legislative process, using constructive knowledge and expertise that they will acquire in this diploma program.”

Advisor Abu Zir stated that the program “is designed to consolidate good legislative standards and enhance legal experts’ skills. It will positively reflect on legal practitioners’ professional performance and provide capacity building in legislative drafting at respective institutions.” He thanked the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for providing support to a number of participants in the program.

Salem said that the institute has dedicated attention to legal education, with a particular focus on legislative activity. Legislation is a fundamental component and foundation of the prospective State of Palestine. As a cornerstone of the Palestinian legal structure, legislation-related activities have been the hub the institute’s work over recent years.

The diploma program is one year long. Comprising 480 training hours, a total of 12 training courses will be offered over three semesters. In the 2009-10 academic year, the Professional Diploma Program in Legislative Drafting was officially accredited by the Palestinian minister of higher education.

According to the institute’s Alawneh, a number of legal advisors working in official Palestinian institutions will take part in the diploma Program. Designed to consolidate legislative drafting techniques in Palestine, the program is informed by relevant best practice, as developed by the institute. The institute held the graduation ceremony of the first class of the diploma program in January 2013.