NAGHAM KARAJEH

Gaza- Since being founded in Jerusalem in 1991, the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC) has been carrying out awareness-raising activities to support women in East Jerusalem, in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip so that they achieve their rights. In an interview with NuJINHA, WCLAC General Director Randa Siniora gave information about the centre.

 It aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination

 The WCLAS has carried out its activities based on the international conventions protecting human rights. “The centre aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women,” Randa Siniora said.

‘We have had difficulties in finding a space’

The WCLAC faces many challenges in carrying out its activities due to the Israeli siege and political crisis in Palestine. “Although we have had difficulties in finding a space to carry out activities for women since 2017, we are determined to defend women’s rights everywhere.”

The WCLAC provides psychological, legal and social support to women victims of violence. “The centre has a women’s shelter in the West Bank to support women victims of violence. The centre has three core program units. The Service Unit provides essential social and legal services to Palestinian women as well as offering emergency protection from gender-based violence. The Capacity-building Unit works with Palestinian volunteers all over the West Bank giving them tools to become advocates for women’s rights within their own communities. The Advocacy Unit concentrates on change at the legislative and institutional level by lobbying and documenting.”

The WCLAC has also launched awareness-raising campaigns to prevent violence against women. “We have programs for women. One of the most important programs is the program aiming to provide legal and social support to women victims of violence. We aim to empower women by providing high-quality counseling and assistance services,” Randa Siniora said in her speech.

 Speaking about WCLAC’s Women’s Voices Project, she said, “It trains female fieldworkers researching the gender-specific impact of human rights breaches in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank.”

Awareness-raising program

Randa Siniora told us that the WCLAC has launched a program to raise awareness about women’s rights in society, empower women in all facets of life and to combat all forms of violence against women.