38th Session, Paris, 2015 38 C 38 C/17 23 September 2015 Original: English Item 4.3 of the provisional agenda IMPLEMENTATION OF 37 C/RESOLUTION 67 CONCERNING EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES Source: 37 C/Resolution 67. OUTLINE Background: This document is presented in compliance with 37 C/Resolution 67. Purpose: The document summarizes the progress achieved by UNESCO on this issue since the 37th session of the General Conference.
38 C/17 INTRODUCTION 1. The present document highlights the main activities implemented during the 2014-2015 biennium. More detailed information was made available in reports to the Executive Board over the past two years. Education PART I HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED IN PALESTINE 2. During the period under review, UNESCO Ramallah Office continued its support to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) in Palestine, providing technical assistance, building capacities of national institutions, implementing projects in the West Bank and Gaza, and providing support in the areas of planning, management and coordination of the education sector. 3. Following the ongoing reform and the reactivation of the Education Sector Working Group (ESWG) in late 2014, in its capacity as technical adviser of ESWG, UNESCO has been very active in supporting the work of the group in its preparation for quarterly meetings and the Annual Sector Review (held on 2 and 3 September 2015). The main task of the group has been the proposed integration of the Education Cluster into the ESWG. UNESCO has led on the analysis and proposed terms of reference for this work. A technical thematic sub-group focusing on Emergency would be established under the ESWG while a sub-cluster specifically focusing on Gaza would be maintained as an autonomous entity. UNESCO also chairs the thematic sub-working group on Inclusive Education which met several times to review and finalize the inclusive education policy. 4. In close liaison with relevant sister United Nations agencies, UNESCO has been preparing to play a major supportive role in technical assistance to the Palestinian Government on its reporting to the various international human rights normative instruments recently accessed by Palestine, most notably the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. A special focus has been placed on the educational components of the legal obligations arising from the accession to United Nations Treaty Bodies. 5. With support from UNESCO, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education actively participated in the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which was held in Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) from 10 to 12 November 2014 and in the Arab States Regional Conference on Education Post-2015: Towards Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All in Egypt (27-29 January 2015). The scope of this conference was to yield lessons learnt for the future and examine issues, trends, challenges and future priorities that need to be addressed regionally for education post-2015, and to develop regional recommendations in this regard to feed into the global agenda. Similarly, UNESCO supported the participation of the Minister of Education and Higher Education and of a member of her Cabinet at the World Education Forum in Incheon, Republic of Korea (19-22 May 2015). The Minister participated in a panel on the role of civil society in promoting EFA, and she also delivered a closing statement on behalf of all the Ministers of Education of the Arab States, emphasizing the need to see education as a human right, the need to continue efforts towards 2030 and the need to respond to the challenges faced by countries in conflict. 6. With technical support from UNESCO, the MoEHE finalized its National Assessment for Education for All (EFA) Report (2000-2015) after the consultation meeting in December 2014. A launch event for this report was organized by the MoEHE and UNESCO in June 2015, together with the launch of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2015. The event was held jointly in Ramallah and Gaza and gathered around 200 participants from the education community to
38 C/17 page 2 present both the global and national progress towards the EFA goals. An open debate was held on national priorities related to quality education for the post-2015 agenda. This process provided experiences in implementing the EFA strategies, lessons learnt, emerging issues and challenges, with the aim to accelerate actions to complete the unfinished EFA tasks as well as to inform public debates on the future education agenda. 7. UNESCO has continued to successfully coordinate the EFA Package in Palestine. In support of the EFA agenda in Palestine, and within the UN/MoEHE EFA Package (comprised by nine United Nations agencies: FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNRWA, UNSCO, WFP and WHO coordinated by UNESCO, see document 195 EX/28), special focus was given to inclusive and child-friendly education, through pilot child-led activities/innovative teaching and learning in 70 schools (58 government, 12 UNRWA), both in the West Bank and in Gaza. The second phase of this project was funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), with further support by AGFUND, and is jointly implemented with MoEHE and UNWRA, in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).This project already benefited more than 27,000 students and 1,265 teachers. After the successes achieved, all partners agreed on the importance of expanding those trainings to a possible phase II of the project, to include another 200 schools both in West Bank and Gaza. 8. UNESCO continues to support vulnerable university students in Palestine. With