Management Response

: Palestine
: 2012 - 2013 , Palestine (CO)
: Mehwar Center for the Protection and Empowerment of women and their families: 2008-2012
:
: Palestine
:

Overall MR
: Approved
Recommendation: Achievement of semi-governmental status - recommended that the Centre continue to work toward the achievement of semi-governmental legal status. This will require continued strategic discussions with national stakeholders and should be based on the findings of the recently conducted legal review of Mehwar.
Management Response: Continue strategic discussions with national stakeholders on semi-governmental status of Mehwar
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Meeting between UN Women Special Representative and new MoSA Minister UN Women/WHRU and SR Assistant 2014/01 Completed MoSA Minister has changed in 2013. In order to decide other key actions for this specific point on semi-governmental status of Mehwar, it is necessary to understand the position of the new Minister and possible agreement reached at this regard. A meeting with the Minister was scheduled on April 10, yet postponed due to Minister's absence. After the formation of a Unity Government in May 2014 and the appointment of a new Minister of Social Affairs, UN Women was able to meet with the new Minister on 30 June 2014. The Minister highlighted MoSA commitment to strengthen/expand its strategic partnership with UN Women in all aspects of women's protection. It was agreed that a strategic partnership plan for the period 2015-2016 will be jointly developed grounded in MoSA Strategic Plan.
Recommendation: Secure funding sources - recommended that efforts continue to be made to secure partnership agreements with donor organizations that are capable of providing financial support to the Centre for an extended period of time.
Management Response: Follow a 2-track approach: 1. work towards securing financial sustainability of Mehwar core costs (staff and running costs), through governmental and private partnerships and fund-raise for non-core activities
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Recruit a Financial Sustainability International Consultant UN Women/WHRU 2013/09 Completed International Consultant on board
Organize and conduct meetings in relation to both tracks of action (donors and private sector) UN Women/WHRU _ Int. Consultant 2013/12 Completed UN Women developed a full fledged proposal on reintegration services included the work of shelters. The proposal was drafted jointly with Un Habitat, UNFPA and UNODC and submitted to Canada. UN Women expect the Canadian Government will accept the proposal and fund the project which shall provide financial resources to Mehwar.
Develop a plan for both tracks of actions UN Women/WHRU - International Consultant 2014/02 Completed Deliverable of the IC- Implementation of the plan is pending new recruitment of IC
Prepare pro.doc. ready for submission to donors UN Women/WHRU 2014/01 Completed UN Women developed a full fledged proposal on reintegration services included the work of shelters. The proposal was drafted jointly with Un Habitat, UNFPA and UNODC and submitted to Canada. UN Women expect the Canadian Government will accept the proposal and fund the project which shall provide financial resources to Mehwar.
Recommendation: Policy: Reintegration- It is recommended that Mehwar, UN Women and MOSA further explore reintegration options for women victims of violence: -Halfway houses: a halfway house would require a group-style residential building for low-risk cases that are prepared to leave the Mehwar Centre but have no family support -Follow up-Upon reintegration, effective networking and partnerships with key national actors should be established. Those partners will be responsible for ensuring long-term legal, financial and technical sustainability of the services provided by Mehwar Centre to the women beneficiaries who were reintegrated in society. -Risk assessment: There is a need for more systematic assessments and agreement among the key stakeholders working with Mehwar on the main indicators of safety after leaving Mehwar. Capacity building and trainings on risk assessment should target the staff of the key stakeholders ? namely, MOSA, police and Mehwar staff.
Management Response: Support MoSA and Mehwar on reintegration vision and actions (including for specific cases)
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Participate to Mehwar case conferences UN Women/WHRU 2013/11 Completed Case conferences are called by Mehwar in relation to particularly challenging cases. In November 2013, one took place. According to Mehwar reports, an average of 3 case conferences per month, per sheltered woman were conducted between May and December 2013 to facilitate their safe reintegration into society. From January 2014, an average of one case conference a month per case has been conducted. Nablus Safe Home has also implemented case-conferences to support the safe reintegration of sheltered women.
Meeting between UN Women Special Representative and new MoSA Minister UN Women/WHRU and SR Assistant 2014/01 Completed UN Women has a Gender Expert housed at MOSA. UN Women is establishing a Strategic Partnership with MOSA with specific attention to enhancing the institutional and organisational capacities of shelters and the support of the government to shelters.
Include in new pro.doc. "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine", a comprehensive component on women's reintegration, including a feasibility study for the creation of specialized services, mobilization/capacity development of qualified human resources, effective networking and partnerships with key national actors. UN Women/WHRU 2014/01 Completed Full proposal on pilot services for the economic empowerment and support to reintegration of VAW victims (sheltered women) submitted to the Government of Spain (June 2014).
