BZU President Signs a Cooperation Agreement with the UNDP

On 4 December 2010, BZU President, Dr. Khalil Hindi, signed a cooperation agreement with the UNDP , aiming at developing curricula and training materials to train judges, prosecutors, lawyers and local government units’ staff, that will be implemented by the Institute of Law (IoL) at Birzeit University.

Dr.. Ghassan Faramand, the Director of the (IoL), stated that the project aims at reducing gender based violence and all forms of violence against women and girls, increasing the representations of women and women’s issues in decision making bodies and at advancing equal opportunities for women’s economic participation, especially women’s survivors of gender-based violence.

Mr. Jamil Salem, the Programs Manager at the IoL, explained that the project seeks to achieve its aims by strengthening the capacity of judges, prosecutors and lawyers to be able provide assistance to victims of violence and gender based violence. Additionally, it seeks to achieve its aims by raising the awareness of local government staff on gender equality and building their capacities to mainstream gender in district development planning and service provision.

The focal aim of the training will be mainly to familiarize the trainees with the legal and practical frameworks that administrate their profession. It will also provide a detailed overview of related laws and human rights, focusing on key issues facing women and children.

A total of 540 trainees from the different targeted groups will be selected. The training programme will be implemented in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in partnership with the High Judicial Council, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Ministry of Local Government, the General Prosecution Office, the Palestinian Bar Association, the Institute of Women Studies at Birzeit University and the UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People.