the financial support from the Saudi Committee for the Relief of Palestinian People, UNESCO continues the ongoing process of both establishing and ensuring the high quality of 12 libraries, 10 in West Bank and two in Gaza. These libraries support vulnerable higher education students through providing them with access to study and research library facilities, textbooks and other resource materials. The libraries are drawing a growing number of users, and have begun to implement a country-wide advocacy campaign on the rights to, in and through higher education in Palestine, with a particular focus on discrimination and disability, in line with UNESCO s membership of the United Nations Partnership for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at global level and as an additional support to the national efforts to effectively implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities accessed by Palestine in April 2014. 9. UNESCO continued its active participation in the humanitarian cluster system and supported the Education Cluster in the process of developing the 2014 Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). Building on success stories from the past years, a UNESCO future intervention in Gaza was included in the HPC focusing on ensuring that schools are able to fulfill their crucial role as protective spaces for boys and girls and communities. 10. UNESCO is actively participating in the development of the Education-Child Protection clusters advocacy strategy which reiterates a critical principle: Schools and their vicinities are inviolable spaces and their integrity is respected by all parties to the conflict as spaces where children are safe protected and have their cultural rights respected. 11. UNESCO is also supporting the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Education Cluster to prepare and facilitate trainings on the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) minimum standards for education personnel of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. 12. Rapid assessment of damages to higher education institutions and facilities in Gaza: between September 2014 and January 2015, UNESCO in collaboration with Enabling Education Network and in close coordination with MoEHE conducted the assessment, initially in the framework of the Humanitarian Education Cluster, to support the Ministry and Higher Education Institutions in the identification of critical needs after the war in Gaza in July-August 2014 and in the development of a response plan for the higher education sector. 13. Supporting Education Sub-Sector to finalize the Gaza Detailed Needs Assessment: With the support of UNESCO, the Education Sector Working Group finalized in January 2015 the
38 C/17 page 3 chapter on Education of the DNA, assessing the impact of the recent escalation in Gaza on the Education Sector as a way of laying the groundwork for a recovery strategy. UNESCO proposed intervention in Gaza was included in the Humanitarian Programme Cycle, focusing on ensuring that schools and higher educational institutions are able to fulfil their crucial role as protective spaces for students and communities with an estimate needed budget of US $1,750,000. Culture 14. Over the two-year reporting period, UNESCO continued its cooperation with Palestine in the field of culture, providing technical assistance, building national capacities of relevant Palestinian institutions, and implementing projects on the ground. 15. In June 2014, the site of Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir was inscribed on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger simultaneously. The nomination dossier for this property was prepared as a concrete result of the institutional capacity-building activities undertaken by UNESCO. Moreover, two training sessions for Palestinian professionals were organized by UNESCO Ramallah Office on the World Heritage Convention and the preparation of state of conservation reports. UNESCO is continuing its technical support to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in order to strengthen capacities of the Palestinian cultural institutions for the protection, conservation, and promotion of cultural and natural heritage in Palestine. 16. The project of the Archaeological Park of Tell Balata project in Nablus, one of 13 sites on the Tentative List of Palestine as a key component of the site Old Town of Nablus and its environs was successfully implemented by UNESCO and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) in cooperation with the University of Leiden and the local community in Nablus city and funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This four-year project (2010-2014) contributed to safeguarding and managing of the site and to the socio-economic development of the area. Firstly, through archaeological research and field work; and secondly, through management planning and site upgrading. All objectives of the project were fully attained through extensive research, survey, excavations, scientific publications in English and Arabic versions (Teacher s Handbook, Guidebook and Changing Landscape), emergency conservation measures, production of a documentary film, construction of visitors facility including an interpretation hall and a site museum to provide scientific information to visitors and ensure a visitor friendly experience. A site management plan was also devised for the sustainable use and effective management of the site, the first such plan for an archaeological site in Palestine. 