Open Day, a major United Nations event to strengthen the national implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in Palestine, took place on Wednesday in Ramallah, bringing together leading women’s civil society organizations in Gaza and the West Bank, heads of UN agencies, politicians, development partners, and key decision-makers from the government.
The event, organized by UN Women Palestine Office in support of the European Union, aimed to identify progresses related to the results of the previous Open Day in 2016 and set a clear direction in achieving Palestinian women’s priority areas of the National Action Plans (NAPs) for the UNSCR 1325 until the end of 2018.
“UNSCR 1325 is a landmark international agreement that recognized women’s significant contribution to peace and security for the first time,” said Ulziisuren Jamsran, Special Representative at UN Women Palestine, explaining the rationale behind organizing the Open Day annually to promote the local ownership of the resolution.
Open Day participants #open up about situations in #Palestine and the way forward for Peace&Security. See more: https://t.co/SqSAE2AQnZ pic.twitter.com/ky5ShWsG8c
— UN Women Arabic (@unwomenarabic) September 28, 2017
“This year’s Open Day will not only revisit the recommendations of last year’s Open Day event but also engage all stakeholders to propose effective and actionable solutions to further enhance Palestinian women’s participation in peace and security agenda in the upcoming years,” she added.
The four-hour event generated sets of strategic questions to facilitate women’s participation in Peace and Security in Palestine as well as innovative ideas for joint advocacy interventions and lobbying solutions between the UN and Civil Society Organizations.
It also raised awareness of the UN, key decision makers, and donors about the gendered impact of the Israeli occupation, while specifically highlighting its effects on various issues involving women, such as political and economic participation, education and health, and protection and security especially for most marginalized women and girls.
“The moment I entered the centre, I knew I was safe.” We support survivors of violence in Palestine w/ @UNDP @UNICEF https://t.co/Dl8VBkkvuH pic.twitter.com/2LyqVTtdmM
— UN Women (@UN_Women) August 29, 2017
The Open Day event in Palestine has been supported by the European Union since 2015, as part of its three-year program “Enhancing the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 in the occupied Palestinian territory,” implemented by the UN Women Palestine in collaboration with the General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW), Culture and Free Thought Association (CFTA).
(PC, Wafa, Social Media)
