Students discuss gender equality in Palestinian laws in student affairs workshop

Twenty-five Birzeit University students reviewed gender equality in the Palestinian body of laws in a four-day workshop organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs and the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC), held on the university’s campus from July 20 to 24, 2019.    

Led by Rawan Obeid, coordinator of legal and social programs at WCLAC, the workshop focused on gender concepts and -equality in Palestinian legislation and included group discussions on the rules and regulations that impact the day-to-day lives of Palestinian women, such as the Personal Status Law and the Penal Code. 

Additionally, the attendees examined the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) – to which Palestine acceded in 2014 –  and explored the changes the Palestinian legislature has to introduce in order to uphold its responsibilities under this agreement. 

Fadel Khaldi, assistant to the dean of student affairs at Birzeit University, emphasized the importance of raising awareness on gender equality in both its legal and social aspects. He asserted that students must be equipped with the tools and knowledge that are necessary to enable them to play effective roles as community activists and leaders. 

Amal Deheidel, a counseling psychologist at the Deanship of Student Affairs, highlighted this workshop as one of the many events that the deanship organizes to benefit the students. “It’s part of our mission to cooperate with civil society institutions on issues that impact on our students and the broader Palestinian community,” she said.