Palestinian women’s council is an example of empowerment
Nisaa FM: - In the remote village of Jubbet Al-Dhib near Bethlehem, a group of women have created a council, turning things around and setting an example of empowerment.
Only two years ago, the situation in the small village was very different. The 162 inhabitants did not have access to electricity; children had to walk almost an hour to go to school, and the nearest grocery store was a three-kilometre walk away.
Due to the difficult living conditions, 22 families had left Jubbet al-Dhib in the past decade. A large part of the problem is that Israeli restrictions make Palestinian construction nearly impossible and with almost all of the working-age male residents employed inside Israel, the village is devoid of men during the day.
The women have started representing themselves
The Palestinian Law on Local Council Elections set a 20% women’s quota in local political bodies, but in practice they are often shut out from real decision-making positions.
In Jubbet al-Dhib the women felt that the only chance at being represented was if they represented themselves. So in October 2015 a women’s council was created with Fadia al-Wahsh, a housewife and mother of six, as its president.
“We wanted this organisation to be only for women and for us to lead it as well,” Fadia says. “Because men don't see how we suffer here. They leave early in the morning and come back late at night, while the women have to face all the difficulties.”
Despite the significant pushback from men in positions of power in their community, the women managed to turn things around.
“We know that we hurt those men's egos, especially the ones who, like the president of the council, are used to heading everything and now look at us from a distance while we lead,” Fadia says, referring to the male head of the Beit Ta’mir village council, who also administer Jubbet al-Dhib.
Groundbreaking achievements in only two years
None of the founding members of the women’s council had organisational experience. Yet in only two years, the women have been able to make groundbreaking achievements.
In addition to repairing wells and bringing a grocery store and a tailor to the village, the women’s council got NGOs to fund and install solar panels in 2016, providing an invaluable source of electricity for the village. The Israeli army seized the solar panels in July 2017 because they lacked Israeli-issued construction permits. However, the women hired a lawyer and took the case to the justice system. As a result, in early October 2017, the solar panels were reinstated.
Similarly, a school (named al-Tahadi – 'Challenge’), has been built 20 minutes away from the village at the behest of the women’s council. It was demolished by the Israeli army in August the night before the first day of classes, only to be rebuilt overnight by activists in September.
Recently, the women have looked into installing a clinic for a general practitioner and a gynaecologist. In late September 2017, however, the Israeli army confiscated construction material intended to renovate the building designated to host the clinic, also holding a number of foreign volunteers for several hours. Hence, the project has been paused, as can be seen on the photo to the left.
The Israeli army has not only stymied initiated projects, but also applied intimidation tactics against the members of the women’s council; ”One husband told us the other day that the work we do will end up causing the revocation of the work permits of the men of Jubbet al-Dhib in Israel.”
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman resides in a nearby settlement, and a local guard has told the women, that; “We are a threat to the security of the settlements,” Fadia says, adding that, “we know we aren’t breaking the law in any way and this is why we shouldn’t be scared at all.”
Role models for women in neighbouring villages
Despite the friction, attitudes towards the women have been changing in Jubbet al-Dhib and beyond. “Many people spoke badly about us, and many men refused to allow their wives to participate in our events,” Fadia tells. “But people in the village support us now. They depend on us.”
At first, the funding al-Wahsh women (Fatima al-Wahsh, Fadia al-Wahsh and Amina al-Wahsh) would be the only ones attending meetings with neighbouring villages. “In the beginning, men used to ask us where our husbands were, and why they weren’t at the meetings,” Fadia recalls. “Now, those same men bring their wives with them.” Fatima mentions with pride that she has been told women from other villages see them as role models.
Through their now 25 member strong council, the women of Jubbet al-Dhib have found a real sense of empowerment, beyond the apolitical economic projects often bolstered by foreign NGOs.
“We don’t do anything against our religion, tradition and culture; what we are doing is just claiming our own rights as women,” Fatima emphasises.
Source: www.middleeasteye.net