AMAN organized an extensive workshop in Gaza to discuss a paper
prepared by researcher Tayseer Muheisen, who shed light on
anti-poverty policies and the impeding of economic growth.
Muheisen presented a summary on his paper that was based on a report
prepared by AMAN entitled "The impact of corruption on marginalized
groups". Muheisen pointed out the direct impact of corruption on the
poor, with emphasis on increased costs for public services and
reducing the access of the poor to basic services, and reducing the
quality of these services. He also pointed out the indirect impact
of corruption and keeping the public sources away from social
sectors and the poor, and therefore the reduction of development
opportunities and impeding the economic growth and the anti-poverty
policies.
The researcher reviewed the figures and ratios of the
marginalization cases of women. Also he addressed the employment of
children who dropped out of schools to support their families in
minimal life requirements. This is due to the lack of fair
opportunities for all Palestinian families, as well as denying
children a healthy and safe environment. The researcher also
addressed the problems of the disabled saying that they suffer from
the lack of services offered to them both quality and quantity wise.
He pointed out that the vast majority of the disabled still lack
access to employment and education, along with the absence of a
social security system.
Finally, in his paper, Muheisen dealt with the deterioration in the
total number of foreign aids submitted to the state because of the
corruption. This was reflected negatively on the citizens,
especially the disabled segment. Also, he addressed the inability
of the private sector for providing appropriate solutions to
problems experienced by the disabled, due to lack of coordination
with the formal sector on one hand, and the conflicting and personal
agendas on another hand. Moreover, the weak participation of the
disabled in decision making and their marginalization was linked to
corruption.