Risk assessment training for key stakeholders (MoSA, shelters, police) to reach systematic/coordinated assessment mechanism, and agreement on main indicators of women's safety after leaving shelters UN Women/WHRU 2013/12 Completed Training being conducted by International Consultant on Police, during second mission, taking place in December 2013. Another training will take place once the Police FPU will be approved by Chief of Police. Training of Family Protection Units personnel on new Standard Operation Procedures - including risk assessment and risk management plan - conducted in March 2014.
Recommendation: Establishment of laws to protect women victims of violence - MOSA put more effort into developing legislation that would provide more protection and security for women victims of violence in the oPt. Efforts should also be made to enforce ? to a full extent ? the laws that are currently in place. Furthermore, it is recommended that MOSA utilize the direct experience of Mehwar ? in regard to addressing the needs of women victims of violence ? to inform the development of protection laws.
Management Response: Being tackled under new programme on Access to Justice
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Recruit a gender expert in support of PA Council of Ministers for review of draft laws and policies from a gender perspective UN Women/WHRU 2014/07 Completed A gender expert was recruited and seconded to the Council of Ministers since 2015 under the Rule of Law. The consultant provided extensive support to developing the draft of the Family Bill.
Component on policy development for women's protection, with special focus on drafting national standards for the delivery of sheltering services, foreseen in new pro.doc "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine" UN Women, MoSA 2017/01 Completed A consultant was recruited in the final quarter of 2016 to conduct the study on standardising the sheltering services in Palestine. The study and recommendations will be finalised during the first quarter of 2017. UN Women is supporting the Ministry of Women's Affairs in developing SOPs for Shelters.
Secondment of Gender Expert to MoSA UN Women 2014/09 Completed A Gender Expert is seconded to MOSA
Recommendation: Increase community awareness of Mehwar and other sheltering centres- Efforts should be made to publicize and increase awareness ? at the community and national level ? of the existence of sheltering centres in the oPt. It is also recommended that trainings be provided to youth on the topic of gender-based violence
Management Response: Being considered under new programme
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Include communication / media component under the new pro.doc "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine", to increase community awareness, improve community perception on women and girls victims of violence, and improve shelters' staff capacity to dialogue with media UN Women/WHRU 2014/02 Completed Component formulated within the pro.doc
VAW prevention and sensitization on anti-VAW services foreseen within the UN Women /UNDP Rule of Law Joint Programme UN Women, UNDP 2014/01 Completed Actions are expected to target young boys and girls to sensitize them on issues related to VAW and availability of anti-VAW services, including shelters
Recommendation: More shelters should be established in the oPt based on the Mehwar Experience
Management Response: Being addressed in terms of standardization of sheltering services, rather than "more shelters"
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Strengthening quality service delivery by Nablus shelter UN Women/WHRU 2014/12 Completed UN Women is supporting the Nablus Safe House through the Spanish Funded Project. Capacity building of staff was provided on service provision to women in addition to organisational capacity building. A comprehensive capacity building intervention for all shelters in Palestine is being implemented through the UN HAYA JP. The capacity development intervention target the institutional, organizational and technical capacities.
Support to Gaza Shelter UN Women/WHRU and Gaza Programme staff 2014/12 Completed UN Women supported the Gaza Shelter through the Japan fund during 2015 and 2016. UN Women will continue its support of the shelter through the Italy fund. UN Women contiune to provide support to Shelters in Gaza through the UN HAYA JP.
Recommendation: Scale up the technical assistance components that target law enforcement agencies (judges and family protection unit). -Scale up training and technical assistance to judges and FPUs on dealing with cases of VAW -piloting a court system to deal with women victims of violence including technical assistance and training, improving and making adjustments to premises to ensure privacy; working with the Judiciary Training Department to develop a curriculum on issues of violence against women -Develop a comprehensive program that targets all staff at the courts, because women victims of violence interact with many staff members at the courts and not only the judges. The program can target the judges of Sharia courts, Heads of First Instance courts in different governorates, general prosecutors and their deputies, heads of sections at the courts, staff of family counseling units at the courts, and the clerks and the support staff.
Management Response: Being undertaken under different project (Access to Justice)
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Comprehensive Rule of Law Joint Programme developed by UN Women and UNDP UN Women, UNDP 2014/03 Completed JP in the process of receiving formal endorsement by PA and finalizing funding modality - in the meantime DFID approved the extension of the UN Women "Women's Access to Justice" programme until 30 June 2014, thus allowing UN Women to continue working with justice and security institutions on their capacity development
Start up of the UN Women/UNDP Rule of Law Joint Programme Un Women, UNDP 2014/05 Completed The UN Rule of Law JP was initiated and is ongoing.
