Pal-Think for strategic studies has facilitated a discussion session on 23 /May /2022, Gaza city, about social and economic rights between theory and practice. The session searched on the reality of the social and economic rights stipulated in the Palestinian law and how they are practiced in the Palestinian society.

In the presence of over 110 people, most of them were youth and a notable proportion  of females , Mr. Omar Shaban, Pal-Think’s director, opened the session with a sophisticated opening statement and then emphasized on the importance of discussing the gap between the theoretical legal texts and the practical implementation of the social and economic rights in the Palestinian society. He also mentioned Pal-Think’s various activities to serve the society and to propose logical means to address the Palestinian division and to eliminate its repercussions. Noting the activities of Pal-Think Academy for Democracy and Human Rights

Mr. Bilal Alnajjar, a lawyer, reviewed in the first main axis some articles related to the social and economic rights from the Palestinian Basic Law and the international treaties and conventions that are ratified by the PA. He clarified that the Problematic issue for not enjoying the social and economic rights resides in our lack of practical mechanisms to activate these rights as well as the ambiguity of article 5 of the PBL which defines the Palestinian regime as a representative democracy without deciding whether it is republic, presidential or even parliamentary, the thing that led to a state of division in the Palestinian side and a regression in the realization of social and economic rights.

Dr. Khitam abu Oda, a social activist, viewed, in her turn the second main axis which highlights some of the economic rights such as: the right of education, health, residence and work which were stipulated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. She clarified that these rights are not yet activated in the Palestinian society as well as disabling the supervisory work. Dr. Khitam stressed on the derogatory economic situation in Palestine and suggested some recommendations in order to reactivate the economic rights: reactivate the democratic operation, end the Palestinian division, and expose partisan and institutional pressure to provide the economic rights to the Palestinian society.

Dr. Yasser Abo Jame’, founder of Gaza Community Mental Health Program, reviewed the last axis which talks about the social rights and discussed the importance of social rights in enhancing mental health and increasing hope, the thing that leads to self-realization and social productivity. He also considered that the absence of social rights is one of main reasons for the Palestinian suffering for youth in particular.

The session was regarded as an outlet for attendees to share their views and express their interest in the axes mentioned above. Many questions and interventions were directed to the session facilitators as a way to seek knowledge and broaden their horizons. Ms. Jomana abo singer, one of pal-think’s programs alumni, intervened to point out the lack of social, political and economic rights of the Palestinian youth. Also Ms. Ayah Ashour, Pal-Think’s Academy member, mentioned the bad economic situation in Palestine which was resulted by the Palestinian division and the disabling the economic treaties especially Paris protocol, noting that this would have strongly participated in reviving the Palestinian Economy.

The session falls under the activities of the project entitled “Pal-Think Academy for Democracy and Human Rights’”.

The project is Supported by the German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), Funding Programme zivik.