AMAN has implemented a workshop through a
closed-circuit television on a study entitled
"the impact of corruption on marginal groups in
the Palestinian society (women, children and the
disabled): a critical reading on official
policies and legislations. This study was
prepared by Dr. Ayman Yousef, instructor in the
Arab American University in Jinin.
Representatives from over 38 organizations
(NGO’s, civil society organizations, ministries,
in addition to parliamentarians, researchers,
academics, journalists, etc) in WB & GS
participated in this workshop which was held at
the Palestinian Independent Commission for
Citizens' Rights in both branches in Ramallah
and Gaza.
The study indicated that there are dangerous
negative influences of corruption on current and
future societies while quick and effective
procedures should be taken to reduce this
phenomenon that reflects a dangerous lesion in
its outcomes, especially since marginal groups
vastly suffer from injustice. In case it spreads
out, it will cause an immense social disorder in
the society's components and path and exposes
the countries to threat that could reach
sometimes to the extent of their existence,
values and civilization.
Types of Corruption
Being the first of its kind in Palestine, This
study confirmed that corruption specialists
identified specific kinds of corruption
represented in: nepotism, favoritism,
distinguishing between citizens, bad management,
and disorder, misusing and wasting public money,
influencing the judiciary and the monitoring
systems, and affecting their independency. Other
kinds are: influencing the public opinion by
using the media to distort the facts before the
public opinion or to work in favor of certain
groups and individuals on the account of the
public interest in addition to aborting the
democratic experiences through forging the
elections and their results.
This descriptive study stated that Transparency
International viewed corruption and its
influences on societies and countries with a
comprehensive look as it related between the
corruption and its serious reflections on
marginal groups and the vulnerable such as
women, children and the disabled who are
deprived from the basic needs of education,
health and food.
Causes
The study lists the reasons behind revealing the
corruption phenomenon whether in the preliminary
scene or the Palestinian case, as that was
mentioned in a number of reasons, the most
important of which are: poverty, political
tyranny, the gap between the rich and the poor,
the inexistence or lack of job morals in
governmental work and the deficiency in the
concept of public accountability and
responsibility. Moreover, the increase in the
volume of the public sector since as long as
there is an increase in its field of work there
will be an increasing tendency towards
corruption. This has led to a bureaucracy with
tendencies concerned with distribution not
production, racism, a conflict between two
cultures or powers in one society, the limited
official influential channels on the decisions
made by the countries governmental systems, and
the existence of old structures of the countries
systems and the injustice in distributing the
wealth and resources, the weakness of inspection
and monitoring and follow-up, in addition to the
frailty of punishments imposed on the corrupted
that is if they are to be punished.
These reasons and many others results in the
inability of the poor, marginal groups, the
children and the disabled to reach the services
because of Wasta and accountability that works
in favor of the Rich and the influential people.
This means that these marginalized people
continue to suffer from being deprived and it
would be difficult for them to get out of
poverty, unemployment, and suffering and
therefore, this situation creates grudges,
hatred and negative attitudes by these groups.
Outcomes
This study has showed that corruption
contributes in poverty, increasing the social
and economic gaps creating a regress in social
justice, the inexistence of the social and
economical equality and the low living standards
of many social classes as a consequence to the
concentration of fortunes and powers in the
hands of minorities on the account of the public
majority which are the poor through the illegal
entrance misdistribution. This can lead to false
attitudes and furthermore to the organized crime
as well as lack of security that would dismantle
active powers in the society which would be
beneficial if handled properly.
Some corruption outcomes that the study revealed
was the waste of the country's money specified
for basic services and vital projects that serve
the people, and the negative influence of that
on children, the disabled and women especially
in relevance with education and health services.
In addition to the decline of the donors from
offering aids which results in depriving people
from such opportunities. Palestine is a special
case since it depends greatly on the outer
grants not to mention the greater problem which
is the role of corruption in distorting the
democratic experiment and the market, economy
operations by manipulating the markets
techniques and stealing the people's utilities.
The study also indicated that the influence of
Wasta, and nepotism leads to losing confidence
in the political and social systems and
therefore losing the sense of nationality and
belonging that is based on a contractual
relationship between the country and the
individual. This has a great influence on
economy and the development of society in
general.
Women and Corruption
To that, the study indicated that when
corruption extends to include the political
institutions and the elections it leads to males
isolating women, as men seek political positions
through corruption while eliminating women from
seeking such positions, or leading women to
other several corrupted focal points to become a
tool for men in corruption. Noting that if
corruption cases reach the court then women will
lose their divorce and custody cases because of
the minimal resources. In addition to that,
women are negatively influenced being considered
as less productive and therefore are deprived
from applying for loans or any other investment
facilitations. Such facilitations go instead to
big investors due to corruption and this
increases neglecting and marginalizing the small
investors especially women. Not to mention, that
the percentage of poverty is largely of women
and that the percentage of poor Palestinian
families supported by women have increased
notably in the recent years to reach up to more
than 10%.
The Disabled and Corruption
As for the influence of corruption on the
disabled, it's represented partly in the
inexistence of a social security system that
benefits the disabled and provides them with
social and economic security, basic services.
Moreover the inability of the public sector to
provide suitable solutions for problems that the
disabled face inside organizations, and about
developing professional standards and policies
to offer services, and the misdistributions of
services' resources geographically and the
increase in the numbers of people in need for
the rehabilitation services, the decrease in the
academic services offered for the deaf / mute
and the increase in illiteracy among them. In
addition to the insignificant role of the
disabled in decision making related to
rehabilitation institutions since the majority
of the administration and the staff are not
disabled.
Children and corruption
As for children, corruption has grave dangers
on them and their health, education, social and
living status and also their future. As
according to the study, corruption represents a
dismantling tool for the lives of many children
who are exposed to injustice as well as being
marginalized and deprived from their simplest
rights by law especially on basic services such
as food, residence, health, education, etc…
Recommendations and Discussions
The study came out with a number of
recommendations and suggestions that were stated
by the researcher while participants in the
workshop added some viewpoints. Some of the main
recommendations were: confirming on the
necessity of having a national module that
establishes for the standards that studies and
treats corruption issues, kinds and forms. The
necessity to set clear and specific strategic
plans for comprehensive reform and fighting
poverty, work on empowering the judiciary
authority and the legislative council in
monitoring and accountability, and restructuring
the public budget so it would ensure fair
shares for vital sectors such as health,
education and agriculture.
Some participants touched upon some remarks as
Ms. Ghada Al-Zghayar, the executive director of
AMAN, added an input on the organization's
activities and the importance of it in
Palestine, she also mentioned the importance of
the study especially that it's considered to be
the first of its kind saying that AMAN will
proceed in this field of preparing distinguished
studies related to integrity and transparency.
As for Lawyer Salah Abdul Ati, the training and
awareness manager in the Palestinian Independent
Commission for Citizens' Rights/ Gaza, he
introduced a general comment on the study
through a number of critical notes on the
methodology of the study and its results, he
also stressed on the importance of the study as
a reference to rely on and as a step towards
combating corruption and enhancing the response
to the needs of the marginal groups in the
Palestinian society.