Recommendation: Continue to build capacity of Mehwar staff - continuously provided with technical support by psychologists and with skills and capacity building trainings
Management Response: Being considered
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Continued capacity development of staff in the new Shelters programme being developed UN Women/WHRU 2014/12 Completed A training needs assessment for Mehwar staff was conducted in March 2014, while a parallel assessment for the Nablus shelter team was concluded in May 2014. A joint training for Mehwar and Nablus staff was planned for June 2014 but could not be implemented due to budget constraints. Due to gaps and challenges in staffing arrangements and the appointment of a consistent number of new staff members, UN Women is working with MoSA to develop an emergency supervision and capacity development plan until December 2014. Support to staff in the Mehwar Shelter is ongoing through the UN HAYA JP.
Continue capacity development through Mehwar retreat UN Women/WHRU - Ministry of Social Affairs 2013/12 Completed
Professional staff supervision for Mehwar and Nablus centers UN Women/WHRU - Ministry of Women's Affairs 2014/04 Completed Agreement with MoSA on the need to prioritize staff supervision - additional funds from the Government of Iceland for 2014 to support this component. MoSA has funded this component since February 2014, as part of the commitment under MoSA-UN Women LoA. Due to dissatisfaction of Mehwar team with current arrangements, UN Women is advising MoSA on how to strengthen and improve this component. Professional staff are in place in shelters in the West Bank and Gaza and are supported through the UN HAYA JP.
Recommendation: Improve Mehwar Centre security- -against external threats -internally - divide the building and beneficiaries into different sections based on type of violence, time at Mehwar, and age.
Management Response: Issue of security is a very delicate one and is tackled by UN Women from a "protection" perspective
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Undertake discussion on concept of security of shelters with Mehwar staff and International Consultant on Police UN Women/WHRU - Mehwar Shelter 2014/12 Completed Sensitive discussion as it involves a rights-based approach of "security of women" rather than a "policing" approach - Follow-up meeting planned in May 2014. The issue will be addressed within short-term (Aug-Dec 2014) and long-term (2015-2016) plan with MoSA. Shelters in the West Bank and Gaza were rehabilitated through the UN HAYA JP. The works were done taking into considerations security issues.
Recommendation: Improve capacity of Mehwar lawyers in Sharia Law - Lawyers should put more effort into better preparing women victims of violence for court proceedings.
Management Response: Being considered
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Include Mehwar lawyers in the capacity development programme for lawyers developed under the Access to Justice Programme UN Women/WHRU - Mehwar - PBA 2014/04 Completed All staff in Mehwar were trained and continue to be trained through the UN HAYA JP. Tailored trainings were developed and implemented for social works, case managers and lawyers.
Include Mehwar lawyers as targets in upcoming opportunities for trainings UN Women/WHRU 2014/12 Completed Proposal submitted to / by Spanish Cooperation in November 2013. Mehwar and Nablus lawyers were invited to participate in a 3-month training programme conducted between Jan. and March 2014 in partnership with the Palestinian Bar Association within the DFID-funded "Women's Access to Justice" programme. Only the lawyer from Nablus shelter, though, participated. Staff in Mehwar were trained and continue to be trained trough tailored training provided through the UN HAYA JP.
Recommendation: Improve reintegration services and procedures - put more effort into preparing women victims of violence for reintegration. These enhanced services and procedures should focus on: -Improving the risk assessment process; -Customized pre- discharge preparatory training; -Increased frequency and quality of beneficiary follow up activities.
Management Response: While procedures for reintegration can be improved and linkages with other social actors, as well, the issue of reintegration is not full responsibility of Mehwar or any other shelter, but rather of institutions and other organizations.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Risk assessment training for key stakeholders (MoSA, shelters, police) to reach a systematic assessments and agreement on main indicators of safety after leaving shelters UN Women/WHRU 2013/12 No Longer Applicable already addressed above
Include capacity development component, for Mehwar staff, under new Shelters programme UN Women/WHRU 2014/02 Completed Planning stage of the new programme - a workshop with Mehwar and MoSA to analyze sheltered women's reintegration needs and to identify good practices of reintegration was planned in March 2014. However it didn't take place as similar activity was separately agreed by MoSA and the Italian Cooperation. UN Women remains committed to support MoSA to develop services and policies for the reintegration of VAW victims, pending MoSA commitment to avoid duplication and overlapping with other initiatives. This component was included in the proposal to the Government of Spain submitted in June 2014. A comprehensive capacity building intervention for all shelters in Palestine is being implemented through the UN HAYA JP. The capacity development intervention target the institutional, organizational and technical capacities.
In the new Sheltering programme, include reintegration component under different organization than Shelters / MoSA. UN Women/WHRU 2014/02 No Longer Applicable Planning stage of the new programme
Recommendation: Establish annual and monthly evaluation plans for Mehwar
Management Response: Annual evaluation does exist; follow up required by MoSA on recommendations. Monthly evaluation is too overwhelming.