17. The implementation of the project Local development through the rehabilitation and revitalization of the historic built environment in Palestine, funded by the Government of Sweden, continued to build local technical capacities in the field of cultural heritage preservation through the renovation of 29 historic sites in the Palestinian cities and localities for public use, thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of the targeted areas by generating around 37,000 working days providing temporary job opportunities for workers and technicians. The project involved raising community awareness concerning cultural heritage and enhancing accessibility to cultural heritage assets, with more than 6,000 participants in community awareness activities implemented within the framework of the project. 18. UNESCO assisted the government in revising and adapting cultural heritage norms and legislations mainly after the ratification of six conventions on culture by Palestine. In-depth revisions of the draft law on the protection of intangible cultural heritage and the draft cultural heritage law were made in May and June 2015 in close cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Culture. UNESCO Ramallah office and its international experts facilitated the revision and update process. 19. The joint United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security programme was successfully completed. Three community service and women centres were constructed using mud bricks. The
38 C/17 page 4 project contributed to enhancing skills and knowledge of men and women in traditional building techniques and environment friendly construction methods mainly on the revival of the traditional adobe mud brick increasing the communities resilience through sustainable livelihoods and socioeconomic empowerment. 20. Progress was made in the development of the Riwaya Museum in Bethlehem, the first-ofits-kind interactive multimedia museum on Palestinian historical, traditional and contemporary narratives. The institutionalization of the museum was finalized by the Palestinian Government which will facilitate negotiating with the donor on the next phase to finalize the renovation works. 21. UNESCO successfully completed the first phase of a needs assessment for Palestine on its implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Interviews and field visits were conducted in Palestine in March 2015 involving key local actors working in cultural practice, representation, expression and traditional knowledge, to address the country s ICH safeguarding needs. The assessment, funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (ADTCA), covered existing initiatives, the institutional framework, challenges and roles and relations between government and civil society. On the basis of this assessment, tailored additional activities will be elaborated to enhance national capacities in safeguarding ICH in Palestine. 22. In Gaza, UNESCO in cooperation with the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem, the Islamic University in Gaza and the French General Consulate in Jerusalem, implemented emergency safeguarding activities in the archaeological site of Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer in Nuseirat, which is inscribed on the Palestine Tentative list. In addition, training workshops on stone masonry carving and techniques of preserving archaeological features were organized involving students of archaeology form the Islamic university. Another safeguarding intervention is scheduled in September 2015 with the same partners. 23. Further to the preliminary assessment of damage to cultural heritage sites and in response to the request of the Palestinian Government to the United Nations, UNESCO Ramallah office has participated in the preparation of the Detailed Needs Assessment (DNA) for the culture sector in Gaza Strip after the July-August 2014 conflict. UNESCO undertook field surveys and sites observation to assess damage and losses in the built cultural heritage and cultural institutions in Gaza and proposed, in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Ministry of Culture and in consultation with the relevant local cultural institutions, a three-year recovery framework and needs that target cultural heritage sites and cultural institutions for restoration, reconstruction and resumption of services. Communication and information 24. Freedom of expression projects supported by the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC): Three projects are supported by the IPDC. Promoting the concept of young citizen journalism through training and open platforms at Wattan and Empowering the Female Journalists Club to promote freedom of expression and introduce women s discourse into the public sphere, were successfully launched. The national partners involved in these two projects are Wattan TV, an independent non-profit station, and Filastiniyat, an NGO promoting women s rights in the media. While the third project Enhancing the professional capacities of the Independent Palestinian Media was recently approved and launched, Ma an TV Network is the national partner. 25. Within the framework of the first project, Wattan conducted a training workshop to enhance the writing and reporting skills of 20 young citizen journalists. The workshop also catalysed a process of networking among the young journalists and enabled them to establish connections with the Wattan staff, making it possible for them to share their stories and publish them on Wattan broadcasting channels. Almost 200 news items were produced by the trainees, featuring stories,
