2019 Activities

Engaging 80 young men and women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Engaging 80 young men and women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Integrity Schools concluded in partnership between AMAN, Sharek Youth Forum and Social Developmental Forum

Ramallah and Gaza – In partnership with Sharek Youth Forum and Social Developmental Forum, the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) concluded events of the third second of the Integrity School in Gaza. Held under the theme of Participate… Watch… Hold to Account, the Integrity School brought together 80 young men and women between 18 and 25 years of age. Having attended personal interviews, a number of young men and women were selected after evaluating their performance in a day of events and activities. Other participants were nominated by grassroots organisations from across the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Held for three days, the Integrity School events took place at the Youth Village in Kafr Ni'ma, western Ramallah, and Al-‘Assimah Hall in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, Central Gaza.

Activities of the Integrity School introduced young participants to the concept, major causes and consequences of corruption. AMAN is mindful of the need to engage all citizens, particularly the youth, in the anti-corruption activity and immunising them against various forms of corruption. AMAN aims for extensive public engagement in fighting corruption, effective oversight and accountability for performance and public affairs, and a solid culture that is grounded in the values of integrity, principles of transparency, and systems of accountability. AMAN seeks to bridge the gap that has resulted from inaction of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

In line with its strategy, AMAN works towards concerting community efforts by investing in partner institutions’ expertise and tools, implementing joint action, and lobbying for a nationwide change. AMAN also seeks to consolidate the oversight role of partner institutions by incorporating systems and tools for promoting integrity and fighting corruption into relevant strategies, programmes of actions, procedures, and regulations. Engagement in the Integrity School and similar activities will enhance the youth’s participation in boosting integrity, transparency and anti-corruption effort. In addition to invigorating the spirit of leadership among them, the youth will launch community initiatives, lead lobbying and advocacy campaigns, and ensure effective accountability within their own local communities as well as across the nation.

Raising the awareness of, and engaging, the youth in the anti-corruption and community accountability efforts is of paramount of importance. Comprising the largest segment, the youth are the most impacted by corruption in our Palestinian society. Although they represent one third of the Palestinian population, the unemployment rate is high among the youth. According to a 2017 survey of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), compared to 27.2 percent in the West Bank, unemployment registered 61.2 percent in the Gaza Strip. Less than 1 percent of Palestinian young men and women participate in the decision-making process. In comparison to 0.7 percent in Gaza, 0.8 percent of the youth held high offices in the West Bank. The PCBS 2015 Palestinian Youth Survey also showed that almost 24 percent of individuals in the 15-29 age group in Palestine were willing to immigrate to another country. It seems that the current situation in the Gaza Strip drives the desire for immigration. As many as 37 percent of the Gaza youth wished to immigrate. By contrast, 15 percent of the youth in the West Bank reflected this trend.

Participants in the Integrity School came up with main ideas for issues that impacted the youth. These will adopted, crystallised and implemented over the upcoming period across the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Ideas will take the form of community accountability sessions, community scorecards, media interviews on community radio, and/or Citizen's Charter. In this context, participants will use the media tools they were trained on as well as popular social media platforms to achieve the desired impact.

 

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