Gaza - Community Media and Development Center (CDMC) - June 2023

The academies believe that the training constituted a unique opportunity for them to learn about the concepts of advocacy from a comprehensive perspective, and to rearrange their concepts on the topics they touched upon, in addition to learning about developments in the field of advocacy issues, and they emphasized that it is a starting point towards dealing with their issues in academic institutions. This is how the female academics participating in the “Advocacy Campaigns and Influencing Policy” training expressed the impact of the training on their skills and abilities.

The Community Media and Development Center (CDMC) implemented a specialized training on “Skills for Designing and Managing Advocacy Campaigns and Influencing Policies for Academics’ Rights” with the participation of members of the Palestinian Women Academics Authority (PAC).

The training lasted for 3 consecutive days, with a total of 15 training hours, during which women’s rights in international and national conventions were addressed, and the violations they are exposed to in the work environment, in addition to presenting public policies, official and unofficial policies, and the role of advocacy in influencing them.

During the training, the academies were also able to complete all stages of the advocacy campaign, by focusing on the skills of defining the advocacy issue and effective tools and strategies to be used in campaigns, as well as mechanisms for designing advocacy campaigns and influencing policies related to the rights of academies, in addition to designing campaign activities, identifying supporters and building alliances. In addition to developing the campaign budget and preparing the time frame for its implementation, follow-up and evaluation.

At the end of the training, the participating academics developed their plans for lobbying and advocacy campaigns that meet their needs and demands, contribute to improving the reality of women in society and in academic institutions, combat discrimination against them, and promote the realization of their rights and participation at all levels.

It is noteworthy that the training on “Skills for Designing and Managing Advocacy Campaigns and Influencing Policies for the Rights of Academics” came within the activities of the project “Encouraging Interventions to Promote Women’s Rights in the Gaza Strip” implemented by the Community Media and Development Center (CDMC) in partnership with the German Heinrich Böll Foundation. Böll-Stiftung Palestine & Jordan.

The project aims to continue the process of institutionalizing the Palestinian Women Academics Association (PAC), which was launched by CDMC three years ago as an independent feminist body that defends the rights of female academics and is able to represent their issues, in addition to strengthening the role of female academics and youth in defending the rights of female academics. Women and combating violence and discrimination against them in society and in academic institutions.

It is worth mentioning that the Community Media and Development Center (CDMC) has worked since its establishment to support and advocate for women’s rights in all fields, and has also focused on working with students, academics and universities, and during the last five years has drawn attention to the reality and suffering of women in academic institutions. Framework CDMC intensifies its efforts for a better reality and future for women.

It is noteworthy that the Community Media and Development Center (CDMC) is a development and media institution that invests and employs the media as a platform for democratic discourse, advocacy for human rights and citizenship, and the promotion of social justice, freedom and prosperity.

Photo gallery: https://cdmcgaza.ps/ar/2023/06/18/