38 C/17 page 5 articles and samples of major societal problems. The workshop was designed as a training of trainers, thus ensuring the sustainability of the initiative. 26. The second project carried out with Filastiniyat s Female Journalists Club, directly benefitted 265 female journalists so far: 51 participated in a five-day training workshop on gender-sensitive reporting, 18 participated in the specialized training, while the remainder participated in two psycho-social counselling workshops and social media were conducted in Gaza. Meetings were organized in parallel in the West Bank to enhance the capacities and participation of female journalists in media. The Female Journalists Club now consists of over 300 active members. 27. Formulation of an informal communication and media platform: As a follow-up to the launch of the UNESCO Report on Media Development in Palestine, UNESCO organized in June 2014 an informal meeting with international partners working in the field of media development in Palestine to informally discuss media training priorities and needs. They agreed to meet regularly and establish an informal platform for the exchange of information and ideas. This forum shall facilitate coordinated media development initiatives including policy support that are in harmony with the various partners mandates as well as Palestine s priorities and needs in both the immediate and long term. 28. Introducing best practices for code of conduct and ethics among journalists: With the support of Sida, UNESCO organized a training seminar for journalists and media professionals on journalism ethics and code of ethics and conduct training, held in May and June in Gaza and Ramallah. Over 40 participants were introduced to best practices in the area of codes of conduct and ethical guidelines for journalists. Participants were additionally involved in the drafting of a proposed set of ethical guidelines for the local media community. The activity was carried out as a direct follow-up to the relevant recommendations on the need to establish codes of conduct or a self-regulation system, included in the Assessment of Media in Palestine, based on the Media Development Indicators, launched by UNESCO in June 2014. Gender equality 29. UNESCO continues supporting the Palestinian Women s Research and Documentation Centre (PWRDC). With the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), UNESCO initiated in December 2013 a new phase of PWRDC, and is supporting it in its efforts to contribute to the successful implementation of the Cross-Sectoral National Gender Strategy of the Palestinian Authority, which highlights the lack of research and studies to inform policy-making, particularly on the causes of violence against women, and points to the need to build capacity among government and civil society to support its implementation. The PWRDC will also be involved in the implementation of the National Strategy to Combat Violence against Women 2011-2019 to which it was a contributing partner. In fulfilling these roles and in building capacity for research and documentation, PWRDC would also provide an important link between MOWA, civil society organizations, and United Nations agencies working on gender equality and women s empowerment. 30. The overall objective of this phase is to build on the previous work done by the PWRDC and to re-focus its activities to ensure that it makes a real and valuable contribution to advancing gender equality within Palestine. Three key functions of the PWRDC have been identified, namely: to collect, analyse and make available high-quality research and data on gender equality and the situation of women in Palestine through a documentation centre and online library and database; to build capacity through training for high-quality research to inform policy-making and permit the evaluation of policy impact; to network with gender equality research institutions both in Palestine and at a regional and global level to share experiences and best practice.
38 C/17 page 6 31. Main outcomes and progress achieved during the reporting period: Online library and database which collects all research and data on gender in Palestine (and relevant regional and international data) to serve all stakeholders created and available at the following web address (accessible both directly and through a link uploaded on the website of the UNESCO Ramallah Office: www.pwrdc.ps and www.unesco.org/ramallah. More than 5,000 books focusing on gender migrated to the PWRDC online library in June 2014, including all previous bibliographic data based on Dublin Core metadata. An online calendar of activities has been created in early June 2015 under the library s website (www.pwrdc.ps) aiming at coordinating and managing the different gender related activities in Palestine. Forty-eight professionals from governmental, semi-governmental and non-governmental research and gender departments completed a 192 hour-capacity development program for master researchers on research methodologies (two modules of 96 hours each, carried out in the West Bank and Gaza respectively). It consisted of quantitative and qualitative modules, including mentoring and follow-up to the master trainers both in the West Bank and Gaza and practical sessions and field visits. The focus of this training was on policy-oriented research from a gender perspective. The selected participants now form a core master researchers network. In partnership with the Institute of Women s Studies at Birzeit University, PWRDC organized five full days training for the members of the Gender Advisory Committee of the Palestinian Authority s Security Sector (GACPSS). The 22 participants came from 11 different security apparatus and departments (two participants from each department). The training focused on Gender Sensitive Planning in the PA s Security Sector. UNESCO supported an in-depth research study on Women s and Men s Voices following the July/August war on the Gaza Strip and its impact on gender relation. The research is being finalized. Research network for academic and civil society organizations to encourage development and diffusion of new research