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Conduct yearly staff evaluations UN Women, MoSA 2014/12 Completed Yearly staff evaluations conducted regularly until 2012. Need to institutionalize this practice. Mehwar staff was targeted in 2014 with a staff evaluation implemented by the National Association of Civil Servants. However, UN Women still believes that a professional, independent evaluation should be carried out looking into the specificity of the work of Mehwar.
Operationalization of Mehwar documentation and data-base system UN Women, MoSA 2014/12 Completed Comprehensive documentation and data base system established at Mehwar. Training of staff on use of the system and data entry plan to be defined. Delays in the activation of the data base were due to unclear arrangements in MoSA data management system. A comprehensive capacity building intervention for all shelters in Palestine is being implemented through the UN HAYA JP. The capacity development intervention target the institutional, organizational and technical capacities.
Capacity building of Mehwar staff reporting skills / optimization of reporting system UN Women, MoSA 2015/12 Completed This action is linked to finalization, funding and start up of new "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine" programme. Some efforts to optimize Mehwar reporting modalities were made by UN Women during the compilation of the donor report. The need to focus on results rather than activities was highlighted by UN Women and agreed upon with MoSA. A comprehensive capacity building intervention for all shelters in Palestine is being implemented through the UN HAYA JP. The capacity development intervention target the institutional, organizational and technical capacities.
Recommendation: Create more employment opportunities for women - especially for women victims of Violence who are attempting to reintegrate back into Palestinian society
Management Response: While this component needs to be included under different programme, support can be provided to the Outreach component of Mehwar Centre
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Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Organize meeting with media / communication expert to identify areas of Outreach to be strengthened UN Women/WHRU 2014/01 No Longer Applicable
Specific Strategy and Action Plan in this regards is included in the new pro.doc "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine" Programme, as part of the Reintegration component UN Women 2017/12 Completed Specific services for the economic empowerment of VAW victims and their overall support during the process of reintegration were envisaged and included in the pro.doc to the Government of Spain. UN Women launched the Cash for Work interventions that target women survivors and victims of violence.
Linkages with UN Women "Women's Economic Empowerment" Programmes UN Women 2014/05 Completed Initial discussion and suggestions on possible synergies bewteen Mehwar and Women's Economic Empowerment Programmes - UN Women scheduled a meeting/visit to Mehwar on May 13, 2014 involving UNW women's economic empowerment programme area. During the visit, UN Women and Mehwar will discuss possible synergies and particularly the possibility to target Mehwar beneficiaries within the "women-run school canteens" programme. Due to the governmental nature of Mehwar, its beneficiaries could not be targeted by UN Women economic empowerment programmes. beneficiaries within the "women-run school canteens" programme. UN Women in Palestine work trough an integrated manner to identify synergies among all three thematic Areas, WEE, VAW, and Humanitarian Action. The Cash for Work intervention that was initiated in 2018 target women survivors and victims of violence.
Recommendation: Establishment of support groups for sheltered and formerly sheltered women victims of violence - both within Mehwar and in the surrounding community. As well as facilitating beneficiary participation in online support groups with women from other MENA countries is also something that should be considered.
Management Response: To be discussed with media and communication expert
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Organize meeting with media / communication expert to identify areas of Outreach to be strengthened UN Women/WHRU 2014/01 Completed UN Women is working with former survivors and victims of violence to lobby and advocate for quality and financed services. The work is being undertaken through the UN HAYA JP.
Specific Strategy and Action Plan in this regards is included in the new pro.doc "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine" Programme, as part of the Reintegration component UN Women 2017/12 Completed Action pending the finalization, funding and start-up of new "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine" Programme. Specific activities regarding the delivery of specialized psycho-social support to VAW victims (sheltered and previously sheltered women) were included in the pro.doc to the Government of Spain. Support to Shelters and women in shelters is being provided through the UN HAYA JP. The support includes all aspects needed by the women in the Shelters.
Recommendation: Enhance women?s access to entertainment facilities outside the center.
Management Response: This recommendation is linked with women's security and needs to be evaluated by Mehwar staff. UN Women will support in ensuring that funds are yearly allocated to entertainment opportunities, shall security situation of women allow such activities.
More detail
Description:
Management Response Category:
Thematic Area: Not applicable
Operating Principles: Not applicable
Organizational Priorities: Not applicable
UNEG Criteria: Not applicable
Key Actions
Responsible Deadline Status Comments
Specific actions in this regards foreseen within the new "Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine" Programme UN Women 2017/12 Completed Standardization of Sheltering Services in Palestine study will be finalized in 2017. UN Women developed the Integration Manual for Victims and Survivors of Violence in Palestine.