established. Organization of a gender conference: in December 2014, the PWRDC organized in Ramallah and Gaza a conference under the theme The Role of Women in Peace Building and Reconstruction, with the following sub-themes: impacts of conflict and occupation on women, and on gender relations; women in negotiations, peace-building and reconciliation; the international framework on women, peace and security and its application to Palestine; and, the inclusion of women in social and political reconstruction. The conference was attended by more than 200 national and international experts and professionals working in the field of gender-related studies, to discuss the issues of gender in conflicts, peace-building and reconstruction and to strengthen research and policy network in this area across Palestine and at the international level. Partnership established between PWRDC and the Freedom Theatre in Jenin for the production of a theatre play on gender-based violence. The production started with conducting 11 community workshops in the 11 governorates in the West Bank and the play was developed based on the stories collected from the communities. In February 2015, UNESCO established a partnership with Theatre Day Production (TDP) in Gaza to implement the project Sharing Stories, Changing Lives. A team of TDP women storytellers, in their role of community leaders, visited 12 UNRWA Collective Centres still
38 C/17 page 7 offering shelter to many Gaza families. Women living at shelters shared stories that were hidden, locked in their hearts. In spite of surrounding destruction and violence the stories show women s strong spirit and power, their initiative and will to act, their humour and creativity in searching and organizing safety and security for themselves and their loved ones. On 11 May 2015, UNESCO organized a special performance of the storytelling forum (Sound of Ah) attended by the Palestinian Minister of Women s Affairs, representatives of United Nations agencies, donor community and consulates. The performance was followed by a discussion with a group of women from the shelters and UNRWA collective centres. A resource mobilization strategy was developed by UNESCO in close consultation with the Ministry of Women s Affairs and shared with the donor for feedback. NET-MED YOUTH 32. Networks of Mediterranean Youth (NET-MED Youth) is a three-year regional project (2014-2017) initiated by UNESCO and funded by the European Union ($8.8 million) under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI). It aims at improving the access and effective participation of young people in mainstreaming their priorities into national legislation and policies, in 10 countries from the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean Sea. The national launching of the project in Palestine was held in April 2015. 33. NET-MED Youth Palestine is currently finalizing a mapping of youth organizations, building on previous studies conducted since 2014 (that covered 300 organizations). It provides key recommendations among which: involving youth organizations in setting future plans, visions, policies and strategies in a way that consider their skills, abilities and potential; enhancing youth organizations role in the sustainable development of the communities rather than just service delivery. 34. Two national youth working groups, one in the West Bank and one in Gaza, have been established. They consist of 38 active youth organizations from the different areas of Palestine that are meeting regularly and acting as a steering committee for the project s implementation. These organizations were selected based on their expertise and experience on themes that are relevant to NET-MED Youth: youth employment, youth policies and networking, youth and media representation. 35. Capacity-building activities targeting members of the national youth working groups were organized and focused on key topics among which gender and disability perspectives into planning processes. 36. Within the media component of the project, three youth organizations are conducting a media monitoring covering three Palestinian national TV channels on the representation of youth issues in their programmes. 37. Palestinian youth organizations have been engaged in the celebration of World Radio Day (13 February 2015) and World Press Freedom Day (3 May 2015) via the production and broadcasting of youth-centred radio programmes. Young journalists and photographers were also celebrated during UNESCO ceremonies and photography exhibition for WPFD in May 2015 in both the West Bank and Gaza. 38. Following the production of a Prospective Country Report on Employment Skills Forecasting in Palestine, and challenges of youth s transition from school to work, the second phase of this activity is being implemented with a view to strengthening national institutional capacities in anticipating future skills needs and related capacity building of youth organizations. Various consultations have been made with different stakeholders on the Country Report. Their feedback has been gathered and presented at the regional workshop held in Paris in June 2015. A
38 C/17 page 8 national Expert Team has been formed, and consultations with youth organizations, through the NET-MED working groups are planned to take part soon, as well as identifying a key national institution, in which the simulation model will be hosted. PART II THE SITUATION OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN 39. The project for Syrian students in the occupied Syrian Golan launched in 2009 and financed by Japanese Funds-in-Trust ended in March 2013. Without further extrabudgetary resources, UNESCO has so far not been in a capacity to continue providing this assistance. Printed on recycled paper